Fruits of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Trinity through whom God acts. The Third Person of God reveals God's will, empowers us, and guides us. To contextualize the topic of the fruits of the Holy Spirit we must define what a fruit is.
The fruit is the edible pulp that surrounds a seed. In the biblical context, the Israelites knew that the reproduction of trees by sowing seeds after their kind was part of God's plan (Genesis 1:12; 29). In other words, the fruit is the end result of planting a seed.
Now, we are interested in knowing What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? By the fruits of the Holy Spirit we understand the result of the work of the Third Person in the lives of Christians. These fruits are consequences of sowing the seed of the Word of God. For it to bear fruit we must water it and cultivate it.
So, when a Christian communes with the Word of God and is guided by the Third Person of God, he develops qualities or virtues that distinguish us as Christians. Each of these qualities are the fruits of the Holy Spirit described in the Book of Galatians. This biblical book is one of the jewels that we Christians have. We invite you to delve into its content in the following link entitled Galatians
Galatians 5: 22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance; against such things there is no law.
Next we will discover what are the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit. and will answer the question about how to know if you have the Holy Spirit?
The works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit
Every true Christian who is filled with the Third Person of God must be led by the Spirit of God. This is how the Lord let us know:
John 16: 12-13
12 I still have many things to tell you, but now you cannot bear them.
13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak on his own account, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will show you things to come.
In order to be guided by the Third Person of God, the first thing a Christian must do is fill himself with the knowledge and wisdom of the Word of God. After the seed with the Gospel message was sown in him and he accepted the Lord as his Lord and Savior, he must care for and cultivate that seed.
This means that the Christian must daily read the Word of God, pray, walk with God. Jesus himself, got up early in the morning to have time alone with God (Mark 1:35)
This fellowship fills the Christian with knowledge and wisdom. A believer who is filled with the Word of God will be led by the Holy Spirit.
In other words, the true Christian must be filled to the brim with the Word of God. Memorize Bible verses. This is how the Holy Spirit can guide you. In this way, He guides you on the path you should follow. When you go astray He corrects your walk.
Ephesians 1: 16-19
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 enlightening the eyes of your understanding, so that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the power of his might
In this verse we can appreciate a Paul crying out for a Church full of the knowledge and wisdom of God. Wisdom is putting knowledge into practice. Knowledge only puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). We must be wise.
Now, if a Christian does not have knowledge of the Word of God, it is difficult for the Holy Spirit to guide him (Colossians 1:9).
For example, if a Christian argues with a brother, God's Holy Spirit will remind us of the Lord's command that we love one another. Another example, if we are presented with the opportunity of a business where we will earn a lot of money, but it is illicit, the Third Person of God will reveal to us that neither thieves, nor fornicators, adulterers will enter the Kingdom of God.
No Christian can allude that he cannot search the Word, nor memorize it because it is difficult for him. The Bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ, that we can do everything in Him. So, under no circumstances can the Christian cling to the fact that he has never studied or that he does not have the capacity to do so (Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28; 8:14).
1 Corintios 2: 16
16 For who knew the mind of the Lord? Who will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
James 1:5
5 And if any of you lacks wisdom, ask God for it, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.
This communion with the Word of God and prayer begin to dissipate the darkness and we begin to develop the qualities, the fruits that produce this communion. The end result of this life. However, this knowledge, Paul warns us, produces a struggle between the desires of the flesh and the spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).
Galatians 5: 16-18
16 So I say: Walk in the Spirit, and do not satisfy the lust of the flesh.
17 Because the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and that of the Spirit is against the flesh; and they oppose each other, so you don't do what you want.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Product of this struggle, the Christian guided by the Holy Spirit has the following fruits.
Charity
He is one of twelve fruits of the holy spirit bible mentions. Charity is defined as the impulse or encouragement we have to selflessly help others. Some define charity as philanthropy, altruism, generosity. As Christians we know that this is one of the commandments that God left us that we must fulfill (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
The love that as Christians we should feel is completely selfless, it is an affection that understands everything and that seeks to help, shelter, advise, accompany others in the best way. God calls us to love others as we love ourselves.
Matthew 22: 37-40
37 Jesus said to him: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is similar: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.
Gozo
There is a difference between joy and gladness. Joy is temporary. Joy is a deep feeling of happiness despite the circumstances. For example, a Christian may be going through a very difficult time, but he feels the joy that God does not abandon him (1 Thessalonians 1: 6).
An example of this statement is the fact that the disciples were humiliated in the Sanhedrin for following Jesus and yet the simple fact of having been faithful to Jesus filled them with joy:
Acts 5:41
41 And they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name's sake.
When the Lord asks us to praise him, it is because he knows that our spirits are troubled by all the things around us. When we put ourselves in the presence of God our problems diminish because He in his infinite love for us assumes those burdens.
Matthew 13: 44
44 Furthermore, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man finds, and hides again; and glad of it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
Peace
The inner peace, the spiritual and mental peace that we seek is a sensation of tranquility, happiness, well-being, rest that fills us with deep rest.
We abandon fears, worries, we leave suffering behind because we are rested. In this sense, the disturbances of the world, the economy, the politics, the riots, the social crisis, cease to have the power to take away our inner peace.
When we live in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ we can see how our lives are transformed. One of the fruits of the Third Person of God that is most overvalued we have is peace. We believe that peace is something that we can touch but spiritual peace is something that we can only have with God in our lives.
When we refer to inner peace we refer to the rest that God grants us. It is the feeling that Jesus gives us for faith in Him. Jesus promises us that those of us who have reconciled with Him will find a peace that surpasses everything our minds cannot imagine.
The wise direction of the Holy Spirit in everything we do should give us peace. Everything we do that does not give us peace is not from God. Because the fruits of the Third Person of God are joy and peace (Philippians 4:7).
Romans 8: 6
6 Because caring for the flesh is death, but caring for the Spirit is life and peace.
John 14: 26-27
26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I have said to you.
27 Peace I leave you, my peace I give you; I do not give it to you as the world gives it. Not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 20: 21-23
21 Then Jesus said to them again: Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
22 And having said this, he breathed, and said to them: Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 Whose sins you remit, they are remitted to them; and to whom ye retain them, they are retained.
Patience
The Third Person of God is one of the most palpable virtues among Christians. In the Bible, patience is perseverance towards the achievement of a goal. This means that patience is a word that implies action, not passive and tolerant waiting.
Patience is perseverance in the face of trials and adversities that life presents us. We can also understand patience as expectation versus waiting for the fulfillment of a promise (Colossians 1:11; James 1:3-4; Psalms 37:7; James 5:7-8; Lamentations 3:25).
Romanos 15: 4-5
4 Because the things that were written before were written for our teaching, so that through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
5 But may the God of patience and consolation give you the same mind among yourselves according to Christ Jesus,
Benignity
The word benign comes from the Latin benegnus composed of the words good What does "good" mean and genus that indicates "born", therefore this term means that it is something conceived or created for good.
The word benignity is an adjective that describes people, things or intangible elements such as meekness.
Kindness, or as it is also popularly known as kindness, is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that develops in our lives as Christians. Kindness is one of the virtues that is most related to the conduct of each of the Christians.
Goodness
The term "goodness" refers to the quality of being good. It is identified with the virtues of good people. It is also the natural tendency to do good to others.
This word is an adjective attributed to a person full of kindness and a gentle disposition. A kind person has the natural quality of doing good and promoting all that is good for those around them. To be kind is to be kind, benevolent, and try to help others.
Exodus 33: 18-19
18 He then said: I beg you to show me your glory.
19 And he said to him, I will cause all my good things to pass before your face, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will be merciful to whom I will be merciful.
2 Chronicles 6: 40-41
40 Now then, O my God, I beg you to keep your eyes open and your ears attentive to prayer in this place.
41 O Jehovah God, arise now to dwell in your rest, you and the ark of your power; May your priests be clothed with salvation, O Lord God, and may your saints rejoice in your goodness.
Fe
Faith is a person's trust, belief, or assent in something or someone. It is expressed beyond the need for physical or tangible evidence to prove the truth of what one believes. The word comes from Latin. fides, which means 'loyalty', 'fidelity'.
It is one of the characteristics that a Christian should have, since we live by Faith. Faith is defined as the certainty that there is something superior to us. We have the Faith that we are creations of God and that he sent his Son to save us from eternal death. Now, without this quality we can hardly have communion with God. In this sense, we invite you to read the following link entitled Without faith it is impossible to please God
Hebrews 11: 1
Faith, then, is the certainty of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Romans 1: 17
17 Because in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed by faith and for faith, as it is written: But the just shall live by faith.
Romans 10: 17
17 So faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Meekness
By meekness, we can understand the condition of being gentle. This term refers to the kindness, gentleness, or docility in the Christian's behavior or character. The word, as such, comes from the Latin "mansuetūdo" and/or "mansuetudĭnis," which implies a person's self-control and humility.
On the other hand, it requires or demands of the Christian the discipline and obedience of the Word of God. As Christians we are to be gentle, gentle, and full of love. Our heart should not be exposed to hatred or resentment since this separates us from the presence of the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 10:4
4 If the spirit of the prince exalts himself against you, do not leave your place; because meekness will cause great offenses to cease.
Ephesians 4: 1-3
4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation with which ye are called,
2 with all humility and meekness, patiently bearing with one another in love,
3 diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace;
Long-suffering
This term is defined as the relationship between perseverance, perseverance and patience in difficult times. In other words, it has to do with the strength that the Christian has in adverse situations.
This term comes from the Latin "longanimĭtas", "longanimitātis", which in turn is made up of the Latin "longus", which means 'long', and "animus", which translates "soul"; we could translate it as “long suffering”.
As Christians we understand that we are going to have moments of great difficulty, but we also know, understand and appreciate that our Lord Jesus Christ is in every moment of our lives to protect us and lift our spirits, because God is faithful.
The Christian who shows long-suffering is one who is able to patiently and constantly endure suffering and hardship without wavering.
A Christian with this quality is able to endure a job even if he does not like it, while he gets another one where he is more comfortable. Long-suffering has someone who has healthy and healthy relationships with the people around him even if he does not share his way of life. This doesn't mean that he does what the others do, it means putting up with these relationships.
2 Corinthians 6: 6-9
6 in purity, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God, with weapons of justice on the right hand and on the left;
8 for honor and for dishonor, for bad fame and for good fame; as deceivers, but truthful;
9 as unknown, but well known; as dying, but behold we live; as punished, but not dead;
Modesty
When we speak of modesty in Christian terms we mean that we are humble and that in our hearts there is no vanity. We are people who can understand that we are not perfect and that we can always learn while people who are worldly believe that they are perfect and develop aspects of pride and conceit in their lives.
1 Timoteo 2: 9
9 Also that women dress in decorous clothes, with modesty and modesty; not with ostentatious hairstyle, nor gold, nor pearls, nor costly dresses,
Love
Love can be defined as the intentional, altruistic, benevolent, loyal commitment to another person. This concept is closely related to the Word of God.
The term comes from the Hebrew word "chesed"Referring to the covenant of love made by God, which He remembers and fulfills. The Lord urges us to love one another so that resentment and hatred do not enter our hearts. This is very complicated as human beings because we always focus on the flaws and mistakes of others, but if we live with Christ, love is something that will come naturally to us.
Proverbial 3: 12-14
12 For the Lord he loves punishes,
Like the father to the son whom he loves.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
And who gets intelligence;
14 Because your gain is better than the gain of silver,
And its fruits more than fine gold.
Temperance
Temperance is another of the fruits of the Holy Spirit that can be defined as the strength you have to avoid carnal desires and maintain honesty in your heart and mind.
In other words, the term temperance is a human quality that can be exemplified by the speaking of the Christian. That is, a believer with temperance when speaking does so cautiously and fairly. It is characterized by its sobriety, moderation or continence to avoid damage, difficulties and inconveniences.
Temperance is a quality that helps a person subdue and control impulses, passions, and vices in the face of temptations, desires, pleasures, or instincts. Temperance requires good judgment, caution, discernment, prudence, and wisdom. These results compel us to offer the following article to Christian women who possess virtues and qualities that distinguish them from others. Virtuous woman
Facts 26: 24-26
24 Saying these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice: You are mad, Paul; the many letters drive you crazy.
25 But he said: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and sanity.
26 For the king knows these things, before whom I also speak with confidence. Because I don't think he ignores any of this; because this has not been done in some corner.
What has been said so far indicates that a Christian filled with the Holy Spirit
- He is full of knowledge and wisdom.
- They are guided by the Third Person of the Trinity.
- Make wise decisions and in accordance with the Word of God
- He can understand the Word and understands that he is adopted by God as a Son.
In the following audiovisual material you will be able to appreciate some definitions of the terms developed in this article.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcR4MUxGyR4
Gifts
The gifts are the capacities that God grants through the Holy Spirit for the service of God. By gifts, the Word of God also refers to operations and manifestations of the Third Person of the Trinity.
According to the Bible these terms refer to what God gives to believers to carry out the work in the ministry of the Church. Therefore, gifts and fruits are not the same (1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31; Corinthians 12:6; 12:5-7)
Once the difference between both terms has been established, we would like to know what the gifts given by the Third Person of God that you use in the Church.
