Am I living by the power of the Holy Spirit? This is one of the most important questions God's children can ask themselves. In God's Word, we are given a simple litmus test that demonstrates whether or not we are living the Spirit-empowered life: the fruit of the Spirit, a cluster of nine interrelated characteristics that can only be produced fully in your life by the Spirit Himself.
Read Galatians 5:13-26. In these verses, we see that the flesh and the Spirit are contrary to one another, producing results in our lives that are polar opposites. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—stands in stark contrast to the works of the flesh such as sexual immorality, hatred, and jealousy. The flesh and its works only produce pain and heartache as they divide friends, spouses, and even entire churches. The Spirit, on the other hand, is the one who unites, producing only good things in and through us as we surrender completely to Christ.
God never fails to produce fruit in the life that is truly surrendered to Him.
You cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit in your own power. This is the reason why the existence of the fruit of the Spirit in your life is a litmus test of the Spirit-empowered life. It is impossible for you to fake His working in your life. If He is empowering you, He will produce this fruit in you, for He never fails to produce fruit in the life that is truly surrendered to Him.
God is not content for you to exhibit a small amount of fruit in your life. He longs for you to bear much fruit. Be encouraged: If you are yearning to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in your life, imagine how much more your Heavenly Father desires this for you!
God has something magnificent in store for you. Abide in His unfailing love and obey His voice, and in His timing, you will bear much fruit and so prove to be His disciple. The fruit of the Spirit will surely be displayed in you as you walk with Him, moment by moment.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that You want me to bear fruit and You have equipped me to bear fruit. May I grow more and more like Christ and be a blessing to others as I submit to You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light" (Ephesians 5:8).
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