The Fruit of the Spirit is actually a term that the apostle Paul uses to sum up nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
Note too that these are not individual ‘fruits’ that we pick and choose but one ninefold fruit that is ‘a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life’. It is Christ living in us and transforming us. We can display this fruit only when we have Christ living in us. To have Christ living in us, we need to have a close relationship with Him. This is possible only if we spend time with Him through prayer, reading His word and reflecting on it.
Are you really serious about wanting to display more of the Fruit of the Spirit in your life? If you are, then this is what you could do. Get a notebook ready. For the next 9 days, set aside an hour a day to reflect on an attribute of the Fruit of the Spirit. Note down your reflections and end with a prayer asking God to transform you so that you display that attribute in your life. On the 10th day, read through all your reflections and pray that in your day-to-day life you will be a living testimony for Christ. Below are some notes you could use from Day 1 to Day 9.
Day 1 – Love
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will help you to love like He does.
Love: “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Try and read the whole of 1 Corinthians 13.
Day 2 – Joy
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the joy of the Lord.
Joy: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Day 3 – Peace
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the peace that passes all understanding.
Peace: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
Day 4 – Patience
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you patience in all your dealings.
Patience: We are “strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience…” (Colossians 1:11). “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love“ (Ephesians 4:2).
Day 5 – Kindness
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you a heart of kindness.
Kindness: We should live “in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left” (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).
Day 6 – Goodness
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the enabling to do what is good in the sight of the Lord.
Goodness: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).
Day 7 – Faithfulness
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the gift of faith, and help you to be reliable in your promises like God Himself is faithful to all His promises.
Faithfulness: “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name; for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things; things planned long ago” (Isaiah 25:1). “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16-17).
Day 8 – Gentleness
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the desire to be gentle.
Gentleness: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1). “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2).
Day 9 – Self-control
Read and reflect on the Scriptures below and pray that through the Holy Spirit you may learn self-control.
Self-control: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
May God help you as you journey towards becoming a Christian who has the mind of Christ.