With all the discussion of vaccines in recent days, the topic was raised about a vaccine for a bad attitude. How wonderful to be able to pop a pill or take a shot that would eliminate a bad attitude for the next year or the rest of life. Do you need such a vaccine? Do you know of anyone who needs one? Are you prone to anger, frustration, bitterness, pessimism, or criticism? The possibility of a one-time treatment that would provide a cure would be a top seller.
Although the medical field has failed to produce such a wonder drug, the Bible certainly offers hope for this struggle. The Bible says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). The Holy Spirit is not a pill, vaccine, or drug. He is the Spirit of God that comes to live in every person who follows Jesus Christ. The closer you walk with the Lord Jesus, the more power the Holy Spirit has over your life. The Spirit of God lives within the child of God continually. The Bible says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16, NKJ).
In short, when a person trusts in Jesus Christ and calls upon Him to save his or her soul, the very God who made you comes to live inside you through the Holy Spirit. Jesus called this being “born again” (John 3:5-8). The very Spirit of God that was present in creation (Genesis 1:2) and that came on the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2:4) and that raised Jesus from the dead has now come to live inside you (Romans 8:11). God, through His Spirit, abides in you. Paul explained, “And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,…” (Ephesians 1:13, NLT).
The presence of God’s Spirit in a person’s life produces some wonderful qualities that counter the human weaknesses with which we all struggle. The Spirit produces love for others, joy in suffering, peace in trials, patience in stress, kindness and goodness in action, faithfulness in the face of disloyalty, gentleness when you feel aggression, and self-control when your temper flares. The amount of control the Spirit has over one’s life is in direct proportion to a Christian’s surrender to Christ. The more we humble ourselves and yield to Christ, the greater power the Spirit has over our lives.
The fruit of the Spirit should be evident in us. Take a moment today – and everyday – to confess every known sin to God. Willfully surrender your life to Him. Ask Him to fill you with His Spirit. And throughout the day strive to walk in fellowship with Jesus Christ so the fruit of the Spirit will be continual and abundant in your life.