CHRIST COMMONWEALTH-COMMUNITY
The Love-Life Agency
Wednesday 13th, September, 2023
ARE YOU GROWING? 7
(THE FRUIT OF YOUR MATURITY 2)
“Instead, by speaking the truth in a spirit of love, we must grow up in every way to Christ, who is the head.
Ephesians 4:15 (GNT)
In as much as your growth in the Lord or maturity in the spirit is your responsibility, you don’t do it alone.
You don’t create the things you need for your growth. It is the Lord who supplies you with what you need and you put them to work.
The greatest evidence of your growth in Christ is how you walk in the LOVE OF GOD.
The difference between the mature and immature is not just in the tongues they speak, the scriptures they quote and the gifts of the spirit they demonstrate. The difference between the mature and immature is in the level of love they demonstrate.
Meanwhile the Love of God is shared abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).
Which means, you did not generate the Love of God, it was worked into you by the Lord Himself.
LOVE IS THE GREATEST FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT! (1 Corinthians 13:13)
We see the FRUIT of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 :
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (ESV)
From the above verses we see nine graces of the Spirit. However the verse says FRUIT and not FRUITS.
There is the same Greek word, “KARPOS” for both singular FRUIT (Galatians 5:22; James 3:18) and the plural FRUITS (Matthew 7:16,20 and Philippians 1:11).
We see nine graces mentioned, so why are they referred to as FRUIT?
This is because these nine graces are collective singular. They can all be put into one great expression of the Spirit, which is LOVE.
“BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE…”
The amplitude of love is demonstrated through the eight other graces.
No tree produces different kinds of fruits. Each tree produces a specific kind of fruit.
An apple tree only produces apple fruit. Though it may have more than one of its kind on the same tree. Love is that unique fruit of the Spirit, though it may have different expressions.
The Passion Translation reveals it clearly:
“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit.
Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.”
When you begin to walk in the fullness of the Love of God, the self doesn’t have expression.
Which means the eight other graces are tangible realities of LOVE AT WORK.
When the LOVE of God finds expression, there is no need for the demand of the law of Moses (Romans 13:8-10).
WALK IN THE PERFECTION OF LOVE, FOR IT IS THE PROOF OF YOUR MATURITY.
Are you Growing?
Selah.
DIG DEEPER
(Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 22:37-40; Ephesians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:22-23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 1:8; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2)
WE PRAY
That this divine love of God will find its full expression in and through us.
BIBLE READING IN THE YEAR 2023
Day 218
Psalm 139-144
John 7
DECLARE THESE WORDS:
– I demonstrate love in all things.
– The love of God gains full expression through me by the day.
– I commit myself daily to the study of scriptures.
– I fellowship with the Holy Spirit daily.
– The strength of the self is broken because I walk in the fullness of the love of God.
Oh Hallelujah!!! Glory to God!!
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