“But the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Gal. 5:22).
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit” (John 15:5).
Love is the fruit of the recreated human spirit, produced because of the life of Christ within. Picture a fruit tree. Where does the fruit grow? Fruit grows on the branches. Jesus used the illustration of the tree. Who are the branches? We are.
How does natural fruit grow on the branch? It receives nourishment from the trunk – the vine – of the tree. Life from the trunk flows out into the branches. It’s the same in the spiritual realm. God is life. God is love. His life and love flow out to the believers – the branches.
Fruit grows. It doesn’t come fully mature. The Bible says, “But whoso keeps his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected” (1 John 2:5).
The word “perfected” means matured. John was talking about maturing in the fruit of love. (I don’t think any one of us has completely matured in it yet, but some of us are making progress.)
Confession: The fruit of the spirit is love. Christ is the vine. I am the branch. I abide in Christ, and Christ abides in me. Therefore, I bring forth fruit. As I keep God’s Word, I mature in the fruit of love. I am making progress.
(Taken by permission from RHEMA Bible Church , aka Kenneth Hagin Ministries , Tulsa , OK , USA. www.rhema.org )
