Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Characteristics!
Text: Galatians 5: 22 – 23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Everything on the planet earth and beyond, be it living or inanimate, is identified by some perculiar characteristics.
For instance, water is identified as colourless and with the ability to flow. Living things can be identified by their ability to grow and reproduce their kind.
We can further distinguish a person from another by such characteristics as height, skin colour, facial appearance, etc.
In like manner, a christian can only be identified by certain perculiar characteristics or spiritual fruit. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we become regenerated, able to put aside all the things of the flesh and cling on to all things godly and eternal.
Galatians 5 outlines the characteristics of a Holy Spirit filled christian: love, then joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Cross examine yourself this morning and see which of the characteristics you are missing. Realise the reasons why you completely fall short when it comes to that virtue and begin to pray. Yield to the presence of God and ask HIM to make you WHOLE, so you can bear His fruit and be exactly like HIM!
Remember, Paul calls all the virtues above “fruit of the Spirit” not fruits. This means if you have the Holy Ghost cultivating you, you actually show forth all these virtues simultaneously and not some. Also remember, by our fruits, we shall be known. Finally, never forget that very tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 7:19).
Let us yield to Holy Spirit now, so He helps us bear the fruit of Christ in all we do. To be wallowing in the FRUIT OF THE FLESH (Galatians 5: 19- 21) is not to be our portion. Reject therefore any situation that makes you flesh-led and not Spirit-led in Jesus name. Remember, only those led by the Spirit are the sons of God.
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