Have you ever been deceived?
Recently, I’ve been challenged, and took quite the journey through scripture. In order to do a deep-dive into an area that has plagued me for years, and probably will until I die and am finally home. It’s my tendency to over-react, blow things out of proportion, see shadows where there aren’t any, in summation, be ruled by my emotions… all of these issues have been self-inflicted wounds. So, I started to research the “fruit of the spirit”. This is fruit, singular, that comes when the spirit dwells in a believer.
According to Galatians 22, that fruit is like a bouquet, it’s made up of different components but, 1 thing. Meaning, the Spirit doesn’t manifest in only 1 of the 9 ways, it manifests “the fruit”, singular, in all of these ways, to varying degrees - and there’s other characteristics that aren’t part of this list. It is evidence of the Spirit living within a believer, and it manifests in the attitudes of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Faithfulness, Kindness, Gentleness, and Self-control.
Why this study?
Well, with personal stuff going on I’ve recently felt unsettled. Our home has been flipped on its side, and I’ve had many moments where I’ve struggled with feelings. I’ve felt bitter, angry, doubting, thrown myself a pity-party, etc… and not acted on these feelings, per-say, but have reacted to situations in light of those feelings. When a discussion about the fruit of the Spirit came up, I was partially insulted. I mean, I don’t know much in this world, but I do know that I’m a believer. Therefore, I knew that I have the Holy Spirit taking up real estate in my heart and mind. But every time I was challenged I’d respond with, “that’s just how I am”, and “I don’t know another way to be” … and then this question was asked, ‘had I ever turned this over to God’. I really genuinely thought I had.
Thus… the diving began. I looked at Galatians 22. Read commentary and sought out sermons from bible teachers I respect. Do you know what I found? Conviction.
My emotions were clouding and corrupting the fruit. So, after a heated-discussion with my husband regarding sin, I was off on another quest.
His statement that a believer succumbing to sin, sin even in their (the believer’s) hearts, was a result of a temptation from the devil or dark spiritual forces, pushed against what I believed. I told him that sin in-dwells in us, in our flesh, that’s what we fight against, our old natures, pre-salvation. He had scripture to backup his opinions and I had scripture to backup mine. It was easy to come to the conclusion that one of us was misinterpreting what we were reading. Onto another deep-dive into scripture and commentaries and research on the original Greek/Hebrew of the texts we were looking at, etc.
In conclusion, I came to the stark realization of a deception I’ve allowed to grow and fester. It was allowed to be more than a foot-hold, I was more like an inviting, familiar guitar, that entices you to strum the same chord that you know plays so easily. They were an exploited weakness, my feelings.
I didn’t believe that Satan or his principalities had any power. Because, He who lives in me is greater than he who lives in this world, right? That he’s being made a footstool, that we already have the victory. I said this to my husband, “I’m not concerned with the devil, he’s already lost, he’s not important, he has no power” and then my husband asked me this, “then why do we need so much armor”… GUYS… that blew my mind! I mean, he’s right.
To say that I’ve “dug into” the word lately, is an understatement, but the new realizations are amazing!
I’m not fighting myself… I didn’t even know who I was fighting. In combat, you have to know your enemy. Sure we’re guaranteed the “WIN” assuring a confidence while we’re fighting, but guys, I wasn’t even fighting. I, was actually stifling and pushing against the Spirit dwelling in me. The Spirit that whispered and produced, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I allowed the easy temptations and attacks, because my feelings were such an obvious target. After-all, I didn’t believe I could be targeted. Temptations that beckoned me to doubt people, not love them. The temptation to look for happiness instead of joy. The temptation to control situations or outcomes and therefore, have turmoil in my circumstances. The temptation to act hastily towards people. The temptation of being hyper-critical with people. The temptation to not quickly forgive. The temptation to wander from the God who saved me. The temptation to be harsh and “cut-throat” with people. The temptation to have an out-burst or over-indulge. I was played as a fiddle, and I believed it was me alone, of my own doing sabotaging myself. Why? Because I wasn’t fighting the temptation, I was fighting against my reaction to it. Not the source of my trouble, but the fruition of my reaction to it.
Like a diseased plant, I wasn’t treating the infection, I was cutting off the fruit.
It’s time to eradicate the disease. To put on my armor on and fight like I know I’m going to win. Not because of me (HECK NO) but because of HIM. In HIS strength and by HIS word. I need to stop fighting myself and re-direct my energy to be more effective in this fight. There is an enemy prowling around, seeking to devour AND I need to be watchful, alert, and ever-ready.
I kind of feel like the old-school GI Joe commercials, “Now I know, and knowing is half the battle”