God wants us to have the spirit of kindness, because He is kind (Ephesians 2:4-7). The word “kind” should draw your mind back to the book of Genesis as God made everything after its own “kind” (Genesis 1). As humans we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Man was created from the dust of the ground and woman was formed from man. There is no other creation like us. We are made in the likeness of God. To be “kind” is to be like God in every sense of the word. To be “kind” to others around us means to be humane, sympathetic, and understanding. We should practice the golden rule and treat others like we want to be treated (Matthew 7:12).
God wants us to have the spirit of goodness, because He is good (Psalm 25:8). We often remind ourselves that God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good! Paul teaches us that if we want to experience the goodness of God we have to walk with Him (Romans 11:22). As we walk with Him, He will teach us His ways. He will teach us how to be good and walk in righteousness.
God wants us to have the spirit of faithfulness, because He is faithful (Romans 3:3). The Old Testament confirms God’s faithfulness. He is faithful to keep His promises (Psalm 145:13). God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) and He will be with us always (Matthew 28:20). However, we have to take the steps of faith that are necessary for salvation because these promises are for His children (Acts 2:37-39).
God wants us to have the spirit of gentleness, because He is gentle (Matthew 11:29). Later in his writings, specifically in Philippians 4:5, Paul encourages us to make gentleness known to all of mankind. To be gentle means to practice humility. We cannot allow pride or jealousy to overwhelm us. Those are the ways of the world. Instead, we need to seek the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5).
God wants us to have the spirit of self-control, because He is not tempted by evil (James 1:13). Paul was not afraid to speak about the need to control yourself (Acts 24:15). We live in a culture where people are encouraged to live with reckless abandon. The new thought of the day is Y.O.L.O. or You Only Live Once. This mindset encourages us to live for the moment, with no regard for the adverse effects of our decision-making. A Christian thinks differently because we are not from this world and we will live twice, if we have been born again. If we die, are buried, and raised again in baptism, we can live again and will have a home in Heaven (Romans 6:1-11). We live with eternity in mind, not just the moment.
Next week, we will notice how the unity of the Spirit includes ALL of the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. It is my prayer that we will all come to the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Have a great week!
You are loved.
Dr. Ray Reynolds
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This is part of an ongoing series on the Holy Spirit.