"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

Fruit is a funny thing. From our perspective, it doesn’t look like an apple tree is working very hard to produce apples. Apples trees just make apples. That’s what they do. From another perspective, if you could look under the bark, you’d see a huge amount of work going on inside the tree. Leaves are using chlorophyl to convert solar energy into sugar. Roots are pulling water and pumping it to the tip top of the tree. Systems and mechanisms too many to mention are all working away so that you can crunch into that apple and feel the juice run down your chin.

It is much the same for the production of the fruits of the Spirit in the life of the believer. From one perspective, love, joy, peace, etc. is the natural product of the new creature in Christ. On the other hand, the production of these fruits, these characteristics and attitudes, takes a great deal of effort. The Spirit does all. We “labor and strive according to His power that works so mightily” in us (Col. 1:29). So then, here is the dichotomy of fruit of the Spirit production in the lives of Christians. God the Holy Spirit is the author of all. The believer must develop and cultivate those fruits through daily effort and exertion.

That seeming oxymoron will be resolved when we see the face of Christ in glory. In the meantime, we are called to cooperate with the Spirit in this great work of fruit making. The labors involved, like those of a faithful farmer, will be well rewarded with the delights of these delightful fruits of the Spirit. The resources offered here are hand picked to help you become more and more fruitful.