The Fruit of The Spirit Challenge is a SEVEN day challenge or buffet. We will read our foundation scripture Galatians 5:22-23 daily, and study a specific Fruit for each day with relevant scriptures.
The plan for each day is here. The #FOSChallenge is not just about reading, I would love for us to share our understanding of what we have read with each other, so as you read, please hash-tag #FOSChallenge if you have twitter. In addition, either paste your notes for each day/Fruit of The Spirit, or a summary in the form below or email them to biblechallenge@doctorkanayo.com with your and I will put it up on this blog page!
Galatians 5 will get a lot of us IN CHECK. We’re quick to say that we’re born again and have the Holy Spirit. But we don’t produce the fruit that reflects the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We claim to be transformed…let the fruits speak for themselves in our lives. Let’s learn about these amazing fruits.‘My people perish for lack of knowledge’ (Hosea 4:6).
A lot of us are perishing in the spirit and need to head to the A & E which is the Bible – God’s word! It’s time to change– let us forsake the fruits of the flesh so we can have a buffet on the Fruit of the Spirit.
Points that I haven’t touched on in my summary are covered in everyone else’s contributions, OR I have purposely left out to encourage you guys to touch on!
Bible Challenge MOTTO: The Bible is JUICY. The Bible is LIFE. The Bible is for YOU!
Today’s Fruits are GENTLENESS & PATIENCE
Scriptures to read today
1 Peter 3:15-17- Galatians 6:1
- 2 Timothy 2:24-26
- Romans 12:12
- Isaiah 40:30-31
- Psalm 37:7
- Isaiah 55:8-11
- Ecclesiastes 3:1
- Word for today (Judgmental Spirit – what gentleness isn’t) -See Below!
The Challenge:
- Read the scriptures assigned to each day/fruit.
- Pick two/three scriptures as your ‘favorites’…or even ADD relevant scriptures.
- Explain why they are your ‘favorites’ and how you can apply it to your everyday life!
- Share your thoughts with everyone.
- Manifest that fruit today
Word for Today: A Judgmental Spirit
‘…You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.’ Luke 9:55
One day Jesus went into a Samaritan village and was not well received. So the disciples said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them”…’ (vv. 54-56, NKJV). What’s at work in this story? A judgmental spirit.
A poll taken by the Barna Research Group reveals that today most non-believers view Christians as too judgmental. So you can be sincere, but too severe. When you mix and mingle only with those who share your views and values, you can communicate with others in ways that attack, rather than attract.Let’s be clear; never has it been more important to know the truth of God’s Word and stand for it. But if you have the right doctrine and the wrong spirit, you’ll drive more people away from Christ than you’ll draw to Him. If Satan has his way, he will drive holiness out of our hearts and into our fists. Imagine-Christ’s disciples wanting to incinerate those who didn’t agree with them!
They weren’t even aware of the spirit that was at work within their own hearts. ‘Jesus said… “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”‘ (Matthew 19:18-19, NKJV). That includes your non-Christian neighbour. You don’t have to defend Jesus, or ‘sell’ Him. All you have to do is introduce Him. The Psalmist says, ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good…’ (Psalms 34:8, NKJV)
My Thoughts:
The defensive Christian is not Biblical
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. (1 Peter 3:15-17 NIV)
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26 NIV)
This scripture is a real wake up call to defensive ‘Christians’ who consider other people unworthy of God’s grace or fail to see ‘unbelievers’ as the fellow neighbours too! Please look back and remember the ‘amazing grace’ that saved YOU. Rejoice when people turn to God, because it means you have gained another sibling in the Lord. Be careful not to look down from a position of pride. Be careful not to be ‘selfish’ with your ‘saved’ status. WE desire for ALL to be saved! Salvation is not just for you! Salvation doesn’t have a quota! – Recap from the Jonah Challenge!
What Hope…?
1 Peter 3:15 says we should ‘always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.’
My question is, how will you be prepared to give an answer if you yourself don’t even know the reason for the hope that you have? Its important to really take the time as ask yourself – why am I Christian? Why did I get saved? Your answers are your tools to bringing someone to Christ. When they see the hope you have, they will want to partake in that same hope.
Our hope comes from God’s word and the fact that His word will never return to Him void. You will be prepared to give an answer to everyone who questions you on that ‘hope’ if you study the word of God to show yourself approved as it says in 2 Timothy 2:15
However, I must say, If you don’t know something just ask and be humble enough to admit it.
Be gentle so that no one can speak against you. They’ll have no evidence other than your gentle character.
Correcting or Condemning?
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1 NIV)
Are you:
- Correcting or condemning?
- Restoring or destroying?
- Criticising but without a solution…?
The last phrase in this verse strikes me. When you correct someone, please make sure that you also take heed to that ‘correction’. In other words, practice what you preach, let your behaviour reflect your words. If you yourself are not 100 on the situation that you correct someone on – you may find yourself needing ‘correction’.
Your attitude during the ‘waiting’ period
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12 NIV)
Patience is not about how long you wait, it’s about your attitude during the ‘waiting’ period.
While you’re waiting are you:
Depressed or joyful?
Pessimistic or hopeful?
Prayerful or giving God the silent treatment?
Someone with the Fruit of the spirit, the nutrients of Patience will remain joyful, hopeful and prayerful while waiting on God. #AttitudeCheck
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30, 31 NIV)
God will strengthen you as you wait for His perfect time. He knows that we can get tired and impatient, but understand that reward is great. He is our strength in our weakness. In fact, scripture says, His power is made perfect in our weakness! Believe that!
Stay in your lane…Don’t watch others
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7 NIV)
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)
Impatience comes when we look at what others are doing and compare ourselves to them. We wonder, why have they gone that far and I’m still here? When am I going to find my spouse like her? When am I going to be promoted at work like Him? How comes these people in the world are so successful and I’m still here. The fact is, you don’t know what they did to get there. Be still, and wait on the Lord. Would you rather be successful based on the riches of the world or on the riches of God’s word, His promises and His Spirit? #DesireCheck
There is a time for everything. Your season will come.
A day is like 1000 years…2 Peter 3:8
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:8-11 NIV)
Understand that the way God thinks is different from the way we think. His timing is different from our timing, His ways are not our ways.
While it may seem like God is taking His sweet time to come through for you on a particular situation. Hold onto the fact that His ways are superior than ours and He knows best! We might want to rush into something that isn’t for us – God will shut that door and open it at the perfect time.
Patience is about Trust
We need to trust the God that knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). He sees the whole journey, while we only see as far as our eyes allow us. Trust Him to guide you, Trust His timing and Trust His word. He said He WILL accomplish what His word says. So as you wait on God – read the promises He has for you in His word. Use them as you anchor and present them to God.
I always guilt trick God loool, in a good way. I say Lord, this is what YOUR word says, not what I say. Accomplish this in my life, because I know you are not a man that you should lie right!? I feel like God smirks when I do those kind of prayers – but understand that I pray it because I am confident in His word!
Your notes/tweets:
I really love today’s fruits because they are essential things to be found in the life of a Christian. As Christians, patience is very vital because we will face different challenges sometimes we see non believers getting those things we have been praying to God for and we are thinking is God not answering my prayers or what, look at this person they don’t even serve you as much as I do I serve you diligently but I am still here but don’t let us forget that because he hasn’t answered your prayers when you want doesn’t mean he won’t answer you. He is just preparing your answer. Lets look at the story of the Israelites when they were suffering in Egypt,(exodus) they prayed to God daily but it wasn’t like God did not hear their cries he was just preparing the vessel which he was going to use (Moses) this was him preparing their answer for them; So no matter that situation trust God to be on time and to answer you. 
He is never late though he might not be on your own time just remember that he is always on time. He chooses when things should be done because he knows the right time and purpose for your life. We need to exhibit that patience attribute a lot. Another point to note is that the God we serve is a supernatural one he is the one that can breathe life into dry and dead bones and they will have life indeed. If we can read 2kings 6:1-7 it showcases the supremacy of God because through the anointing of God in Elisha he made an ordinary stick bring an axe head to the top of the river. Look at how he works he changed the situations around the stick which is meant to be floating on top sank and the axe head which is meant to be at the bottom of the river came on top so just know that no matter your situation and what you are going through right now the supernatural God can change any situation around as long as you believe in him and have patience.
Gentleness just puts us on check, we should not despise non Christians just because they are not Christians. Even if we want to correct them we should do it with a gentle behaviour because rem God doesn’t want to force us he wants us to accept him willingly s we shouldn’t try to force others either and we should not condom people or crucify them just because we are fortunate to have had our encounter with God. Our gentle behaviour should be such that we do not even need to preach the word with our mouth before people will see the gospel in us. Our way of life itself should preach it. – Dami
2 Timothy 2:24-26 – I love these two verses because it shows us how to act towards others, in particular those who may have little faith or not believe in God.
Verse24 says that we should not be quarrelsome but that we should be gentle (NKJV) or love EVERYONE (NIV). It also says that we should be able to teach and be patient with all. We will all come across people who do not believe in God or have little faith but how do we treat them? We should not judge them but encourage them and teach them the Word. It could be our patience and humility that may move these people to God.
Verse 25-26 instructs us on how we should act towards those who are in opposition to God. It says that we should correct them in HUMILITY and in the hope that they may know the truth. We should not be aggressive towards them or look down on them but hope and pray that they may know the truth. As we know the truth is what sets us free (John 8:32). Verse 26 says we should want them to be set free from the devil, Brethren we have brothers and sisters who are captured by the devil like we once were,let us abolish judgmental behaviour and learn to love them as equally as we love those in Christ. As we love them, we must also teach them the Word as it is the truth that will set them free. – Tolani
1Peter 3:15. I think this scripture is so relevant in the modern day. Conversations about beliefs, even amongst theists, often result in arguments and conflicts. We are therefore reminded here that we should defend our faith with gentleness and respect. It is not our place to fight to prove the realness of Christ because vengeance is the Lord’s (Romans 12:19) and the end product will surely speak for itself. Not everyone will agree with what we believe, and that is okay. It is part of humanity to be different, but the key to living in a loving and peaceful world is to respect other people’s beliefs, even if we disagree. Romans 12:18 also puts the onus on us as Christians to live peaceably with others. It is not for others to respect us, but more for us to respect them. Like we learnt earlier in this challenge ‘meekness is not weakness’! Another thing that also stands out to me here is that I should have a reason for my belief in Christ. It has pushed me to think about why I believe in Christ and how this belief is made evident in my everyday life!
Ecclesiastes 3:1. This verse offers the simple yet profound truth, which is that everything has a season. Things may not happen when we want them to but if we put our trust in God, things will surely happen when they need to. It also links to James 1:2-3 which tells us about how patience produces character, and character hope. Even when things are not working out, work and wait on the Lord! – Michelle
Romans 12:12 – I know I’m quick to say something to god when iv prayed for something and my mind takes over thinking why hasn’t god answered my prayers yet or has he even heard me ? ..”patient in trouble,and keep on praying” if we have no patience we really don’t have faith.. what iv come to realise salvation is all about patience our timing is absolutely rubbish compared to Gods, you can’t even argue that but continue to pray and be patient and know that god will stay true to his promises and will bless us regardless. (Psalm 37:7) – Jasmine Mayhew
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