Mysterious Eminence

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Location: Huaraz, Ancash, Peru

Having mastered the University of Montana's IYFD program, I journeyed to Peru with the US Peace Corps. Currently, I'm discovering Peru while living in the gorgeous Andes mountains in beautiful Ancash. Come visit!

Friday, September 09, 2005

Fruit of the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Has anyone ever had a day when they felt like they possessed all 9 of the fruits of the spirit? When was s/he loving, joyful, kind, good, patient, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled? I know I sure haven't. I'll go through seasons where I am able to focus on a few. For example, currently, I am in possession of joy, peace, faithfulness and self-control, but I know I'm not the point where I'm loving people well or waiting patiently for the plans God has for me. And I'm definitely not as good to others as I should be.

I struggle with these thoughts because I focus on the fruits and lose sight of the Spirit. The truth is none of this fruit is possible without the gracious work of the Holy Spirit. If I am not living dependent to God and the working of the Holy Spirit, I do not truly know what it means to be in possession of the fruit. My small group has been studying the book and Ephesians, and I've been humbled by the submissive spirit Paul had before the throne of God's power. He realized that achievement of spiritual fruit was not done through one's own accord.

"Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power." Ephesians 3:7

Ephesians 3 goes on to say:

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being..." Ephesians 3:14-16

We are strengthened for the battle only through the power of the Holy Spirit. I shall "bow my knee before the Father" in order to be used as a vessel for the fruits of the spirit.