Chapter 12
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THE NINE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Christians are trees of righteousness that have been planted by the Lord to produce fruit.

Isaiah 61:3

"That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."


Psalm 92:13

"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God."

Christians are trees of righteousness able to produce spiritual fruit in season.

Psalm 1:3

"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season."

Christians should produce Good Fruit.

Matthew 7:17

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit."

Christians should bring forth the nine fruits of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:"

These are the nine Fruits of the Spirit:

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Gentleness

6. Goodness

7. Faith or Faithfulness

8. Humility

9. Self control

Fruit is produced by a twofold process:

a. Fruit is formulated.

b. Fruit is cultivated.

a. The formulation process.

Fruit is formed when pollen passes in the blossom from the stigma to the pistil. The pistil experiences a change and becomes the three parts of the fruit namely:

The outer skin.

The juicy part of the flesh.

The seed to ensure the reproduction of more fruit later.

Similarly the Holy Spirit brings forth the nine fruits of the Spirit from the deep area of our spirit and they are manifest within and through the three parts of our Soul, namely:

The Intellect ,

The Emotions and

The Will.

These fruits are produced, enjoyed and because there seed is within them they are reproduced over and over again.

b. The cultivation process.

In the process of cultivating fruit five things take place:

1. The blossoms should be protected from hurt or damage.

2. The tree must be nurtured and fed with nutrients and water.

3. The branches must be pruned to regulate growth and increase fruit production.

4. The fruit must be protected from insect or storm damage.

5. The fruit must be harvested and enjoyed when it is ripe.

To ensure successful spiritual fruit production, Christians need to be totally yielded to God as trees of righteousness. They must be in total submission to God and the Ministry of the Church. The Ministry of the Church helps the process of cultivating, protecting, nurturing, producing and increasing the wonderful fruits of the Holy Spirit, in the lives of Christians.

Ephesians 4:11-12

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"

The following five things will enhance the quality of spiritual fruit in our lives and prevent corruption:

1. Spending time in Gods Word.

2. Spending time in prayer.

3. Spending time in fasting.

4. Submitting to authority and discipline within the Church.

5. Enjoying the fellowship of other Christians. This daily rubbing shoulders together with Christians is like stones that are rubbed together. It causes a smoothing away of the rough edges. (Fruits like love, patience and gentleness are produced)

We must be totally dedicated and committed to producing the Fruits of the Spirit.

2 Timothy 2:6

"The husbandman that laboureth >must be first partaker of the fruits."

The Fruits of the Spirit are manifested in three ways:

Ephesians 5:9

"For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth:"

In goodness.

      We may eat and enjoy these fruits and they will also have a tasteful,

      healthy, spiritual effect upon others.

2.  In righteousness.

These fruits are of the highest quality, being a God-kind of fruit, bringing forth righteousness in our lives and others.

In truth.

These fruits are of a specific type with their own uniqueness and purpose.

All fruits are produced and harvested in season.

Isaiah 28:4

"And as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up."

The specific seasons of spiritual fruit production are:

In times of well doing.

Galatians 6:9

"And let us not be weary in well doing >: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

In seasons of trials and temptations.

1 Peter 1:6-7

"Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That the trial of your faith , being much more precious than of gold that perisheth."

In times of chastening.

Hebrews 12:11

"Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

We are to be prosperous, fruit bearing trees at all times and in all situations:

In times of fear - we should produce love

In times of mourning and sadness -we should produce joy.

In times of storm - we should produce peace.

In times of impatience - we should produce patience.

In times of aggression - we should produce gentleness.

In times of evil - we should produce goodness.

In times of doubt - we should produce faith and faithfulness.

In times of pride - we should produce meekness.

In times of over-indulgence - we should produce temperance.

The nine Fruits of the Spirit are divided into three groups of three:

Each group of three is manifested in one of the three areas of the Soul of the Believer, namely:

In our Emotions - Love

                          - Joy

                          - Peace

In our Intellect - Patience

                          - Gentleness

                          - Goodness

In our Will - Faith/Faithfulness

                          - Humility

                          - Self control

The nine Fruits of the Spirit have three different effects upon ours lives and others:

1. They give enjoyment > - each fruit has its own unique spiritual taste.

2. They give nourishment - each fruit produces spiritual nourishment.                                          

3. They give health - each fruit counteracts spiritual sickness.                                                           

That is why we and others need all the Fruits of the Spirit to satisfy and help us.

The fruits of the Spirit reveal what Spirit is within us.

The Fruits of the Spirit express and demonstrate the presence of the Holy Spirit in us.

The works of the flesh reveal a fleshly or carnal nature.

By observing the actions of a person, we can know what their nature is:

a. The works of the flesh reveal a carnal nature:

This is a person who is dominated by the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings."

b. The fruits of the Spirit reveal a spiritual nature:

Christians have a spiritual nature and they may walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:"

If the actions of a Christian reveal a carnal nature, it can be changed.

This is done by following these six steps:

1.   Identify the actions of the flesh

2.   Admit and confess that they are carnal and sinful.

3.   Declare that they are unwanted.

4.   Reckon them dead and mortify them.

5.   Put them off. (Putting off the old man)

6.   Replace them with new actions of the Spirit. (Putting on the new man)

Romans 6:11

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin."

Colossians 3:9-17

"Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds ...

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him...

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

The nine fruits of the Spirit are given to produce new behavior in our lives.

This new behavior is manifest when the fruits of the Spirit become actual deeds of righteousness.

These deeds become the Christians righteous garment of fine linen:

Revelation 19:8

"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."

There are three important aspects of this garment:

1. It is the garment we are counseled to buy:

Revelation 3:18

"I counsel thee to buy of me white raiment ... that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;"

2. It is the overcomers garment:

Revelation 3:5

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;"

3. It is a garment we should keep unspotted by the flesh:

Revelations 16:15

"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

James 1:27

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Let us focus on each of the nine Fruits of the Spirit:

1. Love.

The Greek word for this kind of love is "agape >".

It means a "God kind of love ."

a. It comes from the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5

"Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

b. It affects our heart and emotions.

1 Peter 1:22

"See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:"

c. This love brings stability to our emotions.

Ephesians 3:17

"That ye, being rooted and grounded in love."

Paul describes this love:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:"

This love is:

Patient.

Not envious.

Humble.

Dignified.

Unselfish.

Doesn't take offence.

Thinks good thoughts.

It doesn't wish harm to anyone or rejoice in their harm.

It rejoices in reality and truth.

It is strong, believing, hopeful and enduring.

It should be the foundation of who we are and what we do:

Galatians 5:6

"But faith, which worketh by love."

Ephesians 4:15

"But speaking the truth in love"

Ephesians 3:17-19

"That ye being rooted and grounded in love."

It should continuously increase in our lives.

1 Thessalonians 3:12

"And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another."

It should always be fervent and hot in us.

1 Peter 1:22

"See that ye love one another fervently:"

It will be an anchor and keep us through difficult times.

Jude 21

"Keep yourselves in the love of God."

Love is dynamic in four ways:

It never focuses on the negative.

1 Peter 4:8

     "For charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

2.It overcomes opposition and obstacles.

Matthew 5:44

    "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that

     hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and

     persecute you."

3.  It is compassionate and helps those in need.

1 John 3:17

     "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need,

     and shutteth up his bowels of  compassion from him, how dwelleth

     >the love of God in him?"

4.  It will meet the ultimate test of Martyrdom.

1 John 3:16

     "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for

    us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Gods love is perfected in us.

It makes us more like Jesus.

1 John 4:12

"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."   

2.  Joy.

Our bodies are capable of experiencing pleasure.

Our minds and emotions may experience happiness

It is the spirit of man that experiences joy.

Pleasure and happiness occur as a result of circumstances.

A child of God experiences joy in all circumstances.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy >in the God of my salvation."

God is the source of a Christian's joy.

Psalm 43:4

"Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy:"

God anoints us with joy.

Isaiah 61:3

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning."

The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

"For the joy of the LORD is your strength."

It is interesting to note that a pilot flies a plane with a joystick, which steers and gives it direction.

Joy always sets the course for Christians and gives them direction.

There are five different degrees of joy namely:

1. When we receive Gods Word the first time.

    >It launches us into a new and continuous experience of joy.

Jeremiah 15:16

"And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:"

Romans 14:17

"For the kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost.

2. This joy increases and becomes exceeding joy.

1 Peter 4:13

"Ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."

John 17:13

"And these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves."

3. It becomes unspeakable.

1 Peter 1:8

"Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:"

4. We experience the full measure joy.

1 John 1:4

"And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full."

Psalm 16:11

"In thy presence is fullness of joy;"

5. This joy is unending.

Isaiah 35:10

"Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads:"

2. Peace.

God is a God of peace and He desires that we experience peace.

Philippians 4:9

"And the God of peace shall be with you."

1 Corinthians 7:15

"But God hath called us to peace."

The Hebrew word for peace is "Shalom" >and it means to experience completeness and wholeness, knowing all is well.

There are six things that bring about our peace:

Luke 19:42

"If thou hadst known, the things which belong unto thy peace!

Romans 14:19

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace."

1. Being justified.

Romans 5:1

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

The partition of sin between God and us has been broken down.

2. Having fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17

"For the kingdom of God is peace in the Holy Ghost."

3. A Godly home.

Psalm 122:7

"Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces."

4. Letting peace direct our decisions.

We know that when we make decisions and feel peaceful about them, we are making the right decisions.

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts."

5. Enjoying the protection of mental and emotional peace.

Philippians 4:7

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

The word keep means to "protect'.

6. Experiencing the peace of being protected in all circumstances.

Ephesians 6:15

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;"

We experience this peace in five different degrees:

a. Our peace is like a river.

It is refreshing and continuously flows.

Isaiah 48:18

"Then had thy peace been as a river."

b. It increases.

1 Peter 1:2

"Peace, be multiplied."

c. It can be great.

Isaiah 54:13

"And great shall be the peace of thy children."

d.   > It can be a perfect.

Isaiah 26:3

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:"

e. It can go beyond the human mind and natural thinking.

Philippians 4:7

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding."

3.> Longsuffering.

Longsuffering is also known as patience >.

The fruit of Patience is the God-given ability to wait for things to come to pass and to endure trouble or adversity.

Romans 5:3

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"

A Christians patience can be recognized by others.

2 Timothy 3:10

"But thou hast fully known my patience."

Patience helps us in five ways:

a. It helps us to effectively prepare for, run and finish our spiritual race.

Hebrews 12:1

"And let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

b. It helps us endure persecution and receive Gods promises.

Acts 26:6-7

"And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God, unto our fathers:"

c. By patience we enter into our spiritual rest.

Hebrews 4:1

"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it."

d. By patience we continue in well doing.

Galatians 6:9

"And let us not be weary in well doing."

e. By patience we complete our work for God.

Galatians 6:9

"For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

4. Gentleness.

The Greek word for this gentleness is "Chrestotes >".

It means "kindness."

This kindness manifests in two ways:

a. Kindness is speaking good words to others.

Proverbs 31:26

"And in her tongue is the law of kindness."

b. Kindness is doing good deeds for others.

Matthew 7:11

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children."

It is treating others the way we wish to be treated.

Luke 6:31

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."

Christians should always be kind.

Colossians 3:12

"Put on therefore kindness."

Isaiah 54:10

"But my kindness shall not depart from thee."

Kindness is at least six things:

1. Feeding the hungry.

2. Clothing the naked.

3. Speaking words of encouragement and comfort to the hurting.

4. Lending to the poor.

5. Taking care of destitute orphans, widows, the aged and the homeless.

6. Sharing someone's workload or burden.

5. Goodness.

Goodness can be defined as excellence of moral character and behavior.

Only the Godhead can measure up to that perfect definition.

Mark 10:18

"And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God."

Exodus 34:6

"The LORD God, abundant in goodness."

God manifests His goodness in three ways:

1. God thinks good thoughts.

Psalm 139:17

"How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!"

2.  God makes good decisions.

Genesis 50:20

"But God meant it unto good."

3.  God does good things.

Matthew 7:11

"How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

God allows us to partake of His goodness.

There are six purposes of goodness:

a. Goodness manifests God because God is good.

Psalm 31:19

"Oh how great is thy goodness."

b. Goodness overcomes evil.

Romans 12:21

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

c.   > Goodness enables us to experience the good works of God.

Psalm 145:9-10

"The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

d. It causes us to delight in Gods goodness.

Nehemiah 9:25

"And delighted themselves in thy great goodness."

e. Goodness keeps us motivated and going.

Psalm 27:13

"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."

f. Goodness leads people to repentance.

Romans 2:4

"That the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

6.> Faithfulness.

Faith and faithfulness are like two sides of the same coin and are inter-dependant.

A. Faith is total dependence on God.

The Biblical definition of Faith is:

Romans 4:21

"And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."

There are at least three different degrees of Faith:

a. Every believer experiences a small measure of faith.

Romans 12:3

"According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

b. We may grow into greater measures of faith.

Romans 1:17

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:"

c. We can experience great faith.

Matthew 8:10

"I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel."

B. Faithfulness is being dependable.

     >God can depend on us.

     >People can depend on us.

     >We are faithful in all things.

Luke 16:10

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much:"

We are to be faithful in:

1. The smallest duties.

2. Keeping promises.

3. Paying our debts.

4. Keeping all commitments.

5. Being on time.

6. Stewardship of all that God Has given us.

Moses was an example of faithfulness.

Hebrews 3:2

"Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house."

There are three things we need to know about faithfulness:

1. God examines our hearts for faithfulness.

Nehemiah 9:8

"And foundest his heart faithful before thee."

2. Gods' eyes are upon the faithful.

Psalm 101:6

"Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land."

3. God rewards those who are faithful.

Luke 16:11

"If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?"

Proverbs 28:20

"A faithful man shall abound with blessings:"

8.  Meekness.

The Greek word for meekness is "praotes" and means humility.

Meekness is not weakness. It is a demonstration of strength.

Moses was one of Gods greatest servants because he was the meekest man upon the face of the earth.

Numbers 12:3

"Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth."

In humility we experience six things:

a. A broken heart and contrite spirit.

Psalm 51:17

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

b. God's sovereignty, authority and discipline bowing in submission to God.

James 4:10

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

c. Following after humility.

1 Timothy 6:11

"But thou, O man of God follow after meekness."

d. Being clothed in humility.

Colossians 3:12

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, meekness."

e. Walking in humility.

Ephesians 4:1-2

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk with all lowliness and meekness."

f. All aspects of humility.

Titus 3:2

"To be gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men."

Christians need to:

Be humble and have a servant attitude.

Think humble thoughts and not be high-minded.

Be willing to do lowly, humble tasks.

9.  Temperance.

The word temperance can be better described as self-control.

People often lose control, over indulge in many areas of their lives and desperately need self-control.

1 Peter 4:3

"For the time past of our life when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings:"

Jesus predicted that in the last days, men would live that way.

Luke17:27

They did eat, they drank."

Self-control is the fruit of the Spirit that protects the Believer from reckless and riotous living.

Proverbs 25:28

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls."

Self-control is like a wall around our soul and spirit. It controls what goes in and comes out.

Temperance is three things:

1. Temperance is a measurement system.

By temperance we measure if something is sufficient or excessive, in or out of control.

2. Temperance is a management system.

Paul teaches that by self-control, we clearly know how much we need and thereby we discipline our lives.

Philippians 4:12-13

"I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

2 Peter 1:6

"And to knowledge temperance;"

The knowledge we receive from God, helps us to exercise self-control in our lives.

3. Temperance is a striving for mastery.

1 Corinthians 9:25

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things."

Mastery is the demonstration of self-control in all the areas of our life. Mastery is the trophy of self-control.

By producing the fruits of the Spirit we experience a true sense of how valuable they are.

It makes us realize how much we are indebted to the Holy Spirit for them.