The apostle Paul really used the term “Fruit of the Spirit” to summarize nine outward characteristics of a genuine Christian life. According to Galatians 5:22, these are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
It should be noted that there is just one ninefold fruit, which is “a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life,” rather than several distinct “fruits” that we select from. It is Christ who is transforming and living within us.Only when Christ is dwelling within us are we able to exhibit this fruit. In order for Christ to reside within us, a close relationship with Him is necessary. Only when we spend time with Him in prayer and by reading and thinking upon His word is this possible.
Do you genuinely desire to see greater evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit in your life? This is what you could do if you are. Prepare a notebook. Spend an hour every day for the following nine days thinking about one of the Fruit of the Spirit’s characteristics. After writing down your thoughts, close with a prayer asking God to change you so that you embody that quality in your daily life. Read over all of your reflections on the tenth day and ask God to use you as a living example of Him in your daily life. Here are some useful notes covering Days 1 through 9.
Day 1 – Love
After reading and considering the passages below, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the ability to love as He does.
Love: “Therefore, we are aware of and dependent upon God’s love for us. Love is God. According to 1 John 4:16, “whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” Our ultimate aim is to act in love toward everyone and everything via Jesus Christ. “Love is compassionate and patient. It is neither arrogant nor haughty, nor does it boast. It is not obnoxious, self-centered, easily agitated, or intolerant of wrongdoing. Love rejoices in the truth and does not take pleasure in wickedness. It never fails to defend, to believe, to hope, and to persevere. Love is always there (1 Corinthians 13:4–8). Attempt to read 1 Corinthians 13 in its entirety.
Day 2 – Joy
After reading and considering the passages below, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with the joy of the Lord.
Joy: According to Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” “Let us fix our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who rejected the shame of the cross in order to endure it for the joy that was set before Him and sat down at the right hand of God’s throne” (Hebrews 12:2).
Day 3 – Peace
In your prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to grant you the peace that surpasses all comprehension while you read and consider the scriptures below.
Calm: “Therefore, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have peace with God, for we have been justified by faith” (Romans 5:1). According to Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may overflow with hope.”
Day 4 – Patience
After reading and considering the passages below, ask the Holy Spirit to grant you patience in all of your dealings.
Patience: Through His marvelous might, we are “strengthened with all power so that we may have great endurance and patience.” (Ephesians 1:11). According to Ephesians 4:2, “be fully humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love.”
Day 5 – Kindness
After reading and considering the passages below, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with kindness.
Compassion: According to 2 Corinthians 6:6-7, we are to live “in purity, understanding, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in true love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left.”
Day 6 – Goodness
Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the strength to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord as you read and consider the scriptures below.
Kindness: “Thus, we also pray constantly for you, that our God will esteem you for this calling and accomplish all of His good pleasures and the work of faith with strength” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). According to Ephesians 5:9, “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.”
Day 7 – Faithfulness
Pray that the Holy Spirit will provide you the gift of faith and enable you to be dependable in your promises, just as God is dependable in keeping all of His promises, as you read and consider the Scriptures below.
fidelity: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name because you have done marvelous things in perfect faithfulness, things that were long planned” (Isaiah 25:1). “I ask that, according to Ephesians 3:16–17, Christ may dwell in your hearts via faith, and that, from His glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.”
Day 8 – Gentleness
Please pray that the Holy Spirit may inspire you to want to be kind as you read and consider the scriptures below.
Kindness: “Brothers and sisters, you who are Spirit-filled should restore a person who has fallen into sin gently. But be careful, or you might give in to temptation as well. Galatians 6:1. “Be utterly gentle and humble; be patient and lovingly bear one another.” (Ephesians 4:12).
Day 9 – Self-control
Peruse and consider the passages below, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you self-control.
Self-control: “Add to your faith virtue, virtue knowledge, knowledge self-control, self-control perseverance, perseverance godliness, godliness brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness love, but also for this very reason, giving all diligence” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
I pray that God would support you on your path to become a Christian with Christ’s perspective.
