Galatians 5:13-26
Fruit of the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
When St. Paul told us in his writing about love that when he was a child, he talked like a child, he thought like a child, and he reasoned like a child...But when he matured and became a man, he put the ways of childhood behind him...He had matured and his faith had changed and was becoming stronger and more developed...As a child, he could only partly see what later would become clearer to him (especially on the road to Damascus)...So as he grew things became clearer and more fully known to him...He tells us that there are three great virtues in life...These three virtues remain today: faith, hope and love...But the greatest virtue of all of these is love...And he loved his neighbors as he loved himself...So as St. Paul grew and his faith matured these things developed in his life...This Saint was called by God to do His Purpose...He now knew that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His Purpose...
St. Paul had become a Great Apostle for Jesus...And he learned the Fruits of the Holy Spirit from Jesus...He learned that these fruits are indwelt in us...They had developed strong in him...The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...Against such things there is no law...Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit...Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other...For the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and when we are weak...We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans...And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God...
Bible teacher, author and speaker Joyce Meyer wrote this of the Holy Spirit...“I know that if I said today, "How many of you would like to have me pray for you to have self control?"...I could stay here and pray for people to have self control until midnight tonight...How many of you would stay if I would just lay hands on you and pray for you to have self control?...Well, you know what, it would be a waste of time!...Because, you are not going to have self control because somebody prays for you to have self control...You already have self control...It is in you as a fruit of the spirit, but it's a little teeny tiny little seed...And, nobody else can develop your fruit of the spirit...Nobody can develop your peace but you...Nobody can develop your joy but you...Nobody can develop your patience but you...Nobody can develop your discipline and self control but you.”...