Walking in the Spirit is allowing the Holy Ghost to direct you. He is going to direct you in interpersonal skills. The fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) deals with interpersonal skills. Walking in love means that you have to deal with people.
You have joy despite people. You have peace regardless to what people do. You are longsuffering toward people. You are good to people. You have faith in God and in people. Those fruit are for the interpersonal relationships.
We only like to think of faith in terms of getting things. But there is faith in dealing with people. Not only do you have faith in you, God has put in you the ability to have faith in people that others give up on.
First Timothy 6:12 says to fight the good fight of faith. It is a good fight because He has already put the ingredients in you to win in every situation. God said, if you talk to the mountain, it has to move. It is a good fight. It isn't a good fight when you get beat. It is a good fight when you win. You are a victor already.
Open your mouth and thank the Father.
Father, you didn't leave me alone with just the flesh to contend with. You gave me love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and meekness and faith, and you gave me temperance. And the law of sin and death can't win over it. I thank you. I give you praise and glory. I crucify the flesh and I walk after the spirit.You are not a misfit. You are not a loser. Your end result is that you win. No wonder he said, "Nay, in all these things, you are more than a conqueror through Him that loved you. Thanks be unto God which always causes you to triumph. You can do all things through the anointed one and His Anointing. It strengthens you."
Not only did God put these nine fruit, or forces, of the spirit in you, but the Spirit Himself is in you. Greater is He that is in you than the one that is in the world. That is why we can shout and praise God. Despite the circumstance temporarily, you can't lose with the stuff God has given you.
Study References: 1 Tim. 6:11-12; Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
