the fruit of the Spirit is love

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 This book of the Bible called Galatians was written by the apostle Paul to the churches in Galatia. Hes writing to encourage them and to clear up some things that they had mistakenly believed. A big part of that was that they was going back to old ways of thinking that you had to DO things in order to be saved specifically to be circumcised. Paul wants them and us to understand that its only through CHRIST that we are saved, not through doing things. And he tells us the secret to living right the Spirit of CHRIST in us. The fruit of the Spirit is the supernatural outside of us outcome of being filled with the Holy Spirit! Its also the proof, like the fruit on a tree that the Spirit of God lives inside us.

Interesting fact: the word Fruit singular: One Fruit, 9 characteristics or qualities (like a cluster of grapes, or a superfruit that combines all of our favorite flavors into one). Keeping in step with the Spirit is our theme - Just after this passage we read it says: Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Actually, all of our studies on the fruit of the Spirit will involve love, because these other 8 qualities all revolve around love they are manifestations of love! Who do you love? How do you show it? Who do you find difficult to love? What are some things that those people could change that would help you to love them? What is love? The ancient Greeks actually had at least 4 words for our one word Love. Eros passion, feel good (not actually used in the Bible) Storge Loyal, like to your children and family. Dependable. Philos Friends. CARING. Compassionate.

The word used in the original ancient Greek language that this book was written in: AGAPE love. The kind of love that God has. What are some characteristics of Agape love? Its actually more of a RESPONSE than a feeling Many times the feelings of love will come after we choose to respond in love but first and foremost Agape Love is an action. Its a choice. We find this action word of LOVE many times in the Bible In the O.T. its an ancient Hebrew word: Hesed a steadfast, everlasting love. Best description is in the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 Tells us that o Love is the greatest. These three things remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. And the greatest of these is LOVE. o 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. Vs 4-8

Its more of a verb than a noun. Agape love is about demonstrating, about action. Its about sacrificing my rights, just like Jesus did for me. Even my right to be right. Even when I think I am right. In Romans we see that God DEMONSTRATES His love do you know how? By sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8) While we were unlovable, He loved us and showed it by sending Jesus. Someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, and He told them that its about LOVE: He said the greatest is to love God with all your heart. Then he said the second greatest commandment is to love other people. The Bible is loud and clear about this: God loves us, and He wants us to love Him and to love one another. Even when the one another seems unlovable. If you doubt me on this, try doing a search on the words love one another in the Bible youll be blown away! Agape love. Action love. Doing love.

Think about this: The Lord says that LOVE is how people will know that we are HIS! John 13:34,35 Jesus says: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Lets ask ourselves: Does my love for people demonstrate to them that I am a Jesus follower? Think of the person or people that you said are hard for you to love: do your words and actions show the love of Jesus to that person? Ouch!

How? How do we show love when people seem unlovable? Well, We cant! Agape love is divine. Only God is capable of it! When I surrender my pride and rights to God, and let His Holy Spirit determine my choices, then Agape gets expressed through me. My part is to surrender. To let go. To submit to God and ACT in a loving way. The feelings follow we will never be sorry for acting in a loving way, but we will many times be sorry for the things we did out of pride and anger. Practical steps towards obedience Its so easy to point out wrong in others. Its so easy to want it to be someone elses fault. Its so easy to get critical and cynical and caught up in our limited perspectives. When I have trouble loving, I have two ways I can choose to travel: The Path of Pride-I can blame the other person, focus only on their flaws, and refuse to own my part of it. That response will increase my pride and decrease the Lords blessing in my life. The Agape/Love Way-I can honestly assess what Im contributing to this conflict, admit where I went wrong, and ask for forgiveness. That response will lead to humility and increase the Lords blessing in my life. Then I can choose to ACT in a loving way.

The problem is: our human nature wants to defend when we feel threatened: But what if it really isnt my fault? Its not fair to assign the blame with me when this person did this and this and this. But thats a wrong direction to head in. Its not about assigning the blame. Just own the part you brought into the conflict. When I approach a conflict with a heart of humility and love, I always see where I have added something to the issue. And if the other person doesnt own their issues-the Lord will deal with them. We are not the Holy Spirit for other people. That job is taken! Now please understand: Im not saying that Agape Love Gods love in us through the His Spirit that lives in us makes us a doormat. Not at all. We can have good boundaries with people and even have tough rules. Heres the key: Real love has the motivation of the good of the other person. What is the best for that person? Agape love is motivated by that. Okay, lets think back to one of the people that you have a difficult time loving. Try this: What do you need to change in your heart regarding this person? Are you willing to surrender your pride to God and let the Holy Spirit give you a loving heart toward her/him? What are some ways you can show Gods love to him/her?

What it all boils down to: LOVE itself that changes our hearts so that we become people who LOVE. Maybe youre in a tough spot and feel like you cant love, but you can pray this prayer of submission: God, I want to follow Your Spirit in this. I want to love. But its so hard. Im mad and frustrated and hurt. The last thing I feel like doing is loving and examining where I am wrong. But I know thats what I need to do. Will You soften my heart? Will You give me eyes to see beyond my hurt? Will You help me cut through the assumptions and wrong thinking? I want to love You and this person, I really do. Challenge: Over the next month focus on Love

Find ways to show love through Gods Spirit Read Book Crazy Love Read the book of Galatians, to get the context of these verses. Find other places in the Bible that talk about LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13 1 John John 3 John 13 Get with other women who want to grow in the Spirit and study the Word of God together!