But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23
The verses preceding today’s tell us that “the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). The devil uses many things to pit one person against another. He also uses the diversity of sin to pit you against God.
However, you don’t have to live that way. Once you have taken on the mantle of faith in Jesus Christ – belief in His saving work of redemption – you are not bound by the ways of evil. Faith in Christ means Christ lives in you, and you can have peace with God. The Holy Spirit resides in you, and you exhibit His fruit as you mature – traits to cherish and cultivate into a harmonious whole.
Paul points out that “you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). This means that the pervasive attachment to sin is dead. You are not a slave to it anymore, but you are alive with the fruit of the Spirit working in you. Jesus bridged the gap between you and God so that the peace of God can flourish in you. Once an enemy, you are now His child. His grace abounds.
The person who does not know Christ as Savior still indulges the divisive fleshly works.
Ask the Lord to enable you to be an example of peace in a world of chaos. May the fruit of the Spirit abound in your life.
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