“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Jesus called His Disciples friends. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15) Jesus died for our sins, not just for our salvation, but to also build a relationship with us as friends. This friendship is built as Jesus teaches us the way of the Father and let’s us know what God is doing. He has us join Him in the family business, as one who knows of the business and one who is involved in the details of the business.

Jesus illustrates our involvement through the vines and branches which can be seen. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Our business is the production of fruit. Jesus continues, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) It is for the building of the business of God, that we produce fruit in our lives which will present to the world the way to God through Jesus Christ.

We stay connected to God through the Holy Spirit which God the Father and God the Son has sent into our lives. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18) The results of the Holy Spirit in our lives will be God’s truth abiding is us. His truth will lead us to produce the fruit which will point people to Jesus, in order that they may come to know the ways of God.

Paul, who had seen the way believers lived and then was confronted by God Himself, now believed. In his letter to the Galatian churches, he wrote about the fruit which comes through the Holy Spirit. “But 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.” (Galatians 5:22-25) The fruit of the Spirit produces the difference in us as we learn and produce this fruit in our lives. These are nine new characteristics to be in our lives which can draw others who don’t know Him. Jesus develops and grows this fruit in our lives. When they see the difference, they will see that God is changing us.

Paul would describe what happens to us as we produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. This would also be a prayer for all believers. “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9-12) When we walk daily with the Living Word and the Written Word of God, He produces in us good fruit.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block