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Sunday, January 17, 2016

The Fruit of the Spirit - - 8 Gentleness - Meekness

Gentleness or meekness is one of the secret weapons of the kingdom of God. If we will yield to meekness we can win the offended, wounded, and ones ensnared by the enemy.
Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness- meekness.

Galatians 5:16  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.  18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  20  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  21  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  24  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Those who belong to Christ have already crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  One who has not done this has not been born again.  1 John 4:15 makes it clear!  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  Because of this abiding every believer will bear the fruit of the Spirit; it is not the work of man or an upgrade of the flesh.  These are the characteristics of the Spirit and they will flow through all who live in the Spirit.  When one is walking in intimacy with God the fruit of the Spirit will be the overflow of the relationship.

GENTLENESS OR KJV MEEKNESS:
G4236. praiotes, prah-ot'-ace; from G4235; gentleness; by impl. humility:--meekness.

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Gentleness or meekness is a secret weapon of the kingdom of God.  Yielding to meekness has the power to restore the broken and those who have fallen.  A spirit of meekness has the power to win over the offended, and to warm the cold heart of the fallen.  Walking in humility can breakdown the walls built up by the weary, broken, and wounded hearts.

Ephesians 4:1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,  2  with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,  3  endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Walking worthy of the calling requires us to walk with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.  Truth spoken in pride can do as much damage as the evil that caused the offense; truth spoken with meekness can remove poison from the wound and allow healing and restoration to flow.

2 Timothy 2:24  And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,  25  in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,  26  and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Correction spoken gently and in humility can break the snare of the enemy over the weak.  Meekness lived out can bring those in opposition into repentance.  Gentleness or meekness is the fruit of the Spirit.

1 Timothy 6:6  Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  8  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  9  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  11  But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.  Walking in the Spirit in an intentional action on the believers part.  We flee the evil and the foolishness and then we make pursuit of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  The believer is called to pursue being lead by the Spirit.

Titus 3:1  Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,  2  to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

The destiny of God will be fulfilled as we pursue walking in the Spirit.  Yes, walking in meekness will bring glory to God before men.

Romans 6:22  But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

Because we belong to God we have our fruit to holiness.  Notice holiness in not the root, it is the fruit of walking as a child of God.

James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 

We are called to walk in wisdom from above; notice how the wisdom from above has the same characteristics as the fruit of the Spirit.  Pure is the wisdom from above!  It is always peaceable and gentle.  God has put this stuff in us!  Willing to yield, perhaps even when we are right.  Yield with meekness and humility; it not the way of the flesh.  However we are newly created beings and we have all that we need to be full of mercy and good fruits.

Matthew 11:28  "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30  "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

The ultimate gentle one is Jesus!  He has opened the door and declared come to me you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Jesus' intent is for us to walk in rest.  Then He strengthens the invitation learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart.  There is a rest that come by coming to Him; there is the greater rest by coming yoking up with Him.  Humbling ourselves to learn at His feet.  That is where we find rest for our souls.  The fruit of the spirit is meekness!

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