We go through life wishing we had an instruction manual at times to teach us the right way to do things. It would be nice to have someone to help remind us and guide us after we have read the manual too—a tour guide of sorts.
This is exactly why Jesus sent His Spirit to be with us after He ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. When you accept Christ, His Spirit lives on the inside of you.
He becomes the driving and guiding force in your life directing your steps and guiding your words. In John 15 it is said that He is the vine and we are the branches. This means that if you try to live and survive on your own apart from the Creator, you won’t be truly living.
When you choose to remain in Him, abide in Him, the Holy Spirit nurtures your character. Everything you read in the Bible about God, the preaching you hear, and your personal prayer time with Him, helps you to grow and mature.
Just like mature vines and plants bear fruit, so will you. His Spirit living in and through you affects others. You will develop true Christian character, the fruit of the Spirit, including: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
If you watch any of the news going on around the world, it will be evident quickly that we have gotten away from this type of character. We have strayed from God. It’s not too late to come back to Him though—it’s never too late.
God is a good Father and will always be there with open arms. But it’s up to you and me to live with His Spirit directing us and maturing us to live with the purpose of telling everyone about the life-saving message of Jesus Christ.
The world may not understand you for living with Christian character, but we will never understand the world for living without it. Loving one another brings joy. Joy from Jesus provides us with peace that passes all our understanding.
This peace brings patience, kindness, and goodness into our world. These things prove us to be faithful to a faithful God. He is always gentle and working in us to make us the same toward others. This respect and gentleness for others gives us the control to let Him be in control.
Are you living out the fruit of the Spirit? If you allow God to examine your heart, ask Him to show you the areas where He can help you and give Him the all access pass to do so. I guarantee the fruit you bear will show others just how loving our God really is.
