Day 15: The Fruit of the Spirit
Monday, February 22
READ
REFLECT
We have experienced significant winter weather recently but thankfully we are no strangers to it. Other states, such as Texas, were caught off guard and are paying the price for not being prepared. Millions of people have gone without electricity and heat for days, causing many people to blame the state and electric/gas companies for not doing enough. While the blame may or may not be fair, what is not being reported are the heavy loses many farmers are experiencing with their crops. The orange, peach, strawberry and watermelon harvests will be significantly impacted by the cold weather, and a shortage of these fruits is expected in some parts of the country. After all, a fruit needs the right environment in order to grow!
In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul describes the Spirit-filled life as the “environment” that produces the fruit of the Spirit. Contrary to what is often said, the word Paul uses is “fruit,” not the plural form of the word, “fruits.” We cannot pick and choose which of the “fruits” we want to live out. They are a collective whole. The fruit of the Spirit can be pictured as a cluster of grapes that has several individual grapes on it, but it is one cluster. Often, when grapes are picked from the vine they are picked in a cluster. Likewise, the fruit of the Spirit is similar to a cluster of grapes. It consists of separate spiritual qualities that come together as one fruit.
The fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit when we surrender to God’s will and we grow closer in our relationships with Him. Then, spiritual fruit is a natural byproduct of the Spirit-filled life. God desires to produce this wonderful fruit in us so that we can impact others around us!
RESPOND
Spend time in prayer, following the Upward, Inward, Outward, Upward format.
Upward: Who God is; What God has done, is doing, will do
Inward: Who you are; How you live
Outward: Intercession for others; unified prayer focus with Pathway
TODAY’S PRAYER: God, we confess we are limited when it comes producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our own strength. We beg you to produce within us what we cannot produce on our own. We do not want to produce “works of the flesh” but the fruit of the Spirit. We desire to impact those around us with this fruit and not with our sin!
Upward: Thanksgiving and Worship
On day 15 in our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, Kelsey Bullock shares from Galatians 5 about the fruit of the Spirit, and prays over all of us, inviting the Holy Spirit to cultivate more fruit in our lives.
Join us at Pathway this month for four Prayer and Worship Gatherings. Read more HERE.
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