Colorful Truths The Fruit of the Spirit Rick L. King Copyright © Rick L. King March 2012 Published at Smashwords All Word translations are taken from the Greek and Hebrew in the Online Bible and are used by Permission. Smashwords License Statement This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. About the Author I am a 62 year man that has walked with the Lord for over 30 years. I have faced many trials and struggles during this time yet I have learned that they have always been for my good. Paul said in God’s Word that he died daily. I have learned that the more that I die out to self, the more that I end up being in the spirit. We are told that the spirit gives life. The Spirit of God produces good fruit in us whereas the flesh produces bad fruit. This book is all about fruit and how to have good rather than bad fruit. Table of Contents About the Author Colorful Truths The Fruit of the Spirit 1. Love 2. Joy 3. Peace 4. Longsuffering 5. Gentleness 6. Goodness 7. Faith 8. Meekness 9. Temperance Final Words Colorful Truths White is white And red is red We can trust In what Jesus said Green is green And blue is blue You can believe That God's Word is true Yellow is yellow And black is black Your faith will avert A spiritual attack Purple is purple And brown is brown Jesus holds your hand You will never drown Silver is silver And gold is gold Accept Jesus as your Savior Be grafted into the fold Gray is gray And pink is pink Jesus will always do Above all you can say or think Orange is orange Tan is tan Jesus has for you and I A glorious plan There are many colors That we may see Yet the greatest is in Heaven The colored radiance of God’s Glory. The Fruit of the Spirit This is an in depth scriptural study of the fruit of the spirit as stated in the Word of God. This study reveals what fruit we should have, God’s ways of obtaining it, and how to walk in it. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. A candle is a light. A candle has fire when it is lit. Our fire in the Lord comes from our spirit man, not our natural man. If we want to get on fire with the Lord, then we must yield to our spirit man and not our carnal man. The things of God come from the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit comes from the Spirit, not the flesh or carnal man. If we desire the things of God, then we will seek Him first, His righteousness, His kingdom. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. In the Lord’s Prayer we read thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In Heaven in God’s eyes we are a spiritual being with no sin. God sees us through the Blood of Jesus. Jesus paid the price for our sin that we may have fellowship with God. God desires that what He sees in Heaven, we become on earth. God desires that we see and walk in His Spirit and power. We have settled for so much less than what God sees us to be. We have allowed the cares of this world to choke out God and His Word. The Word has not produced in us the fruit that God desires, the Holy Spirit fruit. Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. We are a spirit being. As a spirit being with the Holy Spirit energizing us, we are very powerful. We just don’t seem to really know that. We have been deceived by the devil that feeding our flesh or carnal nature is true life. This is a lie. True life is being what God desires us to be; a powerful man or women in the Holy Ghost. God said that we would receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon us. Do we yield to that power? Do we let the world and the devil determine what or who we are in Christ? This is a choice that only we can make. I believe that we can go as deep in God as we want to go. The table is set; we have to choose to sit at it. Do we desire spiritual food or natural food? The spiritual gives life. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The spiritual quenches our thirst. The spiritual makes us full. The natural can never do that. The candle is in every man. The key is do we desire the candle to be lit? If we do then we will do the things that draw us closer to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. We will pray, intercede, do spiritual warfare, worship, praise, and be obedient to His leading. These alone produce real life. Everything else is a substitute of the devil and a deception. What do we hunger for? Do we hunger for more of God or more of the things that attempt to satisfy our flesh yet never will? Ephesians 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. Our habitation in God comes by our abiding in Him through the Holy Spirit. It comes no other way. We cannot abide in the flesh and expect the fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit 1. Love Greek translation: brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence God is love (1 John 4:8). God is a spirit (John 4:24). Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. What we call love is not really love. Real love comes through the Holy Spirit as once again it is spiritually discerned. We say that we love someone yet we really get upset about what they may do. When we experience God’s love, we see the finished product so to speak. We see them through spiritual Godly eyes instead of through selfish natural man eyes. The things that normally bothered us seem to be no problem. All we do is do things that will cause the person to come closer to Jesus that they will become what they are to be in the spiritual realm. It once again is a focus. The pure love of God does not focus on the problem; it focuses on the solutions. I have experienced this many times in my life through intercession and praying in the Spirit. This love is so different than what the world calls love. Love is never selfish or self-pleasing. It never pushes itself forward. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) Worldly or carnal love is selfish. It always wants something out of love. Spiritual love is not selfish, as it just wants to give itself away. Love is sacrificial. It will sacrifice everything for someone else. Greater love has no man than he would lay down his life for a friend (John 15:13). That is what Jesus did. He laid down His life for you and me. This kind of love only comes from God. It only comes through the Spirit. Not that God is asking us to lay down our lives literally, He does require us to lay down our lives in the sense that we esteem others more important than our self (Philippians 2:3). We should be living to serve someone else, not living to serve self. I have known for years something that would make a marriage so beautiful. If each focused and was concerned about pleasing the other more than self, both would have all desires fulfilled. This is the same with the Lord. If we would be only concerned about fulfilling God’s desires, then our desires would be met. The key is the focus of our heart. It is seeking first His will. Our will, wants, and desires become secondary. If we please Him, He will please us. The Word is truth. It takes us obeying the truth through the Spirit to have pure love. 1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. 2. Joy The Greek translation: joy, gladness What is true joy? True joy comes in the Spirit. Yes, we may get happy or joyous about things on earth, yet this does not compare to the joy that comes in or by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). It is powerful. With this joy we can move any mountain. This joy causes us to not be discouraged or dismayed about anything. Nothing can rattle this joy. This is why when we have this joy; man and the devil seem to want to kill it. It is so powerful that the devil gets shook. He knows that he can not stand against it, so he will try to steal your joy away. If he succeeds, you are not as much a threat to his kingdom. He steals your joy by words or thoughts. If you can recognize his words or the thoughts that he attempts to get you to think on when they come, you will have much greater success in keeping your joy. 3. Peace The Greek translation-AV-peace 89, one 1, rest 1, quietness 1; 92 1) A state of national tranquility 1a) exemption from the rage and havoc of war 2) Peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord 3) Security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous) 4) of the Messiah’s peace 4a) the way that leads to peace (salvation) 5) Of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is 6) The blessed state of devout and upright men after death Peace is definitely from the Holy Spirit. To have this in the midst of a storm or crisis is priceless. Many are crying out for it, but since it does not come via the world, nor from the devil, then people just don’t find it. Peace comes by the Spirit of God. Peace comes as we learn to think correctly (Philippians 4:9). Peace comes, as we are obedient to the Holy Spirit. Peace is not so much a head thing, though our mind needs to be at peace, it is a spirit thing. Peace comes into our spirit man. Our head may may be full of anxiety, but our spirit man will be calm and at peace. Our head is only agitated because we have allowed thoughts or strongholds of the devil in our minds. As we learn to cast down the imaginations and bring every thought into obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), we will have peace in our mind. God tells us how to think, and what to think on (Philippians 4:8). He also tells us how to get rid of the thoughts that we shouldn’t think on. As we do this, He promises to us peace. 4. Longsuffering The Greek Translation-longsuffering 12, patience 2; 14 1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance 2) patience, forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. We are very blessed. God has and is very patient with us. He loves us so much that He gives us time to change and learn. Religion isn’t that way. We are supposed to be a certain way in religion. The problem is that it takes time to become that way. God always shows us grace. He never puts on us more than we can bear. He knows what we can handle. The fruit of longsuffering enables us to do this same thing with others. Sure people do things that we don’t do or that we don’t like. Grace gives them love right where they are at present. Real love is patient. If God had not been longsuffering and patient with us, where would each of us be now? God is just asking us to show what He has shown to us, to others. The only way that we can show this is by drawing from the Holy Spirit fruit. We must let our source become the Holy Spirit. This needs to be our chief desire and focus. When we do not exhibit this fruit, it shows who is living. It shows that it is us living instead of Christ living in us. We cannot be drawing from the Holy Spirit if we are not patient and give grace as this is in opposition to His very character and nature. 5. Gentleness Greek Translation-goodness 4, kindness 4, good 1, gentleness 1; 10 1) moral goodness, integrity 2) benignity, kindness Psalms 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: Christ is gentle with us. When we are hurting, does he come to us with a rod and beat on us, or does He in gentleness comfort and just pour out of His love? Can you think of the times that you were really hurting and someone came and just hit you over the head with the Word or just kept being religious and say this is what you must do? It seemed if one more nail was driven that you would be in your coffin and buried. Jesus is not that way. He knows when we are in pain and shows gentleness when we need it most. He knows when we just need a hug and to feel loved and not alone. Psalms above says the gentleness made him great. We must learn to be gentle when needed so that others may reach their potential in Christ and become great. We are supposed to build each other up, not bury each other. The Holy Spirit fruit of gentleness knows when we need slack and help. This is love in action. 6. Goodness Greek translation-goodness 4; 4 1) Uprightness of heart and life, goodness, kindness Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: God’s goodness is what led us to repentance It is what led us to Jesus Christ and salvation. The Holy Spirit will exhibit goodness as He wants all men to be saved. The above scripture in Ephesians says that the fruit of the Spirit is all goodness. Since God has shown much goodness to each of us, we can also show this same fruit to others if we are in Him. 7. Faith Greek Translation-faith 239, assurance 1, believe + 1537 1, belief 1, them that believe 1, fidelity 1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it 1a) relating to God 1a1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ 1b) relating to Christ 1b1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God 1c) the religious beliefs of Christians 1d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in hrist,springing from faith in the same 2) fidelity, faithfulness 2a) the character of one who can be relied on Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). An author is a writer. A writer is the creator of something written. We are told that faith cometh by hearing; and hearing comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Jesus is the author or writer of faith written in the Word. Jesus taught about faith constantly in the Gospels. The Word produces faith. Let’s take this a step further. Jesus said that it was expedient that He go away as He would send the comforter (John 16:7). The comforter is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us and bring all things to our remembrance that Jesus said (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit empowers (Acts 1:8) and leads and guides us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit leads us to the Word that was authored by Jesus and teaches us concerning all that Jesus said. The Holy Spirit talks to us about the Word. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is in Galatians 5:22, 23. One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is faith. Jesus is the author of the faith written in the Word and the Holy Spirit is the one that teaches us and empowers us concerning it. We are told to build our self up on our most Holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20). Why is that? When we pray in the Holy Spirit we are yielding to the things of the Spirit instead of the natural carnal man. When we yield to the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit then becomes evident in us. Paul said: 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. The word discerned means to (examine or determine). If praying in the Spirit produces faith then it is safe to say that faith is spiritually discerned. It is not something that comes from the natural man. It comes from the Spirit. To the natural man it is foolishness. The natural man only has a glimpse of the real faith and fruit of the Holy Spirit. A good example is when we seem to know to give away some money. Our natural man says this is foolish. We need this money, as we don’t have enough now to cover our bills. The Holy Spirit leads us to give at the times when we seem to need what we have the most. We have to bypass what our natural man says about it being foolish, and just listen to the Holy Spirit and be obedient to what He requests us to do. As we step out in faith, God always covers what we need. Faith is foolishness to our natural man. It makes no sense to our natural mind or understanding most of the time to believe or do something. It is God’s ability and work that produces the fruit, not ours. Even the rest of the Holy Spirit fruit is spiritually discerned. It does not come from the natural man either. We all try to find faith and hold on for dear life to a scripture that pertains to a certain situation or need that we have. The problem is it is our faith, not Holy Spirit faith. It is coming from our natural man, not the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit faith produces a knowing within us that we have what we asked for. Our faith is a struggle to hold on too. One minute we believe, the next minute we falter. Actually I think that most of the time that what we call faith is actually faith that God can do something, not that He is or has done it. True faith comes through the Holy Spirit. The reason most of us don’t have this true faith that produces Gods kind of fruit is that it takes effort on our part to get it. It is quicker to just find a scripture then say we are standing by faith on it. Unfortunately more often than not, it rarely produces what we wanted. If we would instead focus on praying in the Spirit, drawing near to God, we would gain His faith in us of what He desires for us to have or to do. This is a focus problem. God said to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness then all things would be added (Mathew 6:33). We are trying to get things added without seeking. God must stay first. We are just picking and choosing what we think we need or want. One thing I have found is that when close to God in the Spirit, most of the times the things I desired before never even come to mind. The reason for this is the natural man seems to always want or need something to be satisfied. The spiritual man is satisfied to just be in God’s presence and have fellowship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 8. Meekness Greek translation-gentleness, mildness, meekness 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you 2 Timothy 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. Seven Good Reasons to be Meek: Psalms 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live forever. Psalms 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. Psalms 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psalms 147:6 The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Psalms 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. These look like seven good reasons to become meek through the Holy Spirit fruit. God is really awesome. We get life from Him and He then blesses us more. We not only gain the meekness but also gain the blessings that come from being meek. How can we lose? 9. Temperance Greek translation - self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites) This fruit goes directly along with the scripture that if we walk in the Spirit, we won’t fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The Holy Spirit alone gives us the ability to not fulfill the fleshly lusts. If we need self-control, then we must learn to get into the Spirit. This is the only [...]... fruit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit He wants the fruit to multiply As we walk in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit fruit is evident, it will multiply to others When walking in the Spirit seeds are constantly planted in others lives, even at times that we are unaware of Even when not walking in the Spirit we plant seeds that will reproduce We know people by their fruit The fruit, the spiritual fruit of one’s... produce fruit that also will produce other seeds All the cares of this world mean nothing compared to what God has in store for us If we get caught up in the cares of this world, we will miss what God really desires We need to start looking for spiritual fruit instead of earthly fruit Spiritual fruit is eternal Earthly fruit is temporary The real key to exhibiting the fruit of the spirit is in these... 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 As our carnal fleshly life is crucified, then the nature of Christ and the fruit of the spirit will just naturally flow from us The key then is just our submitting to the Holy Spirit in all things, and allowing... good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. .. without love, they profit us nothing Everything that is of God is based in love, no exceptions If you do not see or feel love, be careful When we abide in Him, we are a branch connected to the good tree that is a tree of love The good tree’s branches grow from the tree and will only produce good loving fruit The only way to have good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, is to be connected to the right tree... that in the flesh dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18) Since this is so, then how can the flesh control the flesh? It can’t! It is only as we yield to our spirit and the Holy Spirit that we find self-control We give the control to the Holy Spirit I see people doing everything that they can trying to change and be what the Word says that they should be The problem is that is them doing it In the flesh... person is spiritually If we are a good tree we will produce good fruit People will see the Lord in us as we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit People are drawn to God’s fruit, but repulsed from ungodly fruit Our walk on earth is basically for one reason, to prepare us for eternity with God God wants us to multiply good fruit to others so they will also share eternity with Him The Word is a seed The seed... Warrior Poet Releasing God’s Power in You Pupper Tales Colorful Truths Series Can We Have the Mind of Christ? The Chicken The Fruit of the Spirit Our Free Gift Victory Over the Flesh Do Miracles Still Happen? Minister to Me Peace in the Storm Colorful Truths Volume 1 & 2 New Life Series Volume 1 Volume 2 Volume 3 Ministry In Poem Series A total of 18 volumes Please go to Smashwords and check for new... from the tree If the branch tries to draw life from any other source it dies It can only draw life from what it is connected too Being connected means that we must do the things that draw from the Holy Spirit If we draw from the flesh or our carnal nature, we will find no real life Fruit is full of seeds that once they fall to the ground will spring up with more fruit God wants us to have spiritual fruit, ... tree is known by his fruit There is a common thread in all of the fruit of the Holy Spirit This is love Since God is love, then His character and all he is will come out in love This is why we are told that when we love we have fulfilled the law Even in 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, we are told that even if we do all the good things listed if we have not love, it will profit us nothing The works may look pretty . we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the. more fruit. God wants us to have spiritual fruit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He wants the fruit to multiply. As we walk in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit fruit is evident, it will multiply. Colorful Truths The Fruit of the Spirit Rick L. King Copyright © Rick L. King March 2012 Published at Smashwords All Word translations are taken from the Greek and Hebrew in the Online Bible