Grow Devotes

“…be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:2 One of the fruits of the spirit Paul lists in Galatians 5 is gentleness. As with any fruit of the spirit, we understand that gentleness is a character quality developed in us as a result of being yielded to the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for gentleness is praotes, meaning meekness or mildness. To be gentle with another person...

“… it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” I Corinthians 4:2 Faithfulness means “the character of one who can be relied on.” It also means to be steady in allegiance or affection, loyal, constant, and trustworthy. The quality of faithfulness has greater value than any talent, skill, education, influence, or appearance because if you don’t have one’s commitment, you could lose more than you could ever gain....

“…you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Romans 15:14 According to the Spirit Filled Life Bible, the Greek word for goodness is agathosume, meaning “an intrinsic goodness producing a generosity and a Godlike state or being. It is a rare word that combines being good with doing good.” Goodness is a result of being surrendered to God and submerged in the...

““…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing with one another, and forgiving one another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Colossians 3:12-13 As a fruit of the Spirit, kindness is a characteristic of a person who is living surrendered to the Holy Spirit, enabling him or her with a supernatural ability to be kind or benevolent with others. The Greek word for kindness is...

“strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Colossians 1:11 Longsuffering is a fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. It is a characteristic of God, and it is a quality the Holy Spirit will empower us to walk in. The word for longsuffering in the Greek is makrothymia, which means, “endurance, patience, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance, and forbearance.” The fruit...

“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17 One of the fruits of the spirit Paul mentions is peace. Peace is not just an absence of anxiety or fear. Peace is a word used to describe being complete, fulfilled, or satisfied. Because you are complete, there is no reason to be anxious or to strive. Whatever...

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52 Joy is not just a mood or emotion; it is a state of being. Being joyful is a position of being lifted up, being light-hearted, being filled with gladness. Joy is the result of a heart that is full and satisfied to the point of overflowing. Joy is the heart of a victorious one, a winner....

“…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5 If you are familiar with the fictional story of Superman, compare Lois Lane with the Man of Steel. Whatever kind of strength Lois Lane has, she has human limitations, but Superman has super powers that help him to be faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a...

“(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23 The Apostle Paul gives us some God-like characteristics that the Holy Spirit will work in us when we yield ourselves to God’s grace. He refers to them as the fruit of the Spirit. These are not characteristics that we produce only from our own self-discipline, training, abilities, or gifting. The...