The Fruit of the Spirit CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The fruit of the Spirit is singular fruit, not plural “fruits.”  In other words, when the Holy Spirit is producing this fruit in your life, you will see all aspects of it in varying degrees in your life.

First, notice that this fruit represents attributes seen in the Lord’s life and being.

Love – 1 Jn 4:8 – God is love.

Joy – Jn 15:11 – Jesus said, “… that MY joy might remain in you.”  In Neh 8:10 we read, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Peace – Jn 14:27 – Jesus said, “MY peace I give unto you.”

Longsuffering – 1 Tim 1:16 – Paul said, “… that in me Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering.”

Gentleness – Ps 18:35 – David said to the Lord, “Thy gentleness hath made me great.”

Goodness – Ex 34:6 – When the Lord passed by Moses he proclaimed, “The Lord God … abundant in goodness.”

Faith – 1 Cor 10:13 – Paul said, “God is faithful.”

Meekness – Matt 11:29 – Jesus said, “I am meek.”  A meek person is not inclined to resentment.

Temperance – Jonah 4:2 – Jonah said to the Lord that he was “slow to anger.”

Second, notice that this fruit appeared in Paul’s life to such a degree that it would have been impossible for him to manifest this fruit apart from the Holy Spirit.

Love – 2 Cor 12:15 – Paul said to the Corinthians, “the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

Joy – Acts 20:24 – Paul said, “that I might finish my course with joy.”  Considering his course in 2 Cor 11:23-33, it would have been impossible for him to have joy in that life without the fruit of the Spirit.

Peace – Acts 16:25; 27:22-25 – Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises unto God when, without the Spirit, they would have been furious and questioning God.  In Phil 4:6-7 the peace of God passes all understanding and keeps your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Longsuffering – Acts 13:50; 14:2; 14:19 – Paul put up with the Jews every where he went and, in spite of their terrible treatment of him, he never lost his cool or his desire to see them saved.

Gentleness – Acts 17:1, 5, 13; 1 Thes 2:7, 14-15 – Again in Thessalonica, the Jews hassled Paul and yet among the Thessalonians he was as gentle as a nurse cherishing children.

Goodness – Rom 9:1-4a – Paul said that he could wish that he were accursed from Christ for his kinsmen who were Israelites.

Faith – Gal 2:20 – Paul said that the life he lived he lived by the faith of the Son of God.

Meekness – 2 Cor 11:23-33 – In spite of all the ill treatment Paul received, he never once expressed resentment to the Lord or to the people to whom he ministered.

Temperance – 1 Cor 9:19-27 – Paul was temperate and kept his body under.

Conclusion: The fruit that the Holy Spirit produced in Paul is exactly what he wants to produce in your life.  Put off the old man and put on the new man so that you do not grieve the Holy Spirit and limit his fruit production in your life [Eph 4:30, 22, 24].