“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” — Galatians 5:22 NLT
Welcome to the 25th weekly devotional recap of the year. This week, we were reminded to walk in the Spirit and learnt about love, joy, peace, and patience as evident expressions of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us.
We began on Monday with a charge to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). We who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24), not by our strength, but through the Spirit working in us as we walk with Him. To walk in the Spirit is to allow the Holy Spirit to influence our daily conduct, decisions, desires, and habits. It means to move in step with the Holy Spirit’s influence and direction, and to rely on Him rather than be led by the impulses of the flesh. As we continue in step with the Spirit, we grow in the expression of Christlike character (Galatians 5:22-23).
On Tuesday, we learnt about love as a fruit of the Spirit. As people who have God’s Spirit, Jesus expects that our love should set us apart from the rest of the world (John 13:35). The more we recognise and experience His love personally, the more we are empowered (and expected) to extend the same to others. This is central to our purpose as believers, and God’s love is the standard (1 John 3:16). The good news is that this love is already a fruit of your reborn spirit. As you yield to the Holy Spirit and walk closely with Him, you will find yourself empowered to love like Jesus.
Wednesday’s article taught us about spiritual joy. Unlike human happiness, which often depends on favourable circumstances, this joy is a paradox to the natural man because it thrives in hardship when the world expects despair. The one who has the Holy Spirit has his joy rooted not in fleeting circumstances, but in the One who never changes. Regardless of your current situation, you can and should walk in joy because you have the Spirit of God. Choose to intentionally yield to this supernatural joy (1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4). Fix your eyes on Jesus and rejoice in Him!
On Thursday, we learnt about the kind of peace the Holy Spirit gives. This peace flows from God through us, pushing out worry and anxiety, and is rooted in our relationship with Him. God’s peace is not an emotional escape or momentary relief; it is a divine assurance from God Himself (John 14:27). For the rest of the world, peace depends on stability and ease, but God keeps the believer in perfect peace even in the midst of storms because we are anchored in Him (Isaiah 26:3). More than a mere feeling, peace is a Person: Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace who has given us eternal peace with God (Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 2:14).
We ended the week on Friday by learning about how the Holy Spirit empowers us to imitate God in patience (Psalm 145:8). Patience is one of the identifying marks of a believer. It is synonymous with endurance, steadfastness, long-suffering, and perseverance. Because walking with God requires patience, you must train yourself to grow in it. By spending time in prayer and practising being quick to listen and slow to speak, you will find it easier to walk in patience.
Dear believer, the Word of God is true: if you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfil the desires of the flesh. So take intentional steps to recognise and grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Let everyone who encounters you from today be able to recognise Jesus in you.
Have a blessed weekend.
Bible Reading Plan: Esther 1-6; Luke 20:20-21:33