20-DAY CHALLENGE: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (DAY-19)

20-DAY CHALLENGE: LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (Day 19)

DO YOU WANT MORE FULFILLMENT AS A CHRISTIAN?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such
things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by
the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become
conceited, provoking and envying each other.
(Galatians 5:22-26)

MEDITATION:
The scriptures clearly tell us that
certain qualities should be evident in the lives of believers.

These qualities are referred to
as the “fruit of the Spirit” and include the following:

Love
(affection; goodwill; charity; devotion to spouse;
self-denying; self-sacrificing).

Joy
(gladness; rejoicing (in the Lord); delight; exhilaration).

Peace
(calm; not quarrelsome; tranquility; restful; depending on the Lord).

Forbearance
(patiently enduring; tolerating; not having thoughts of retaliation).

Kindness
(gentleness; mildness; moderate; worthy of love and affection).

Goodness
(commendable; honest; proper; affectionate; love in action).

Faithfulness
(loyalty; trust and dependence on the Lord; committed to serve).

Gentleness
(meekness; not weak, but a controlled strength; concern for others).

Self-control
(restraint of impulses, emotions or desires; composure; disciplined).

These traits describe someone who:
…has concerns for others ahead of themselves.
…is strong and is committed to what they believe in.
…is at peace with themselves and with the Lord.
…knows how to appreciate and enjoy life.
…is kind, compassionate and can lift the spirits of others.
…is confident that the Lord will provide for their needs.

Doesn’t that sound like the kind of person
you would like to have as a friend?
Isn’t that the kind of person you would like to be?

Paul tells us that these qualities are natural
byproducts of those who “belong to Jesus Christ”.
They are not in obedience to some written laws,
but are qualities of someone who has made a
conscious decision to die to self, and to obey God’s laws.

This type of person has surrendered
to Christ and His Will for their life.
It is an outward expression of an inward experience a
person received when he or she gave their life to the Lord.

This describes a person who did not accept the gift
of a new life he or she received from the Holy Spirit,
and then tried to seize control of the new life themselves.
Instead they welcomed the Holy Spirit into their lives
and was willing to surrender control to Him.

Paul also tells us that our new life
should be reflected in our relationships with others.
We no longer strive to glorify ourselves,
nor do we to things that would irritate others.

In fact, we should be able to enjoy the success of others
rather than being consumed with envy and jealousy.
When we see an outpouring of God’s blessings on others,
it should be exciting for us to see Him working in their lives.

ACTION:
Are these qualities (fruit of the Spirit) evident in your life?
If so, then you know about (and have hopefully experienced)
the joy of believing in the Lord, and serving Him.
Are any of these qualities missing from your life, and if so,
what is preventing them from being included in your life?
What changes are you making (or do you plan to make)
so that you can welcome and embellish these missing qualities?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for outlining the characteristics
that define people who believe in You and have a desire to serve
You. Forgive me if I have fallen short of any of these qualities
in my own life. Show me where I need to make changes in my
life and teach me how to make those changes. My desire is to
please Your will over my own will. I trust You implicitly
because I believe in You and Your Son, Jesus Christ.”