Pursuit Of His Presence

Galatians 5:22-26 

22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

23 Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.

25 If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]

26 Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another.

 

Devotional

Your Natural Supernatural Disposition

by Gloria Copeland

“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.... Give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:5-8, 10
The fruit of the spirit is so vital and so powerful that if I had to choose between the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit (which, thank the Lord, I don’t!)—I’d choose the fruit. Why? Because it’s possible to have spectacular gifts of the Spirit manifesting in your life, yet still get so far off-course you end up shipwrecked, a spiritual failure.
When you have the fruit of the spirit flowing in your life, however, you can be assured you will never fall!
That may sound extreme—but it’s true. I know it is because the Bible makes that very promise in 2 Peter 1. Yet we’ve all discovered that walking according to our new nature is not a stroll in the park. There’s a struggle involved. Galatians 5:17 tells us the desires of the flesh are opposed to the desires of the spirit. So when we decide to obey the desires and promptings of our reborn spirit, our flesh still wants control.
The way to keep from losing that battle is found in Galatians 5:16: We’re to walk and live habitually in the spirit. Hebrews 5:14 reveals that our flesh is trained by practice.
Sometimes when I tell people that walking in the spirit is the secret to having the fruit in their life, people think I’m telling them to do something mysterious and difficult. But actually, walking in the spirit is quite simple. You do it by putting God first place in your life. You do it by maintaining fellowship with Him through His Word and through prayer—yielding in obedience to Him in everything.
As you yield to the fruit of the spirit within you, something happens to your character. It is transformed. You are transformed. You develop what I call your natural supernatural disposition. It’s the disposition of character that you were originally created to have. It’s what God intended for you all along...not what you’ve developed in life through the world’s input.
But it won’t come automatically. You’ll have to spend time in the Word and in prayer. You’ll have to choose to yield to love, and joy and peace, and so on. And when you do, you’ll be yielding to the best you’ve ever been. You’ll be yielding to your natural supernatural disposition!
Speak the Word
“I give diligence to make my calling and election sure by walking in the fruit of the spirit. Therefore, I never fall.” —2 Peter 1:5-8, 10
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Also, visit www.kcm.org/youversion to receive a free gift from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.