The fruits of the spirit come with the baptism of the Holy Spirit or receiving the Holy Spirit. People describe this experience in many different ways but it is that moment when you become that new creature in Christ that the bible speaks about. This is an event that you will not be able to second guess or question. No one will have to tell you and it will not have to be verified. You will know because it will be life changing.
For me this was an experience that I had no control over. Yes I was doing things to become closer to God and my life was changing dramatically. There were not only changes in my actions but changes in the way I thought about things and how I felt about the people around me. When I received His Holy Spirit, I didn't fully understand what was happening to me but I knew it was spiritual and I knew in that moment that my repentance had been accepted. And even more than that I now had an unexplainable connection to God.
The evidence of this change are the fruits of the spirit. The bible lists these as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. These are always fully evident in any person who is filled with His spirit. The opposite of this is the works of the flesh. The bible lists these as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness and revellings. These are all things of the carnal mind, us attempting to satisfy our flesh.
The bible also says that, you will know them by the fruits of their life. You will not have to tell the world who you are, it will be evident in how you live your life. A person's mouth can say anything but what does their life say about them? What does your life say about you?
Matthew 7: 16-17 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Galatians 5:19-23 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 5:8-9 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the LORD: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
2 Corinthians 5:17 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Romans 8:6 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Galatians 2:20 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
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