“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23

We are all familiar with the works of the flesh and their dangers. How do we avoid being overcome by the works of the flesh? Do we just try harder or do we go on a fast? The Apostle Paul gives us insight on how to overcome them in Galatians 5:16 when he says, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” From this statement we learn that the key to avoiding the works of the flesh is to walk in the Spirit. So we should not focus on works of the flesh rather we just have to walk in the Spirit.

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit and how do we know when we are walking in the Spirit? To walk in the Spirit means to submit your mind and emotions to the Word of God and to His Holy Spirit. It also means that no matter what you are going through your actions and reactions are always consistent with the Word of God. When this is true in your life, you will exemplify the fruit of the Spirit at all times, especially in difficult times.

One of the keys to knowing if you are walking in the Spirit is how you handle challenging circumstances. These are times when you are squeezed by the pressures of life and business. When you squeeze an orange, unless it is rotten, fresh orange juice comes out. What if you squeezed an orange and got lemon juice? You would know you have the wrong fruit or the fruit you have is rotten.

So when the pressures of life and business squeeze you, what comes out of you? When your wife or husband disappoints you, how do you respond? When employees or vendors let you down, how do you respond? When you face financial pressures or deadlines in the business, how do you respond? In those times, do you exemplify the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh? It is easy to walk in the Spirit in good times but the real test for us is when we are wronged and disappointed. What is the fruit of the Spirit and why is it important for Biblical Entrepreneurs?

The fruit of the Spirit is:

• Love – Demonstrating care and affection to others through your actions and reactions.
• Joy – An internal, deeply rooted sense of happiness that is demonstrated by external enthusiasm.
• Peace – An inner tranquility based on complete trust in the sovereignty of God.
• Long-suffering – Enduring wrong or difficulties for an extended period of time without compromising your core values.
• Kindness – A genuine expression of favor toward others.
• Goodness – Moral excellence; genuinely right.
• Faithfulness – Consistent, dependable and loyal no matter the circumstances.
• Gentleness – Power under control; using your advantage for the benefit of others rather than to protect yourself.
• Self Control – Having dominion over your emotions and actions.

Remember, these are not multiple fruits but one fruit with several characteristics. When you are walking in the Spirit, all of these characteristics are present in your life at all times, under any circumstance. What are the benefits of exemplifying these characteristics for the Biblical Entrepreneur? You are able to operate above the laws of the earth. The Apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:23 “…against such there is no law.”

When you operate in the fruit of the Spirit, it is as though you are violating the laws of gravity while still being on the earth. Imagine being in a car race where everyone has regular cars but you have a car that is able to fly and there aren’t any rules against flying cars. This gives you an advantage in the race.

The fruit of the Spirit gives you supernatural advantage that produces miracles in your life and business. Difficult relationships and situations become easy to handle. Your enemies make peace with you. Your tense marriage becomes pleasurable. Difficult employees and customers become pleasant. You are able to handle stressful times with a greater level of calm. With all these benefits, why would you not want to walk in the Spirit? How would you rate yourself in each of these characteristics with zero being the lowest and ten being the highest? Where you rate less than seven, what will you do to improve in that area?

My prayer for you this week is that God will give you the grace to exemplify the fruit of the Spirit in all areas of your life, at all times, in all circumstances.

Reflection: How well are you applying the 9 spirits in your business and personal life?
 
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