Fruit of the Spirit

Keep your light shining

How can we know if we’re really making progress in our spiritual walk? After all, the Bible offers no prescribed checklist of duties to perform that prove we’ve “arrived” as mature believers. But a list provided by Paul in Galatians 5:22–23 does offer proof both to ourselves and to those around us that the Spirit of God who dwells within us controls our thoughts and actions.

And that’s the catch. We can’t produce such fruit on our own—even with the most sincere effort. We can’t fake this fruit either. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is a supernatural result of yielding to the Holy Spirit. Once we’re exhibiting the pure, holy fruit of the Spirit, the contrast is stark between those who are filled with the Spirit and those who obey the deeds of the flesh, as seen in Paul’s other list in verses 19–21! When we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, all the glory goes to God.

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Joyful Living

Hello there, my friend. Chuck Swindoll here. I have a question that might just step on your toes a little bit: Are you an 'if only' person, or are you an 'in spite of' person? In this video, 'Joyful Living,' I want to challenge the excuses we often make for not living as joyful believers.

We tend to think our happiness depends on ideal circumstances—saying, 'If only I had this,' or 'If only that changed.' But biblical joy is an 'in spite of' reality. It thrives even when life is hard. If you find your joy is constantly leaking out because of the troubles of this world, I invite you to watch. Let’s learn how to cultivate a spirit of rejoicing that doesn't depend on everything going right.

Biblical Resources on Fruit of the Spirit