GUEST POST

The post below was written by FunkeAfolabi-Brown, a dear friend of mine. She is a sold-out follower of Jesus; a wife, mother, and professional who lives by the Word. Just like “iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17), I have grown spiritually and emotionally through my friendship with her. My prayer is that God will speak directly to you as you read her post.

Chizobam

 

The Fruit of the Spirit

Recently, I was speaking with a friend about how the challenges of raising children are an opportunity that God has given us to walk in the fruit of the Spirit.

 

While the mandate is upon us to raise our children in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6), it is God who enables us to achieve this. As we yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit, God works in us, giving us both the desire and the ability to please Him by bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Philippians 2:13).

 

So, what is the fruit of the Spirit, and what impact does it have in our lives?

 

^“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.” Galatians 5:22-23

 

The Bible speaks of one fruit, which has all these manifestations rather than many fruits. As a believer, you are expected to have all rather than one or two of these characteristics. For example, you can’t be loving and not display patience.

 

Let us now consider each manifestation of the fruit.

 

Love

Colossians 3:12-14 states that we have been chosen by God for a new life of love. Therefore, we must dress in God’s wardrobe of compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, and discipline. We should be even-tempered, content with second place, and quick to forgive as the Master forgave us. God instructs us to wear love at all times because it is our basic all-purpose garment. The Bible cites “love” as the first fruit of the Spirit, which makes it the backdrop for everything we do.

 

In order to live in a manner pleasing to God, we must walk in love. Love is not a feeling or an emotion but rather an action. We may not “feel” like walking in love, but it is a command from God.

 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

 

Joy

Joy is defined as an emotion evoked by a state of wellbeing, success, or good fortune OR by the prospect of possessing what one desires. We may also see synonyms like beatitude, blessedness, bliss, gladness. It is also sometimes defined as a state of being happy.

 

However, these are dictionary definitions. Biblical joy does not depend on the circumstances around us but is present regardless of the challenges we face.

 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,” James 1:2

 

Choose joy because the Holy Spirit enables you to do so irrespective of how you feel and how impossible your situation is.

 

 ^“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

 

Joy supersedes happiness; it is a state of bliss knowing we are secure in the love of God.

 

Peace

Peace is a state of freedom from disturbance: a state of tranquility. Picture yourself on a boat traveling through a storm. Despite high winds and turbulent waves, deep below the water’s surface, there is calm. This is the picture of peace that the Holy Spirit helps us to walk in: a peace that is not subject to our situation or circumstance. A state of tranquility that transcends understanding.

 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

 

The peace that comes from the world is circumstantial, while the peace our Father promises is not.

 

Patience

The patience that subdues is the capacity to accept and tolerate delay without being upset or angry. It is the ability to endure suffering, knowing that God will reward you.

 

Every single day, we will encounter circumstances that will test our patience. Walking in patience, however, helps strengthen our ability to endure.

 

“A wise person demonstrates patience, for mercy means holding your tongue. When you are insulted, be quick to forgive and forget it” Proverbs 19:11 TPT

 

To others, we may seem foolish when we don’t explode when offended. However, God’s work of patience in us is evidence of the wisdom He has given us.

 

Kindness

Kindness is an expression of love; it should be shown both to those who are deserving and undeserving. We must always remember that we are children of a kind and generous God who sacrificed His Son for us when we didn’t even know Him (John 3:16).

 

An act of kindness has the power to transform the most challenging person or situation more than words ever could.

 

Goodness

Goodness is genuinely desiring to help others by doing what is right. It is being decent, moral, honest, honorable, virtuous, and full of integrity. It is not a characteristic we frequently see in our culture. Regardless, we as believers must display goodness to our world because we are a beacon of light.

 

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13

 

Faithfulness

Faithfulness is being loyal and dependable in our relationship with God and others. A faithful person honors relationships and is reliable. God’s faithfulness endures forever (Psalms 36:5; 89:2), and we are His children. When we are faithful, we are consistent and committed in all our endeavors.

 

Gentleness

Gentleness is a quality of being tender, and mild-mannered, which exemplifies the character of the Holy Spirit. We are not to be pushy or aggressive. God desires for us to be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient (Colossians 3:12). While being gentle may seem like being weak, we have to realize that it takes strength because it involves denying and crucifying our selfish fleshly desires.

 

Self-control

A person who is self-controlled exhibits discipline despite significant pressure to indulge in certain habits or behaviors. In contrast, a person without self-control is described in Scripture as like a city with broken-down walls (Proverbs 25:28).

 

In the face of temptation, the fruit of self-control keeps our mind focused on God while disciplining our body to resist the desires of the flesh (our natural selfish tendencies).

 

Conclusion

 ^“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

 

The flesh (our natural selfish tendencies) and the Spirit are in constant opposition with each other. Often, our inability to bear fruit is the result of focusing on the flesh. Every single day of our lives, we will be presented with multiple opportunities to choose the Spirit over the flesh (with motherhood ranking high on the list).

 

When we yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him free reign and full expression in our lives, there will be no limit to us walking in the fruit of the Spirit.

 

Except indicated, all Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

 

---

Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown is a sleep medicine physician passionate about helping people discover the gift of sleep as a superpower. 

Dr. Brown is a speaker, coach, educator, writer, and the founder of RestfulSleepMD. She helps busy women and their children prioritize sleep to achieve optimal health, thrive, and live to their fullest potential. 

Dr. Brown is also passionate about empowering women through her gift of encouragement. She is a frequent speaker nationally and internationally.

Connect with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown: RestfulSleepMD | YouTube | Instagram