The Fruit of the Holy Spirit-Love

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22,23.

Introduction: Usually people emphasize more on the gifts of the Holy Spirit than the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. There are many reasons for that. However, there's an urgent need today to meditate about and take effective action towards seeing the Fruit of the Holy Spirit manifest in the lives of those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
The spiritual gifts are limited to the ministry in the Church for the establishing and edification of the Body of Christ. But the spiritual fruit are the spiritual qualities developed by the inner workings of the Holy Spirit in the lives of those who follow Christ and are visibly manifested to the world for the glory of God.
Here, I make an effort to explain what each fruit means and its importance today for our lives and how to cultivate and produce that fruit with the enabling of the Holy Spirit in our (believers of Christ) day to day life in this world.
So, the focus will be more on the practical aspects of each fruit and its application in our daily life rather than a theoretical/theological study in depth.
Let us keep in mind that it is not 'fruits' but the 'fruit' of the Holy Spirit. The various qualities like love, joy, peace etc are the 'flavors' of the same 'fruit'!
Read Galatians 5:22,23. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.."(KJV).

Love

:"..the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit." Rom.5:5.
Also Read: Gal.5:22; 1Cor.13:1-13; S.of S.8:6-7; Col.3:14; Rom.5:5; Mat.22:36-39; Jn.13:34-35; 2Tim.1:7.

The Definition:- This love is not from ourselves i.e. it is not our own production of human love, but it is produced by the Holy Spirit as live under His control and facilitate its cultivation and manifestation through our lives as follow Christ.
* It is more than human, natural and worldly love- Matthew 5:44,46.
* It is not a sentimental emotion or based on the merit of the other.
* It is known as the "Agape" love in Greek. This is the highest level & degree of love compared to the other "phileos"(brotherly love) and the "eros"(physical affection).
"Its the outgoing of the totality of one's being to another in beneficience and help." Matt.10:8; Jn.10:11,15,17-18,28; 15:13; Ac.20:31; Eph.5:25; Phil.2:17.

The Char acteristics:-
1. Love is a divine attribute (Jn.3:16; 1Jn 4:16) poured into our hearts by the Holy spirit, when we give our hearts to Jesus (Romans 5:5).
2. Love is known and experienced from its demonstration in the life of the Lord Jesus while he was on earth. Jn.13:1, 34-35;15:12,13;1Jn 3:16, 4:9; Rom.5:8.
3.The Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another and to love others (neighbors & enemies) with the love He loved His disciples. Jn.13:34-35.
4. Love covereth all sins. Proverbs 10:12; 1Peter 4:8 (Ps.32:1).
5.Love is an act of the will, controlled and motivated by the Holy Spirit. You must determine to love whether you like it, or feel it or not. For it is the Holy Spirit's will. 2Cor.5:14.-(the love of Christ compels us to live for Him).
6.Love relates to real needs-not pander to perceived needs which are not real. e.g. See how Peter & John meet the real need of the crippled man at the beatiful gate; Ac.3:5-7.
7. Love is active-demands expression.Its never passive. It can't be. 1Cor.13:4-8. suffereth, rejoices,bears, believes,hopes& endures etc. Energized by the Holy Spirit. Nothing through the flesh or sinful nature.
9. Love is transitive. It demands an object. There's the challenge-"choose who you want to love" Joshua 24:15; John 21:15-17.
Love is serving-sacrificing, giving,doing good etc. James 2:16; Jn.13:15-17, 21:16; Gal.5:13, 6:2,10; Lk.10:34-35; Ac.20:35.
10.Love is unconditional.Puts no condition before expressing itself to others. Mat.5:46,48, 10:8 (Deut.7:7-8.
11."Its the outgoing of the totality of one's being to another in beneficience and help." Matt.10:8; Jn.10:11,15,17-18,28; 15:13; Ac.20:31; Eph.5:25; Phil.2:17.
12. Love is permanent and hence greatest. Jer.31:3; 1Cor.13:13.

Three areas which demand our love:-
11.Love God. It must be exclusive, surpassing and all-consuming. With the totality of your personality. Mat.22:37; 10:37; Jn.14:15.
2.Love yourself. Loving God and accepting God's love is the foundation to love yourself.
God wants us to have a healthy self-esteem. True self-confidence issues from the domination of the Holy Spirit and a subsequent confidence in His leadership. Mat.6:12,12:12' 1Cor.6"20; 1Peter 1:18-19; Eph.5:28-29.
3.Love your neighbor. The first two are the foundation for loving your neighbor. Not just feel like loving but express it really and in action. Jn.15:17;Mat.22:39;1Peter 1:22, 4:8.

Ten Principles to express love to others.
1. Demand nothing in return-Its not give and take. Give unreservedly.
2. Make conscious effort to show interest in others. Not expecting others to do so first.
3.Take time to understand-its not momentary, not superfifical. Know in depth and well.
4. Listen with understanding. Show concern, care and give attention to what they say.
5. Be available, be near. Assure them they can count on you when they need you.
6. Treat as equals always. Don't behaveas if you are superior to others.
7. Generously praise & encourage.Be liberal to compliment and appreciate.
8. Prefer them above yourself. Give preference & priority to others over your ownself.
9. Love God totally and then others. Our love for others should flow out of our love for God.
10. Empahsize the strengths and virtues of others.and not their weaknesses and failures.

"Many waters can not quench love(-its like the coals of fire with a most vehement flame),neither can the floods drown it..."
Song of songs 8:6,7.

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