Here’s my prayer for you today: May you be led by what is in you, not by what is around you.

Because what is around you is loud.

Distractions.

The invitation to live a small, defeated, mediocre life is everywhere. But daughter of God, you were never created to live looking down.

Downcast.

Down is not your direction. And here’s how I know: Because of what is in you.

Romans 8:9 says, “You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.”

Then just a few verses later, Romans 8:15 says, “You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.”

Did you catch that? God’s Spirit lives in you. Not beside you. Not near you. Not occasionally visiting you. In you.

The mountain-moving, sea-parting, chain-breaking, prison-shaking, death-defeating power of Almighty God lives in you. Let that sink in. Because the enemy works overtime trying to make you forget it. He wants your attention on your failures instead of your Father. He wants your focus on your flaws instead of God’s power. He wants you obsessing over your weight, your money, your job, your house, your image, your circumstances—anything that keeps your eyes off the greatest reality of your life: The Spirit of God lives within you.

If you’re consumed by what you see in the mirror, you’ll forget what Jesus placed inside of you. If you’re focused on your problems, you’ll forget you already have access to the power to overcome them. If you’re drowning in negative thoughts, you’ll start believing you’re stuck.

But you’re not stuck. You’ve just forgotten what’s in you. The Spirit of God has already given you power to rise. Power to heal. Power to overcome. Power to keep going.

Don’t sacrifice your power by entertaining pitiful. I know I’ve done it. I’ve had seasons where I focused more on my problems than my power. More on my circumstances than my Savior. And every single time, I felt defeated. Because when I play pitiful, I stop walking powerful.

So let me ask you: Have you been focused on your problems? Have you been rehearsing your disappointments? Have you been sitting in self-pity? Because here’s something I learned a long time ago: You can be pitiful or you can be powerful, but you cannot be both. (Thank you Joyce Meyer.)

At nineteen years old, I suffered a massive stroke. I was unable to walk or talk. While I was in the hospital, my newlywed husband kept my family away. He told them I was okay. At the time, I couldn’t understand why my mama and daddy weren’t by my bed. But he understood something I didn’t. Pity would have paralyzed me. Pity would have kept me in that bed. Pity would have convinced me I was a victim instead of a victor. My parents would have given me pity.

So my young husband pushed me. He challenged me. He refused to hand me pity. And today I walk, talk, and live whole because I was offered God’s power instead of people’s pity.

So why would we choose pity now? Girl, pity never looks good on you. But God’s power? That looks absolutely beautiful on you.

Because of the Spirit living in you, defeat is no longer your identity. Mediocrity is no longer your calling. Fear is no longer your master. You don’t wake up expecting less. You don’t settle for surviving.

Jesus didn’t die so you could live a little life. He came that you might have life—and have it abundantly. So stop sitting in pity over everything that’s wrong. Not when the Spirit of the Almighty lives in you. Oh no.

You have every reason to get excited about today. Every reason to expect good things. Every reason to believe that what stands before you is smaller than the God within you.

Why? Because God’s Spirit lives in you.

You are not controlled by your feelings. You are not a slave to fear. You are a daughter of the King. And daughters of the King don’t walk through life defeated. They walk with authority. They walk with confidence. They walk knowing who they belong to.

So remember this today: Nothing you face is greater than the Spirit within you. You are not helpless. You are not hopeless. You are not stuck.

And if you feel that way, you’ve believed a lie that was never yours to carry. Don’t buy what the enemy is selling. A daughter of the King should never settle for the leftovers of a defeated devil.

Remember what’s in you. The same power that spoke the universe into existence lives in you. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. The same power that shattered prison walls and broke chains lives in you. The same power that turned water into wine lives in you.

That means life is in you. Healing is in you. Freedom is in you. Victory is in you. Change is in you. Hope is in you. Power is in you.

So don’t let what is around you make you forget what is in you. The circumstances are real. The challenges are real. The obstacles are real. But none of them are greater than the Spirit of God dwelling within you.

That Spirit does not make you a fearful slave. That Spirit makes you a daughter. He brings you into the family. He places a crown upon your head. He declares, “You belong.” So straighten your crown, girl.

Life may have knocked you around, but it has not changed who you are.

You are chosen.

You are loved.

You are redeemed.

You are a daughter of the King.

And the power of Almighty God lives within you.

So today, be powerful.

Not pitiful.

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There are probably things you do every day without really knowing why you do them.

Think about it.

When we meet someone new, we shake hands. But why? The original purpose was to show that your weapon hand was empty and that you came in peace. Most of us aren’t checking each other for concealed swords anymore, yet the handshake remains. We do it because it’s what we’ve always done.

Or take Daylight Saving Time. Twice a year, many of us change our clocks and grumble about losing an hour of sleep or it getting dark too early. Ask the average person why we still do it, and most aren’t quite sure. We just know it’s time to change the clocks again.

Even the phrases we use have outlived their original purpose. We still say, “Hang up the phone,” even though most people haven’t hung a phone on anything in decades. And let’s be honest—tapping the “End Call” button just doesn’t have the same satisfaction as slamming down a receiver!

One of my favorite examples comes from a friend of mine. Every holiday, she cut the end off the ham before putting it in the oven. One day I asked her why. “Because that’s how you’re supposed to do it,” she said. I told her that’s not the way I do it. Unsatisfied with that answer, she asked her grandmother why she taught her to cut the end off the ham. Her grandmother laughed and said, “Because my baking pan was too small.” For 50 years, a tradition had been passed down from generation to generation, long after the too small baking pan no longer existed.

It got me thinking: How many things am I doing simply because I’ve always done them? How many things have I been taught that I’ve never really stopped to examine?

And then one practice came to mind. Prayer. More specifically, ending a prayer with the words, “In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Do you do that? I do.

Since I learned to pray as a teenager, I have ended my prayers that way because that’s what I was taught to do. It’s what I heard in church. So I said it too.

“In Jesus’ name, amen.”

But have you ever stopped and asked yourself why? Why do we pray in Jesus’ name? Is it simply a religious phrase we attach to the end of our prayers? Like a Christian version of saying “goodbye”? Or is there something deeper happening? What authority are we invoking when we pray in Jesus’ name? What did Jesus mean when He taught His followers to ask in His name? And what difference does it make when we truly understand it?

Girls, let’s dig deeper together. Because when you understand what you’re saying, why you’re saying it, and whose authority you’re standing in, prayer becomes far more than a routine. It becomes powerful.

And when understanding meets faith, prayer changes.

The simple answer of why we pray in Jesus’ name is because Jesus told us to.

John 14: 13-14, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”

As Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he is about to die and no longer be with them in physical form, he says in John 16: 23-24, “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”

Yes, Jesus told us to pray in His name. But if that’s all we understand, we’ve missed the deeper meaning.” This isn’t like cutting the end off your ham because your grandma’s old baking pan was too short 50 years ago. This isn’t continuing something that no longer really applies to our lives today. This is of paramount importance still today – we pray in the name of Jesus. We ask the Father in the name of Jesus.

But has it become nothing more than words you add to the end of your prayer – or are you REALLY approaching the Father through Jesus?

1 Timothy 2:5, “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.” Jesus is our mediator.

A mediator is someone who stands between 2 parties and brings them together. Think of a negotiator helping 2 people who are separated by conflict find reconciliation.

Here’s the truth – we’ve screwed up. Every single one of us have fallen so short of the glory of God. We could never stand in his holy presence. Sin caused Adam and Eve to be kicked out of the garden, and we’ve been separated since. No matter how good we may try to be, in our own human effort, we simply cannot bridge that gap.

The distance between us and our holy, perfect God is massive. Only the cross could bridge it and make a way for us to God. Jesus literally stepped into the middle for us. Because Jesus is both fully God and fully man, He represents both sides. His life sacrificed and blood shed for us then makes a way for us to come into God’s presence. We are for real coming to God in the name of Jesus. Our name isn’t good enough. Only the name of Jesus grants us access to God.

But, I must admit, I’ve treated Jesus more like my heavenly mail carrier at time than my savior. Here’s my prayer request, Jesus, deliver this to God for me. Put your stamp of approval on this and maybe God will move for me.

Is that what Jesus has become to you? You pray in his name because he’s the stamp for your letter to be delivered to God? Oh Jesus, please forgive us.

JESUS IS THE REASON WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD AT ALL!!!!!! When we pray “in Jesus’ name” we’re acknowledging this important fact – I’m not coming to God based on my goodness, my worthiness, or my achievements – I’m coming to God because Jesus has made a way for me!

This is NOT a magic phrase that unlocks heaven – although we have sometimes treated it that way. The power is not in just saying the words, “In Jesus’ name”. The power is the holy One behind the name.

Jesus himself has said, “She’s with me – she has access.” So now we show up in God’s presence through prayer and we acknowledge, “I’m only here because Jesus says I can be.”

Hebrews 4:16 tells us to “Come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” There’s only one way you can do that – back up a verse and you’ll see – it’s because Jesus is our High Priest.

In the Old Testament, the high priest was the one person appointed to represent all the people before God. This one person stood in the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity. Once a year, the high priest would enter into the presence of God and offer sacrifices for their sin. If an ordinary person went into the place within the temple where God’s presence was, they would be struck dead. Only the high priest could enter.

Now, we are told WE (yes me and you) can come boldly to the throne of God. We have access. We can talk to God directly. How? Because we have a High Priest who is Jesus. When you come to God in the name of Jesus, you’re remembering Jesus has already gone before you making it possible for you.

And knowing this can transform your prayers. We don’t have to end our prayers with a phrase we repeat out of habit – we can say it with understanding.

I’m praying under the authority of Jesus. I’m approaching the Father through Jesus. I am accepted by God because of Jesus.

“In the name of Jesus” isn’t a closing phrase – it’s a declaration of faith. It’s a reminder that every prayer reaches the Father because Jesus stands in the gap and makes a way for us to come near.

The miracle isn’t that God answers our prayers. The miracle is that we are invited to pray at all.

Have you ever prayed a prayer, even ended it with “in Jesus’ name,” and it didn’t get answered? That really causes us to struggle, doesn’t it?

It’s easy to take Jesus’ words, “Ask anything in My name, and I will do it,” and twist them to mean that as long as we add His name to our request, it’s guaranteed to happen. What a dangerous little game we can play there. We must always remember that God sees what we do not see. He holds ETERNITY while we are stuck in the right here and now, wanting immediate answers, immediate relief, and immediate results.

We see today. God sees forever.

Not because He isn’t listening.

Praying in Jesus’ name is not giving God our agenda and expecting His signature at the bottom. It is bringing our requests under His authority, His character, His wisdom, and His will.

When I pray in Jesus’ name, I am essentially saying: “Lord, this is what I desire. This is what I hope for. But more than anything, I want what You want. If this request honors You, advances Your purposes, and aligns with Your will, then let it be so.”

That kind of prayer requires trust. It means trusting that when God says yes, He is good. When God says wait, He is good. And even when God says no, He is still good.

The power of praying in Jesus’ name was never found in getting everything we ask for. The power is found in knowing that the One who hears us sees the whole picture—and we can trust Him with the answer.

So why do we pray “In Jesus’ name”? Why do we end our prayers in this way? Well maybe we didn’t know before, but we know now!

John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. NO ONE can come to the Father except through ME.” He’s not the mailman of heavenly requests – he is the reason for our access at all. He is the only way to our Father God. If we don’t come to God in the name of Jesus, we simply don’t get there!

The next time you pray and say, “In Jesus’ name,” don’t let it be empty words. Remember what you’re really saying: “Father, I am not standing before You because of my goodness. I am not approaching You in my own authority. I am here because of Jesus. I belong to Him. He made a way for me. And I’m only here because Jesus says I can be.”

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In Scripture, there is great significance behind a name. A name was much more than a label or a way to identify someone.

Today, names often carry little significance beyond what sounded good to our parents at the time. We choose names from baby books, family traditions, or popularity lists. Most people never stop to ask what their name means. It’s simply what people call us. Take me, for example. I’m Pamela. You’ve known me as Pamela for years. You’re probably not sitting there wondering about the deeper meaning of my name. Honestly, I’ve carried this name for over fifty years and had to look it up myself. It means “all sweetness.” I’ll let my family decide whether that’s accurate!

But the names in our Bible are of great meaning. Mother’s didn’t pick names based on an internet list of popularity. Names were given to reveal a person’s identity, character, reputation, purpose, and sometimes even their destiny. Names carried meaning, and they often told a story.

If you were given a bad name from birth with a bad meaning. Poor kid. Imagine being given a name that meant “sorrow,” “fool,” or “no mercy.” Every introduction would become a reminder of a negative identity. In biblical times, names carried such weight that a person could spend a lifetime either living into that identity or fighting to overcome it.

We also see throughout Scripture that when God gave someone a new calling, He would sometimes give them a new name to reflect their transformed identity. Their new names signified that God was doing something new in their lives and inviting them into His greater purpose. That name carried a calling and an identity.

Here on this podcast, we spent a few weeks studying the names of God found in our Bible. Through those names, we gained a deeper understanding of His character, authority, power, and love. We encountered Him as:

YHWH, the self-existent and covenant-keeping God

What became clear through that study is that God’s names reveal who He is. They unveil His nature, His attributes, and His relationship to His people. Every name teaches us something about His character and His work.

So if names matter this much throughout Scripture, and if God’s own names reveal His character, then we should expect the name of Jesus to be overflowing with meaning.

Yet many of us hear “Lord Jesus Christ” so often that we stop hearing it altogether. It becomes a familiar phrase. But to the first-century believer, every word in that name carried enormous significance. “Lord Jesus Christ” is not merely a title. It is a declaration. It announces His authority, His mission, and His identity.

A few months ago in Venice, Italy, my friend and I knelt beside a woman who spent her days lying face down on the streets begging. I’ll never forget the moment she looked up at me and said in her language, “Jesus Cristo?”

Immediately, there was recognition. Immediately, there was connection. Immediately, there was hope.

We didn’t share the same language. We didn’t share the same culture. But we shared one name. The name above every name. The Lord Jesus Christ.

What is this name … The Lord Jesus Christ?

1. LORD: This word Lord was originally spoken in Greek as Kyrios. Kyrios means master, owner, one who has authority. When Jesus said in Matthew 28:13, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”, he’s showing that he is the Lord. He has all authority – not some authority, not a little authority. ALL authority. And where is this authority? In both heaven and on earth. He’s in charge of everything. All things everywhere in heaven and on earth are under his divine authority.

We call Him Lord because there is nothing above Him, nothing outside His authority, and nothing beyond His rule.

So, when you pray to make Jesus the Lord of your life, that’s what you are affirming – Jesus is over everything in your life. He has ALL authority and you bow down to him. Quite honestly, at 15 years old when I prayed and asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, I had no idea what that actually meant. Now I know. And so do you – He is Lord, he is master, he is above all with ALL authority.

Do you believe that? Is Jesus your Lord?

2. JESUS: What a holy and sacred name chosen by God and delivered through an angel. In Matthew 1: 20-21, an angel came to Joseph and told him that his fiance Mary had conceived a child through the Holy Spirit. The angel said, “She will have a son, and you are the name him JESUS, for he will save his people from their sins.”

That’s the very meaning of the name Jesus – Yahweh saves. The name announces his life mission – To save sinners, to reconcile humanity to God, to defeat death, to bring God’s kingdom.

In this time, everyone knew the meaning of the name Jesus. It was pronounced Yeshua in Hebrew, Yahweh saves. Who is Yahweh? He’s the God who always has been, and the one who made a covenant with his people to save them. Jesus is the fulfillment of that covenant. Jesus SAVES US!

Before Jesus ever preached a sermon, performed a miracle, or went to the cross, His mission had already been announced through His name.

Do you call on the name of Jesus knowing he is the son of God sent to save you? Do you know him as your absolute only answer, only way and only source?

3. CHRIST: In Greek, it is spoken Christos and means “Anointed One.”

The anointing of oil signified God’s appointment of a specific person. When someone was called to a high position of power such as a priest or King, they were anointed. So, to call Jesus CHRIST, Christos, it says this is God’s anointed one. God’s chosen one. The one God has called to a high position of power.

In Hebrew, this word was Messiah. For centuries, Israel waited. Generation after generation looked for the promised Messiah. Prophets spoke of Him. Kings anticipated Him. The faithful longed for Him. Then Paul declares with one word: Christ. The waiting is over. The Messiah has come. He is the promised one. He holds the power of God and is on an appointment.

Jesus is the King who’s rule will never end. He holds the eternal kingdom. That’s who our Christ is.

So now, when we put all these names together as 1 Corinthians 1:3 does, “Call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” we see the full picture of our Jesus.

The order is important. First, he is Lord – the exalted sovereign ruler. Then he is Jesus – the man sent to save. And finally he is Christ – the appointed and promised Messiah King.

Together, the Lord Jesus Christ proclaims fully who he is. He is God. He is man. He is savior.

And, he is ours!!!!!!!!!!

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Under the direction of the Spirit and his inner influence, you live DIFFERENT. Absolutely nothing changes a person like the Spirit of God. This is change from within, change at the very core of who you are. It is lasting change that makes you into a radically new person.

The Holy Spirit leaves nothing untouched, nothing undone, nothing unchanged. Gradually and continually God’s presence within you reshapes your heart, renews your mind, and aligns your life with his purposes.

As cliche as it may sound, it’s true – JESUS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! The old self is made new. You receive a new way of thinking, new desires, new priorities, and a new perspective on life. What once controlled you no longer defines you. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”” Yeah – that’s real!!!!

As this transformation takes place, different fruit naturally begins to appear in your life. You are no longer producing the works of the flesh; instead, the life of Jesus is begins flowing through you. And that’s really what we’ve been studying – It’s less of you and more of Him. That’s what FRUIT is. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

And the beautiful thing, it all happens so naturally. This isn’t a matter of your extreme effort to try and be better – this is all because of the Holy Spirit at work within you.

The fruit of the Spirit is the visible evidence of an invisible presence. It is proof that God is changing you from the inside out. You are simply not who you once were, and the fruit your life now produces shows it.

Remember when we began this study all the way back in episode #2141? We created two columns. On the left was the column labeled “Without the Holy Spirit” from Galatians 5:19-21. On the right was the column labeled “With the Holy Spirit” from Galatians 5:22-23.

That left column was the list of yuck. It’s what naturally grows in our lives when we’re left to ourselves. When we follow our own desires, allow the world to become our primary influence, and ignore the leading of God, we drift to the left. We don’t have to strive for it. We don’t have to work at it. The acts of the flesh come naturally because they flow from our fallen nature.

The list was difficult to study because it’s painfully familiar. We’ve seen it in our own lives. We’ve watched it unfold in the lives of people we care about. We’ve witnessed the damage it causes. Deep down, we know Paul wasn’t describing “those people.” He was describing what happens to ALL people apart from the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. All people, including us.

There’s an inward battle taking place, and eventually that inward reality produces outward evidence. That’s why Paul begins with sexual immorality, impurity, and lustful pleasures. How many homes have been broken, marriages destroyed, and lives derailed by those acts of the flesh? Good people become entangled in destructive choices. They didn’t wake up one morning intending to wreck everything. It happened gradually. The seeds were planted, watered, and allowed to grow because they followed the desires of the flesh instead of the direction of the Spirit.

That’s life on the left side of the page—life without the Holy Spirit’s influence.

Then Paul moves to idolatry and sorcery—our pursuit of meaning, security, answers, and power apart from God. We take the sacred place in our hearts that belongs to God alone and fill it with substitutes. We trust things more than God. We seek things before God. We look to people, possessions, experiences, success, or substances to satisfy needs only God can meet. No one has to teach us how to do that. Our flesh naturally gravitates in that direction. We self-medicate. We chase escapes. We look for shortcuts. And before long, what we thought we controlled begins to control us. We arouse the ugly demon of addiction and end up with a life that looks a whole lot like hell.

My friends, that’s life without the Holy Spirit. That’s where the flesh leads. That’s life on the wrong side of the page. That’s life in the yuck.

But Paul isn’t finished.

The list continues with hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Notice how much of this list destroys relationships. The flesh doesn’t just corrupt us personally—it fractures families, divides churches, ruins friendships, and turns people against one another. Wherever the flesh is leading, unity suffers and people get hurt.

And perhaps the most gut wrenching truth of all is this: None of these things require effort. Left to ourselves, this is the direction we naturally drift. The works of the flesh are not learned behaviors as much as they are revealed behaviors. They expose what happens when self sits on the throne and God is pushed aside.

Hell’s marketing strategy is to make the left side of the page look more fun, more free, and more desirable. But the truth is, life without the direction of the Holy Spirit is hell on Earth. It’s not freedom, it’s bondage. All that looked desirable quickly turns to destruction.

This proven reality we’ve seen play out in countless lives makes the right side of the page in contrast so beautiful. Life WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Life under the influence of God.

Galatians 5:22-23 shows us what happens when the Holy Spirit takes His rightful place in our lives. Instead of the works of the flesh, there is the fruit of the Spirit. Instead of destruction, there is transformation. And it looks like this:

Love

That’s MORE JESUS flowing through us. Less flesh. Less world. Less “left side” and more “right side.” The Holy Spirit is steadily, faithfully producing something new in us. These qualities begin to grow naturally as we walk with Him, changing not only what we do, but who we are becoming.

The works of the flesh are things we do because of who we are apart from God. The fruit of the Spirit is what grows because of who God is within us. Fruit is evidence of life.

An apple tree doesn’t strain to produce apples. It produces apples because that’s its nature. In the same way, when the Holy Spirit is alive and active in us, spiritual fruit begins to appear. Not perfectly. Not overnight. But steadily. Consistently. Supernaturally.

Love starts replacing selfishness.

Joy starts overcoming despair.

Peace starts calming anxiety.

Patience starts slowing anger.

Kindness starts softening harshness.

Goodness starts reshaping motives.

Faithfulness starts creating consistency.

Gentleness starts replacing forcefulness.

Self-control starts winning battles that once seemed impossible.

This is what the Spirit does. This is the miracle of transformation. He doesn’t just change our destination; He changes our character. He doesn’t simply forgive us and leave us as we are. He renews us from the inside out.

Now let’s look at the final sentence in Paul’s teaching on the fruit of the Spirit. After listing all these qualities, he says: “There is no law against these things!”

At first glance, that almost sounds unnecessary. Well, of course there isn’t a law against love. Of course there isn’t a law against kindness or goodness or self-control. Why would Paul even need to say that?

Because throughout the book of Galatians, Paul has been addressing people who were obsessed with rules, regulations, and religious performance. They believed spiritual maturity came through keeping laws. They thought holiness could be achieved by trying harder, performing better, and following more rules.

Paul is making a point. You will never legally work your way into the fruit of the Spirit. No law can make you loving. No rule can make you joyful. No regulation can produce peace. No amount of external pressure can create genuine patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control.

Laws can restrain behavior, but only the Holy Spirit can transform the heart. The law can tell you what is right, but it cannot give you the power to live right. The law can expose sin, but it cannot produce fruit. Only the Spirit can do that.

And when the Spirit produces these qualities in a person’s life, no law is needed because the very purpose of the law is already being fulfilled. A person walking in love doesn’t need a law telling them not to harm their neighbor. A person walking in self-control doesn’t need a law warning them against excess. A person walking in goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness is already living in a way that honors God and blesses others.

Paul’s point is that the Spirit accomplishes what the law never could. This life of following Jesus is not primarily about trying harder to be better. It is about surrendering more deeply to the One who can actually change us.

And that’s really the lesson of the fruit of the Spirit.

The goal was never to memorize a list. The goal was never to grit our teeth and manufacture more patience or force ourselves to be more loving. The goal is to stay connected to Jesus, yield to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to produce in us what we could never produce on our own.

Because when the Spirit has His way, the flesh loses its grip. The old life begins to fade. And little by little, day by day, the life of Jesus becomes visible in us.

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Here it is—today we study the final fruit of the Spirit. And isn’t it just like God to save a grand lesson for last? The one fruit every one of us knows we desperately need: Self-control.

In mentoring women to pursue their God-given goals and live the life they were created for, I hear this all the time: “Pamela, I just don’t have any willpower. I have no self-control.”

Have you ever said that about yourself? But let’s stop and ask a deeper question.

Is that really true? Can someone who has been filled with the Holy Spirit truly say they have no self-control? I believe that’s one of the enemy’s favorite lies. It’s a limiting belief designed to keep us striving in our own strength instead of living from the power already at work within us. It’s a lie that makes us buy our own excuses and settle for a little life, all while we were created for a BIG Life. The very presence of God living within you PRODUCES self-control.

Let me show you how I know. Most of us refer to Galatians 5:22-23 as the “fruits” of the Spirit—as though Paul is giving us a basket filled with different kinds of fruit. Maybe you’re naturally patient but struggle with kindness. Maybe you have joy but not peace. Maybe you have love but not self-control. It’s like saying, “the basket I was given has grapes, but no strawberries. I just have to struggle through this life with never getting strawberries because I wasn’t given any.”

But that’s not what Paul wrote. Look closely. He doesn’t say, “The Holy Spirit produces these fruits.” He says, “The fruit of the Spirit is…” Let’s read it for ourselves, Galatians 5: 22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces THIS KIND OF FRUIT in our lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Fruit is singular. Paul isn’t describing 9 separate fruits we can pick and choose from. He is describing one Spirit-produced life that reveals itself in 9 beautiful expressions: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Think of it like sunlight passing through a prism. It’s one light, yet it displays many colors. If a prism has sunlight, then it has all the colors. There’s not one defective prism just lacking pink. There’s not another just lacking yellow. They’re all there if the prism has sunlight, just turn it to see. The fruit of the Spirit works much the same way. It is one supernatural life produced by the Holy Spirit, expressed in multiple ways.

That changes everything.

Self-control isn’t an isolated virtue reserved for naturally disciplined people. It isn’t a personality trait. It isn’t something God gives to a select few while withholding it from everyone else.

Yet somehow we believe only the super fit get self-control. Only the ones losing weight, or saving money, or with a clean house have self-control. Only those who consistently meet their goals have self-control. Isn’t that what you’ve believed? And haven’t you dismissed yourself at some point because you just don’t have the same self-control they do?

Girl, don’t let the enemy twist this. Don’t let him convince you that you’re lacking the fruit. Are you a believer and follower of Jesus? Have you placed your faith in him and surrendered your life to him? Yes? Then you have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s presence dwells within you. And just like when sunlight hits the prism, all the lights are present when you turn it – all 9 expressions of the Spirit are growing in you! You’re not missing one. You weren’t just left out.

Self-control is part of the very character the Holy Spirit is growing in EVERY believer – and that means YOU. Self-control is growing in you right along side love and joy, and peace and patience, kindness, goodness and gentleness.

Now, does that mean every Christian demonstrates perfect self-control? Of course not. Fruit grows. No one plants an apple tree on Monday and expects a harvest by Friday. Growth is gradual. It is cultivated. It is nourished. It matures over time.

The question isn’t, “Do I already have perfect self-control?” The better question is, “Am I yielding to the Spirit who is producing it in me?” That’s an entirely different conversation.

You may feel like someone who lacks self-control because you’ve looked at your failures more than God’s promises. But your failures don’t define what the Holy Spirit is capable of producing.

If you belong to Christ, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. That means the seed of self-control has already been planted. The issue isn’t whether God has given it. The issue is whether we’re allowing Him to cultivate it.

This life isn’t about gritting our teeth and trying harder. It has always been about surrendering more deeply.

Now, let’s study self-control and see what it really means. The Greek word translated as ‘self-control’ means power and strength within. What this means is the Holy Spirits gives every believer an internal ruler stronger than external temptation. No matter what temptation you’re facing, there’s an internal ruler stronger! There’s a power within you that can turn away, resist, and overcome.

Y’all this past weekend I was at my Mama’s house and she made her award winning, best thing you’ve ever eaten in your whole life, blackberry cobbler. She had gone out and picked the fresh blackberries herself. She had made her secret pie crust that’s thick and perfectly flaky and buttery. Then, she made homemade icrecream to go with it. BUT I am committed with a healthy meal plan right now that does not include cobbler or ice cream, dad-gum-it!

So, how do you think I did? Do you think I was able to withstand the temptation of this culinary perfection? You bet your butt I did, and here’s how – I HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN ME and I KNOW THERE’S AN INTERNAL RULER STRONGER THAN THAT TEMPTATION. (I just have to listen to the right voice.)

Does God really care if I eat mama’s blackberry cobbler and homemade icecream? Nahhh, I don’t think so. But I do believe God cares about my health because this body is a vessel for his Holy Spirit. And I do believe he cares about the commitments I make and my willingness to tap into the power he has given me to follow through with those commitments.

What the Holy Spirit is growing within us isn’t the absence of desire. (I still really wanted a very large bowl of that greatness.) What the Holy Spirit is growing within us is proper rule OVER DESIRE. It’s the internal governor that says, “You don’t have to do every little thing you feel like doing. You don’t have to get everything you think you want. You don’t have to have immediate gratification. You’re not a victim to your every desire. Yield to God’s power within you.”

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

That’s what God has given you. Now it’s up to you to abide in him and surrender to the power he has put within you!

Before Jesus saved us, our flesh ruled. We set on our throne, our desires issued commands and our minds justified them. Our bodies obeyed. But with Jesus we have the Holy Spirit, now we’re under a different command. There’s a different ruler on the throne. Jesus sits in authority. The Spirit empowers new desires. And yes, our flesh still speaks, but it is not longer the king. Self-control is evidence there’s a new king governing our heart and life.

We become a new person with the fruit of the Holy Spirit growing in us!

Now, understand this, the Holy Spirit does not merely hand us extra strength. He reshapes our loves. God’s commands come with God’s enabling grace. The Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts, creating new desires that increasingly align with His will. As we grow in Christ, we don’t just have stronger disciple, we actually grow to WANT WHAT GOD WANTS. The deepest direction of our heart is changing!!!!!!

You can’t will yourself into that change – that’s a direct result of the Holy Spirit working within you.

Now here’s what I hope you’ll never forget – Self-control is not about becoming a stronger version of you. It’s about becoming a more surrendered version of you.

Maybe you’ve spent years telling yourself, “I just don’t have any self-control.” Maybe you’ve believed that’s just the way you are. Maybe you’ve looked at other women and thought, “They’re disciplined. They’re organized. They’re healthy. They’re financially wise. They have self-control…I just don’t.” Sweet friend, that’s not your identity.

If you belong to Christ, the Holy Spirit lives within you. And if the Holy Spirit lives within you, then He is producing His fruit within you—including self-control. The question isn’t whether God has given it. The question is whether you’ll believe it’s there…and begin partnering with Him instead of arguing with Him.

Every time you’re tempted to quit…

Pause. Remember who’s on the throne. Remember there is an internal Ruler who is stronger than every external temptation. Then choose to listen to His voice instead of the voice of your flesh.

Will you still have moments where you fail? Absolutely. But failure is no longer your identity. It’s simply another opportunity to turn back to the One who is faithfully growing His fruit in you.

Fruit doesn’t grow because we strain harder. Fruit grows because it stays connected to the vine. Jesus said in John 15, “Abide in Me.” He didn’t say, “Impress Me.” He didn’t say, “Perform for Me.” He said, “Remain in Me.” That’s the secret.

As you remain with Him, the Holy Spirit keeps doing what only He can do. He changes your desires. He renews your mind. He strengthens your resolve. He reminds you of truth in the moment you need it. He gives you power to say “no” to what steals life so you can say “yes” to what leads to life.

And one day you’ll look back and realize something remarkable. The things that once mastered you… don’t anymore. Not because you finally found enough willpower. But because the Spirit of God has been faithfully transforming you from the inside out.

That’s the fruit of self-control. Not a life of white-knuckled striving. A life that is increasingly ruled by Jesus. And isn’t that what we’ve been studying all along?

Self-control is simply Jesus ruling where our flesh used to. That’s the fruit the Holy Spirit is growing in you.

So don’t leave here saying, “I need more willpower.” Leave here saying, “Holy Spirit, have more of me.”

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As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS.

Gentleness is not weakness, nor is it passive. This word translated into ‘gentleness’ was used to describe a powerful horse that had been trained. The horse doesn’t lose it’s power when trained, it learns discipline.

Gentleness is one of the most misunderstood Fruits of the Spirit because many people hear the word and think “weak,” “passive,” or “timid.” But in Scripture, gentleness is actually controlled strength under the direction of God. God never seeks to take away your strength, he works to direct your strength with discipline. When your strength is submitted to God, you receive gentleness. Then, just like a well trained horse, you are powerful with a purpose.

Galatians 5: 22-23, “But the Holy spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS. You don’t produce this kind of controlled strength and discipline on your own, it grows when you surrender your life to God and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, the horse doesn’t train itself – it submits itself to training. It doesn’t relinquish it’s strength, it surrenders its strength to direction.

God isn’t asking you to be weak and incapable – he’s working in you to make you stronger than you ever imagined! He’s training you for great purposes.

Jesus describes himself in Matthew 11: 29 as “humble and gentle at heart.” Humble and gentle – they go together. This is how God’s Spirit works within us. First, he humbles us to help us see who we are without him. From that inward humility grows gentleness, changing how we treat others. Humility is the root, gentleness is the fruit. The life surrendered to Jesus is humble like him, and grows in gentleness.

Was Jesus ever without strength and power for a moment? Never! Yet, his gentleness was all his strength under control and all his power held in discipline, as he hung on the cross to die. Gentleness allowed him to fulfill his purpose.

So, are you called by God to be harsh and rigid? Absolutely not. Are you designed to be the angry one – the destroyer – the one who tears things down? No, his spirit prodcues GENTLENESS in you. Your strength will never be stronger than it is when it is submitted to the training of the Holy Spirit.

Gentleness doesn’t need to dominate or control. Gentleness doesn’t need to win every argument. Gentleness is strength restrained with discipline, under the direction of God.

I love spending time in Bali. The Balinese people are truly some of the most humble and gentle people on earth. On my most recent trip, my drive Panji taught me that in their culture, the angry and demanding person is not the strongest person, in fact they are the weakest person. Anger is seen as weakness. Power trips are seen as failure. Humility and gentleness are true strength.

Seeing this lived out by an entire culture is one of the most refreshing things I’ve ever seen. AND THEY ARE WITHOUT JESUS. They have to work to produce that on their own. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us, naturally growing GENTLENESS, so why on earth do we fight it? Why are we trying to be the boss? Why are we trying to gain control? Why are we trying to force or manipulate? Why are we so angry and unbridled? Girl, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT DO HIS WORK IN YOU. LET HIM GROW GENTLENESS FROM WITHIN YOU.

Here’s how God’s gentleness grows within you. First, the Holy Spirit begins to expose any harshness. You start noticing your impatience. You become aware of your tendency to get defensive. You see your controlling tendencies for yourself. You hear your own angry voice and you grow to dislike it. This is holy conviction, and it’s the work of the Holy Spirit in you. This is how change happens!

As you lean into the work of the Holy Spirit, you begin to see how God changes people so much better than your force ever could have. You begin to see how your anger was never necessary. You understand how your ploy for control was always making things worse. Now, with this awareness, you grow in trust and dependence of God.

The more you grow in trust, the more Christ’s character is formed in you. As you walk with Jesus, you begin naturally walking like him. The gentleness of Jesus begins to grow within you, reshaping you from the inside.

Philippians 4:5, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” Looking back, my best parenting was always gentleness. Every time I was harsh or angry, I generally made things worse. What my husband has needed was gentleness.

The Holy Spirit is growing gentleness within you – yes, let it be evident to all.

Gentleness is strength under control.

As God’s presence takes up residence in you and becomes your guide, that harsh outer shell begins to break away. The walls you’ve built crumble. And what grows like fresh ivy taking over that old exterior is GENTLENESS.

Imagine an old stone fortress. For years it has stood alone. Thick walls. Cold stones. Sharp edges. Built for defense.

And maybe those walls were necessary at one time. They were built after betrayal, disappointment, criticism, fear, rejection, or loss. They kept enemies out—but they also kept love from freely flowing in and out. Many of us become emotional fortresses without realizing it.

Then Christ comes to dwell within us. He doesn’t begin by demolishing the fortress with explosions. He begins by making it unnecessary. The walls just aren’t necessary any more.

Then, like ivy taking root in the cracks, His Spirit quietly begins to spread. At first, the ivy seems insignificant. You still react sharply sometimes. You still become defensive. You still protect your pride. Yet something new is growing within. Something is changing.

Season after season, the ivy grows. It softens every hard line. It reaches places no hammer could. It finds tiny cracks where grace can enter. Eventually people no longer notice the fortress first—they notice the living green that covers it. That is gentleness.

Not the absence of strength. Strength clothed in life.The goal is not to become more gentle by sheer effort. The goal is to abide in Christ. As His presence fills every room of your heart, His gentleness quietly overtakes the old cold walls of self-protection.

That is the quiet miracle of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is one of the clearest signs that this transformation is taking root.

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Faithfulness isn’t something our culture celebrates very much. We celebrate talent, success, influence, and achievement. But heaven celebrates something different. Heaven celebrates faithfulness.

In the life of someone not under the influence of the Holy Spirit, faithfulness is a constant struggle. But in the life of someone filled with the Spirit, faithfulness begins to grow naturally. It becomes part of who they are.

Galatians 5:23, “The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: Love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS …” Again, it’s a fruit. It’s not something we strain for, it’s something that grows within us and is naturally produced in our lives when we are abiding in Jesus.

Faithfulness is a translation of the Greek word ‘pistis’ which means, reliability, trustworthiness, fidelity, loyalty and dependability. Yip, all the things you would look for in a partner – that’s what God naturally GROWS in US! But faithfulness is born out of trusting God. BECAUSE we trust God, we can be absolutely steadfast. We can stay the course and continue forward no matter what because of our unshakable faith in God.

Without God, we waiver. With God, we are faithful.

Faithfulness isn’t flashy. It rarely gets applause. It’s the behind-the-scenes commitment no one notices. Faithfulness quietly keeps promises. It shows up long after the excitement has faded. It finishes what it starts. It stays when circumstances become difficult. It keeps loving after feelings change. It keeps serving after recognition disappears. It keeps trusting when prayers seem unanswered.

Lasting faithfulness is impossible without Jesus. We may keep a promise here and there through sheer determination, but only the Holy Spirit can produce a life marked by consistent faithfulness. When you have Jesus, an unfaithful life feels so incredibly wrong in every sense.

The Holy Spirit lovingly refuses to leave us comfortable in unfaithfulness. He convicts us, stirs our hearts, and keeps drawing us back toward obedience. The gift of the Holy Spirit won’t let us sleep when we are being unfaithful. The Holy Spirit will stir us up, poke at us, and leave us in a state of complete unrest when we’re unfaithful. Thank you Lord, for not leaving me like I was!

Once again, recognize this is a character of God, not of humans. Adam and Eve lived in paradise. There was no sin, no brokenness, no pain. God gave them one command—just one—and they couldn’t keep it. That’s the story of humanity. Left to ourselves, we aren’t naturally faithful. We wander. We quit. We compromise. We break promises. We fail.

But God is different.

Deuteronomy 7:9, “The LORD your God is indeed God. He is the FAITHFUL God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.” God has never broken a promise. He’s never abandoned a plan. He’s never walked away from His people. God is faithful. It’s who he is and what he does.

**Now here’s the miracle… The faithful God now lives in you. Think about that. The God who has never broken a promise… The God who has never abandoned His children… The God who always finishes what He starts… lives inside you through His Holy Spirit. So it only makes sense that His faithfulness is beginning to grow in you too.

So you know what you absolutely MUST do – Stop introducing yourself by your old nature. STOP excusing yourself as someone who simply can’t finish what you start. That may have been the old you, but remember the Spirit of God is now working in you to make you NEW. You’re not who you once were, you’re becoming more and more like Jesus with the character of God reshaping you.

Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful.

Maybe you’ve never stuck with anything your entire life – okay – but it doesn’t have to continue that way. Something new is growing now.

With the power of the Holy Spirit, let me tell you exactly who you are becoming:

You’re becoming the girl who is obedient when no one is watching. Yes, you’re proving you can be trusted with little, so now God is going to trust you with much!

You’re becoming the girl who is faithful in her relationships. You keep your commitments and you remain loyal – no matter what.

You’re becoming a girl who gives her best even when no one is watching. You work with your whole heart in all you do, as if you’re doing it for God himself.

You’re becoming that good and faithful servant. Maybe not always successful, but that’s never what Jesus asked for. He honors your faithfulness over your success.

You’re becoming the girl who can wait. The girl who can trust even when the answers don’t come. You’re living out Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold tightly to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” You trust God, so you faithfully wait for the fulfillment of his promises over your life.

Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful.

And let me tell you something, your life now feels different with the fruit of faithfulness growing in you. You’re stable. People trust you. You live so much deeper now, stronger now, healthier now. And most importantly, your faithfulness reflects that genuine character of God and people are continually catching a glimpse of Jesus through you.

Yip, every time you show up because you said you would – every time you keep going and don’t give up – every time you keep your promises – every time you give your best effort – every single time, you’re shining Jesus to this world.

When people know they can count on you, when you are known to keep your word, when you are consistent and steady, when you are unwavering even under pressure, when you are still there even when life gets hard, when you finish the things God asked you to begin, when you stay instead of walking away …. THAT’S THE FRUIT OF FAITHFULNESS GROWING IN YOUR LIFE.

That’s the power of God in you!

Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful.

Faithfulness looks like Abraham and Sarah trusting God’s promise for a baby for decades. Faithfulness looks like Joseph as a slave, Joseph as a prisoner, and Joseph in power with the same unshakable character. Faithfulness looks like Ruth out gathering what little food there was, doing what she could do to survive and care for her mother-in-law, when she stumbled into the field of a rich man who would love her. Faithfulness is Mary, a teenage virgin willingly accepting a miraculous pregnancy that would turn her whole world upside down. Faithfulness is Jesus – walking out his calling and purpose all the way to the cross, eyes always on the Father.

Faithfulness – you are being called to it. Faithfulness – it’s being produced in your life through a power so much greater than you. You’re growing in faithfulness and it’s changing you. Recognize this change.

Without God, we waver. With God, we are faithful.

Challenge for Today: “Be Faithful in the Small Things”

Choose one area where you can intentionally practice Spirit-produced faithfulness today.

Here are a few ideas:

Keep every promise you make today—even the small ones.

“Holy Spirit, make me a faithful person. Form in me a character that reflects the unwavering faithfulness of Jesus. Help me to be trustworthy in the little things, steadfast in difficulty, loyal in relationships, and devoted to You. May my life proclaim Your faithfulness to everyone I meet.”

The Holy Spirit delights to produce that kind of steady, enduring faithfulness— one faithful choice at a time.

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When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, our very character changes. From within, we become different. Girl, you’re simply not who you once were.

Have you noticed as you change and grow it almost puts a spotlight on our loved ones who are NOT. Maybe someone you love is NOT under the influence of the Holy Spirit and they seem to be stuck in old way … well, they are. When you invite the presence of God into your life HE makes you new. 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” This means if someone DOESN’T belong to Christ, they’re still the same old person living the same life. Their answer is not to try harder – their answer is to surrender their life to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit change them from within!

So, here we are as surrendered souls being made new. We’re being reworked from the inside so we’re becoming different, growing different fruit in our lives. Naturally, when the inside has changed, the outside begins to change as well.

Today we study the next fruit produced in our life under the influence of the Holy Spirit – GOODNESS.

The Greek word translated into goodness has a root word meaning good, upright and excellent. When the suffix is added, it turns into a character trait. The full meaning of this word “goodness” means to have moral excellence, an upright heart, integrity and goodness in action. And where does this goodness come from? Only ONE source – this is God’s goodness flowing through us.

This is not self-produced goodness. This isn’t a 10 step program to change your heart and realign your morals. This isn’t being kind, doing nice things, changing your morals – this is God himself expressing HIS character through your surrendered life. This is simply the goodness of God himself dwelling within, transforming you, and then naturally flowing out from you.

When you surrender your life to God, HE makes you good. If you’re struggling with a twisted heart or mind, there’s ONE who is in the business of untwisting – that’s the work of the Holy Spirit. And every single one of us have gotten a little twisted. Life in this world has a way of doing that. Human nature is a twisting. We simply can’t live well without God’s influence and direction. This is NEVER a matter of you being a better person than someone else – this is always a matter of God’s almighty work within you. Without God, you would be one twisted girl living in utter darkness – and that’s just the humbling truth.

The Holy Spirit changes our character to GOODNESS. He aligns our morals with God’s. He teaches us to do what is right even when no one is watching. He grows our desires in the direction of integrity. We don’t do that ourselves. Girl, if there’s goodness in you, that’s a work of God, not of you!

This fruit of goodness is a growing of WHO YOU ARE. It’s an external proof of the internal transformation happening.

God is GOOD. His power is good. His ways are good. His plans are good. And when your soul is surrendered to Him as Lord and He is in control of your life, then He is living inside of you, making you good. It starts with Him and flows into you. This isn’t an act of willpower on your part; this is an act of surrender. This isn’t an achievement; this is a transformation. Goodness is the overflow of abiding in Christ. The fruit isn’t something you force—it is something God grows as you remain connected to Him.

Goodness starts with God.

If you take GOD out of GOODNESS, you are left with o-ness. If you’re trying to make yourself be good without the power of the Holy Spirit working in you, you may achieve good behavior for a while, but you’ll never produce godly goodness. Only God can produce God’s character. GOODNESS IS GOD’S CHARACTER.

We try to be good without God and we just end up exhausting ourselves trying to become by effort – but this goodness is only produced through surrender to God. Do you want to be better? SURRENDER! Then the fruit of goodness will naturally grow!

Jesus shows us what the goodness of God within looks like in action. Acts 10:38 puts it simply, “Jesus went around doing good.” The character of goodness always produces goodness in action. The more the Holy Spirit works his goodness in you, the more your actions align to those of Jesus. Girl, you’re going to be going around DOING GOOD! What if your entire life became about going around just doing good! You want to represent Jesus to this world – go around doing good! Let God’s goodness flow through you onto everyone you encounter!

Ephesians 2:10 says we’re created to do the good things God planned for us. Doing good things doesn’t save us – But the goodness of God growing in us naturally has us going around doing good things!

Think about that – do you notice that in your own journey with God? The more you grow in Jesus – the more you learn and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit – the more he has you going around doing good things! How radically cool is that? THAT’S THE FRUIT OF GOODNESS GROWING IN YOUR LIFE!

So today, don’t leave our time together thinking, “I need to try harder to be good.” Leave thinking, “I need to stay closer to God.” Fruit never grows because the branch strains harder—it grows because it stays connected to the vine. The closer you live to Jesus, the more His goodness becomes your goodness. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself speaking with more integrity, loving more deeply, giving more generously, forgiving more freely, serving more joyfully, and doing good almost without thinking about it. That’s the Holy Spirit transforming your character.

Girl, this world doesn’t just need more nice people. It needs more people so surrendered to Jesus that His goodness overflows into every conversation, every decision, every relationship, and every ordinary day. So stay surrendered. Stay connected. Stay under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Then go around doing good, because everywhere the goodness of God goes, darkness loses ground and people catch a glimpse of Jesus.

And really that’s what it’s all about – show the world JESUS! Every act of goodness points beyond us. Every kind word, every generous act, every choice of integrity, every quiet sacrifice becomes another opportunity for someone to catch a glimpse of Jesus. So let His goodness grow in you, flow through you, and reveal Him to the world.

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In our study of the fruits of the Spirit, we’re understanding this isn’t a list of attributes to strive for, it’s not a checklist for being a follower of Jesus, it’s the tangible results that grow in our lives when we’re connected to God. FRUITS of the Spirit. Fruit grows. Fruit is the natural outcome of a healthy tree.

The Holy Spirit is God’s presence living within us, and that Spirit changes our heart. And very naturally without force, when our heart changes, our behavior changes. We start seeing things and people differently. We start responding differently. Our priorities shift. And even our very character is changed.

With the Holy Spirit, we naturally begin to grow in love, in joy, in peace and in patience. Now the next literal change we can see as the Holy Spirit works to change our hearts, we grow in KINDNESS. Galatians 5:23, “The Holy Spirit produce this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness …”

The Greek word translated into kindness is chrēstotēs. This word means being a blessing wherever you go. It is more than just a smile, it is an intentional act that benefits others. This is a disposition, meaning WHO YOU ARE. Who you are is blessed and what you do is be a blessing – that is the true meaning of kindness as a fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is a focus on others that continually asks, “How can I help? How can I lift their burden? How can I bless?”

Kindness takes the focus off self and sees the needs of others. When kindness sees a need, it springs into action – not for how it makes them look, but for how it makes others feel. Acts of kindness reveal the kindness of our God.

Did you know scripture calls God KIND? Psalm 145: 13-20, listen to this description of our God – “The LORD always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with KINDNESS. The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him …”

Y’all, that’s OUR GOD! He is so genuinely KIND. He blesses us beyond measure. As a recipient of his kindness in the Holy Spirit, we then begin to grow that same kindness from within. It becomes who we are. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Everywhere Jesus went, kindness followed. Think about it. He touched lepers when no one was willing to even stand next to them. As a woman caught in adultery was about to be stoned to death, he drew a line in the sand and defended her. He stood in a hungry crowd of thousands and decided he would feed them their next meal. As he hung on the cross dying the most painful death imaginable, he forgave. Kindness wasn’t something Jesus occasionally did – it was who he was.

And we’re called to be more and more like Jesus. We can’t be like Jesus without being KIND.

Kindness moves. Kindness responds. Kindness steps right into the messy need and gets their hands dirty. As kindness grows within us through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will no longer be able to just walk by anymore because we’re too busy. THAT’S CHANGING.

The fruit of kindness changes what we see. Instead of seeing interruptions, we see opportunities. Instead of seeing differences, we see hurting people who God loves. Instead of seeing ourselves as better, we see ourselves as a vessel that carries a blessing, and that blessing is to be poured out!

Imagine three people walk into a room where someone is hurting.

In this world, our hearts naturally become impatient and critical. Life can make us harsh and suspicious. We can begin building our walls and our judgments. But the Holy Spirit starts tearing down those walls. The work of God’s presence living within us softens our hearts again.

Here’s the thing, when you know you have been overwhelmed by totally undeserved kindness from God himself, then you can’t help but turn around and show undeserved kindness to others. If you’re amazed by the sheer kindness of Jesus, then you can’t remain indifferent toward people. Kindness changes who you are!

Kindness at work within you has no limits. The Holy Spirit wants to grow kindness is you that changes absolutely everything you do. Suddenly you’ll notice the way you talk is kind. The way you drive is kind. The way you parent is kind. The way you lead is kind. They way you follow is kind. Kindness will permeate everything about you and everything you do.

God’s kindness toward us becomes God’s kindness through us. It’s one of the clearest proofs that Jesus is changing your heart!

As you walk with Jesus and grow in his Spirit, have you noticed yourself changing? It hasn’t been an overnight change, but a gradual growth. You don’t see things the way you used to. You can’t just walk by what you used to walk by. You’re moved by the needs of people now. You hurt when they hurt. You’re no longer serving from a self-seeking position, but a heart that has been transformed by the love of Christ.

His Spirit is teaching you to love what He loves, to value what He values, and guess what that is … PEOPLE. God loves his people. God values his people. Now his Spirit teaches us to do the same. What once seemed like an interruption now becomes an opportunity to show compassion. What once felt like a burden now becomes a privilege to carry. This is the evidence of spiritual maturity—not perfection, but transformation.

As God continues His work in you, your life begins to reflect His kindness, His patience, His mercy, and His grace. The more you abide in Him, the more His character is formed in you. Others may not notice every small change, but over time they begin to see Jesus in the way you speak, the way you forgive, the way you serve, and the way you love.

Keep walking with Him. He is faithfully shaping you into the person He created you to be.

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Patience is actually NOT something you lack when the Holy Spirit dwells within you. Patience is something that naturally grows within you and is produced in your life. It’s a byproduct of the presence of God. Just as an apple tree naturally grows apples, as God’s girl, you naturally grow patience.

So why do you feel like you’re lacking it? Why do you still get frustrated in the waiting? Why do you still rush and push and force? Did you not get patience?

The Spirit produces; but we still participate.

Yes, the Holy Spirit changes our desires and empowers obedience, but God’s Word also repeatedly calls believers to “LET the Holy Spirit guide your lives” (Galatians 5:16) and to “FOLLOW the Spirit’s leading” (Galatians 5:25). If you’re not letting the Holy Spirit guide you and if you’re not actively following His leading, then you’re simply not experiencing everything He wants to grow in you.

If an apple tree refused to drink the water provided through the rain, do you think it would produce the fruit it was created to grow? Of course not. So girl, you have a role in this. As you surrender to the Spirit, stay connected to God, and choose His way over your old patterns, you’ll find His fruit growing in your life.

God’s job through the Holy Spirit is not to completely override your personality. His work is to transform you into the fullness of His image as you walk with Him in that transformation. You still have a choice. Sometimes, you may still choose your old impatience.

Here’s the great news: Even when you’re impatient, God is not. He is patiently extending the next invitation for you to depend on Him rather than your own strength. Again and again, He offers you a better way and lovingly waits for you to choose it.

God will out-wait your stubborn era. He’ll out-wait your striving. He’ll out-wait your need to control the outcome. He’ll out-wait your fear that if you don’t make something happen, nothing ever will.

And really, when you boil it all down, isn’t that how you feel? You seriously think you have to make something happen or nothing will ever happen for you. You think you have to somehow get control. You think you’re going to force this. Oh sweet girl, you’re simply not that powerful.

God is not anxious about your timeline because He’s not limited by time. Time is a human constraint, not a Godly constraint. When God says in Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end. I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come.” – well, he actually means that. He has always been in every yesterday and he’s already in every tomorrow. Yes, he’s already there. He has always held the entire future in his hands. We’re stuck in today, but God is not. Peter probably explained it best when he said in 2 Peter 3:8, “But you must not forget this one thing: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”

My friend, TIME IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR GOD. Your timeline is self-imposed, God is above your timeline. Even in the moments when he saw the very beginning of this for you, he was already at the very end of it too. God can do in 1 day what you and I could not do in a thousand years. And in God’s time, a thousand years is like a single day.

Is God in a rush? Not at all? Has he called you to be? Not in the slightest.

He has allotted your time on this Earth in advance. he knows precisely the number of days you have in this life. He has held every one of those days since the beginning of time. And as you live, he’s been teaching you to trust his timing. Can you look back and see how his timing is always perfect? Can you see how he moved mountains, opened doors, changed hearts, opened eyes, and collided worlds precisely in the best timing? Yes? He’s proven you can trust him with the timing of what is next too!

But if you’ve been waiting for a while, you’re likely feeling a little anxious questioning when it’s going to happen. Your mind has likely been running off into ways you can just make things happen on your own. Don’t miss this, Sis – every delay becomes another opportunity to trust him. Every moment of waiting becomes another chance to let the Holy Spirit produce what you could never manufacture on your own.

So the next time you catch yourself rushing, forcing, or growing frustrated, recognize the invitation. Pause and ask, “Holy Spirit, what would it look like to follow Your pace right now?”

Woah – that’s powerful. Would you try that? Today, when you realize you’re rushing – when you realize you’re frustrated waiting in line – today when you’re trying to force things to move faster ask the Holy Spirit what it would look like to follow his pace.

I bet you will feel a sense of calm rush over you. I bet all that tension in your forehead will release and your eyebrows won’t look so angry. I bet you’ll suddenly feel fresh breath fill your lungs and remind you of God’s presence. That’s what patience feels like.

Patience isn’t something you’re trying squeeze out of yourself. It’s not a posture you’re trying to contort yourself into. You don’t have to beat yourself into patience. Patience is someone you’re learning to surrender to. That’s right, patience is a surrender to God’s unique way of working in the details and timing of your life.

And the more you walk with Him, the more you’ll discover that patience isn’t just what He asks of you—it’s what He faithfully grows within you.

I’ve always heard you should never pray for patience. Why? Because you’ll be given a dumptruck load of crap that goes wrong and takes too long so that you’re forced to be patient. Show me where that is in your Bible – it’s not there.

But also notice this – Scripture never tells us to pray, “God, give me patience.” Instead, it tells us to walk with the Holy Spirit, who produces patience in us. The goal isn’t to chase the fruit – it’s to stay connected to the One who grows it.

The growth of fruit happens slowly, not overnight. Apple trees don’t suddenly wake up one morning and say, “Woah, look at that full grown apple that appeared on my branches while I slept.” No, the growth happens ever so gradually and continually. That’s the way fruit grows. Patience is a slow-growing fruit. Perhaps it’s been growing so slowly in you that you haven’t even noticed it’s development.

But look back and see the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Do you recover more quickly than you used to? Wow – that’s the fruit of patience growing in your life.

Do you now pray instead of exploding? Yip – that’s the fruit of patience growing in your life.

Do you actually apologize now? Hey girl, that’s growth right there!

Do you trust God more deeply that you once did? Oh yeah, there’s the fruit of patience growing!

Scripture is filled with faithful people who had to wait. Waiting for freedom. Waiting for a baby. Waiting for change. Waiting for victory. Waiting for healing. Faith doesn’t erase the experience of waiting. It changes HOW we wait.

May you wait more like a girl who trusts the God who is in complete control. May you wait more like a girl who trusts her good, good Father. May you wait more like a girl who knows that what God has promised, He will be faithful to fulfill. May you wait with peace instead of panic, with expectation instead of anxiety, and with open hands instead of clenched fists.

Because waiting isn’t wasted when you’re waiting with God. He’s working in the waiting. He’s shaping your heart in the waiting. He’s growing something in you and preparing something for you in the waiting.

So don’t rush what God is asking you to trust. Don’t force what God has asked you to surrender. His timing has never been late, and His plans have never needed your panic to come to pass.

Wait well, sweet girl. The God who holds your future is holding you, too.

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