Fruits of the Spirit

[Always a Moon]

Hi everyone! I've been working on developing the various fruits of the Spirit in my life more. I know that we have each of them, as gifts from the Holy Spirit, so asking for them is unnecessary. What if you are really struggling to drum up one or two of them? Does anyone have any advice or testimony on how they developed their spiritual fruits into abundance? I basically have two that come very easily to me since being baptized with the Spirit, and two others are just constantly escaping me. 

[Jostler]

3 minutes ago, Always a Moon said:

Hi everyone! I've been working on developing the various fruits of the Spirit in my life more. I know that we have each of them, as gifts from the Holy Spirit, so asking for them is unnecessary. What if you are really struggling to drum up one or two of them? Does anyone have any advice or testimony on how they developed their spiritual fruits into abundance? I basically have two that come very easily to me since being baptized with the Spirit, and two others are just constantly escaping me. 

I am keenly aware of this struggle, and He's making  it an issue with  me.  I come from  a life that made me vulnerable to stuffing emotions, denying them instead of taking them to Him to be transformed  into His  image  so I might feel as He  feels.

I have paid a price for  that and even childhood experiences got reinforced by living as a soldier most of my life.  I got hard in places He desires to us  to be soft and to this day I struggle to naturally manifest, kindness, gentleness and patience (some translations say "longsuffering").

The only thing I know to do  is to observe my feelings and bring them  into captivity, presenting them to Him in repentance when I fail and asking Him  to transform me into His image.

It's not optional...He IS making it clear to me I must deal with this. 

 

Quote

2Co 10:3-5

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

 

We must 'take' the Kingdom and  doing that begins with  the Kingdom ground IN US....and forcing it to submit to the will and Lordship of the King.  It's not just  how  we think, but EVERY lofty  thing, including  how we feel that  must be submitted to His Lordship.

We are not fully  tranformed into His  image until we think as He thinks and FEEL as He feels.

We must have both  in order to  be able to speak the truth in love. 

Love  without truth is license...and not love at  all

Truth  without love is bondage, legalism.....and not truth at all.

When both  our heads and our hearts look like His, we will be able to walk as He did.

I have always loved the  truth, i don't seem  to struggle with that side  as much....it's speaking  it in love I need the  most work on.

[Always a Moon]

Thanks for sharing your struggles and experience. I think I know this in my intellect, but it hasn't been integrated into my heart and my spirit fully. I am still fighting to keep some of the old, dead parts of my life around when obviously they need to stay dead! Also, I know I cannot do it alone. "The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don't make anything happen. Every word I've spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. you get to me only as a gift from the Father." John 6:61-65 

Still, I feel I am doing the opposite of this Scripture too often: "My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are contrary to each other, so that you cannot at times live one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?" Galatians 5:16-18

Ultimately, I suppose we are all works in progress. I don't want to beat myself up too bad, as I do repent and I know I am forgiven. It just seems like I should be in a better place at this point. 

[Tzephanyahu]

2 hours ago, Always a Moon said:

basically have two that come very easily to me since being baptized with the Spirit, and two others are just constantly escaping me. 

Shalom Always a Moon, 

Do you mind expanding on what you mean? I think I get you, but not sure... 

Love & Shalom 

[Jayne]

2 hours ago, Always a Moon said:

Hi everyone! I've been working on developing the various fruits of the Spirit in my life more. I know that we have each of them, as gifts from the Holy Spirit, so asking for them is unnecessary. What if you are really struggling to drum up one or two of them? Does anyone have any advice or testimony on how they developed their spiritual fruits into abundance? I basically have two that come very easily to me since being baptized with the Spirit, and two others are just constantly escaping me. 

Hi Always a Moon - 

A good thing to remember is that these qualities are the fruit of the Spirit and not the fruit of ourselves.

It takes time to "grow" these things.  They aren't natural to the human nature.  What's natural to us is pride, hate, critical spirits, lust, lies, sloth, and a million more ungodly things.

I was teaching some 6th graders once about the fruit of the Spirit.  I was explaining that these fruits are like literal fruits - there has to be a sowing inside of us of obedience to the Holy Spirit, a watering/sunshining of walking daily with him before there is a harvesting of fruit.  I was sounding a little too metaphorical and was thinking "this sounds silly" and one 12-year-boy raised his hand and said, "You know, Ms. Jayne, I find that the Holy Spirit won't push his fruit on a Christian.  I think he gives us opportunity to practice them and to develop them."

He's right.  Smart kid.

If we want the Holy Spirit to bear his fruit in us - and let's take gentleness for example - I think we'd be shocked to see all the daily opportunities we actually have to BE gentle with others that we ignore.

You desire the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit?  As should we all.  And we should all anticipate daily the Holy Spirit's prompting to nurture and water and bear that fruit.

What I'm trying to say and took too long to say it was …..

…..don't look for the fruit in yourself.  Don't try to harvest it on your own. Look for the Holy Spirit and follow his lead.  Then his fruit will bear in you in abundance.

 

[Always a Moon]

2 hours ago, Tzephanyahu said:

Shalom Always a Moon, 

Do you mind expanding on what you mean? I think I get you, but not sure... 

Love & Shalom 

No, I don't mind. Since reconnecting with God in January and identifying for the first time since childhood as a Christian again, the gifts of joy and peace have been abundant and effortless for me. It was a night and day change for me after a fall and winter of deep depression and what I believe was demonic torture, I suddenly had immense peace and calm, joy and lightness. Everyone noticed it, not just in my attitude and outlook, but my whole frame changed from "me" to Christ-centered and reaching out to others without fear. I have been trying to practice and cultivate the other fruits of the spirit, and namely self-control, patience, and gentleness have been most elusive to me. That's what I meant. 

 

[Always a Moon]

2 hours ago, Jayne said:

If we want the Holy Spirit to bear his fruit in us - and let's take gentleness for example - I think we'd be shocked to see all the daily opportunities we actually have to BE gentle with others that we ignore.

You desire the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit?  As should we all.  And we should all anticipate daily the Holy Spirit's prompting to nurture and water and bear that fruit.

What I'm trying to say and took too long to say it was …..

…..don't look for the fruit in yourself.  Don't try to harvest it on your own. Look for the Holy Spirit and follow his lead.  Then his fruit will bear in you in abundance.

YES!!! This may explain why I have a black thumb with all growing things...I kill them. Haha

I know you're right here. I'm forcing it instead of leaning into what He is presenting. Thank you so much, Jayne!!

[Tzephanyahu]

10 hours ago, Always a Moon said:

Since reconnecting with God in January and identifying for the first time since childhood as a Christian again, the gifts of joy and peace have been abundant and effortless for me. It was a night and day change for me after a fall and winter of deep depression and what I believe was demonic torture, I suddenly had immense peace and calm, joy and lightness. Everyone noticed it, not just in my attitude and outlook, but my whole frame changed from "me" to Christ-centered and reaching out to others without fear. I have been trying to practice and cultivate the other fruits of the spirit, and namely self-control, patience, and gentleness have been most elusive to me. That's what I meant. 

Shalom Moon,

Would I be right in thinking that the fruit you struggle with are the traits that concern your ways towards others?  The reason I say this is that Joy and Peace are within and almost "incubated". Whereas Self-Control, Patience and Gentleness are affected by external stimuli (events, temptations, people).  If that's the case, no problem, this is where your Christian life really starts growing, so rejoice!

The Fruits of the Spirit are different to Gifts.  Gifts are like an appointment designated by Yahweh and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Whereas the Fruits should grow naturally from the Holy Spirit dwelling therein.

So what if some Fruits aren't growing so much?  I think that, even though the Fruit is there, without watering them we can limit the growth.  It's not a fault with the Fruit itself, but rather our nurturing.  It's nothing to be ashamed of though, it just requires a little "gardening" . 

You can do so by trying to see things (events, temptations, people) as if you were physically walking beside the Lord.   Try to control your impatience and weaknesses as if the Lord was actually in the room with you.   Taking control over your flesh in this manner will give space for the Fruits of the Spirit to grow - as you are affectively taming the contradictory fruits, which are of the flesh.

Finally, I recommend the following passage as a daily read for you, as way of "watering the garden".  - Romans 12-15:13.  If you keep this up, for even just a week, I'm sure you'll start to see changes in your mind and life, which will give room for the Fruits of the Spirit to flourish.

Love & Shalom

Edited July 17, 2019 by Tzephanyahu

[Always a Moon]

@Tzephanyahu 

Yes, you are right that those deal more with externals. My ways towards others have vastly improved, praise the Lord. There is still a lot of improvement to be had, and I will definitely try that visualization technique you mentioned. I'm not so great at visualizing, but I do like the idea of the Lord standing right with me. 

I love those passages! Romans moved me almost as much as Jesus's words when I first read them. I will read that daily. 

Thank you so much for your input! This has been bothering me for some time, and there never seems to be time to get into real discussions with my pastor or church family. Sad. 

I'm glad you and the forum are here! 

May God's peace be with you continually. 

[ravindran]

As others have pointed out, fruits of the Spirit are different from gifts of the Spirit. Fruits are byproducts of abiding in Him. The more we empty ourselves and allow Lord to fill with His Spirit, the more fruits we will produce. I think it would be a slow, gradual process that comes with exercising faith on a daily basis. Lot of time on Scripture, lot of time in prayers, lot of time listening in Christian fellowship and so on. Just like how slowly a fruit comes out. Needs lots of nurturing, water, nutrients, etc. The most important thing is abiding in Him. A branch cut off from the vine will not produce fruit. A person cut off from Christ will not produce fruits. There is no secret formula for this I guess. Just patiently seeking God in everything on a daily basis!