Faith as a fruit

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” NIV

Remember, what got us to this point? Studying faith as a fruit, and we got talking about the expression of this fruit as also trust. Today I want to emphasise to you that it is a fruit of the spirit not of your mind. This means, this fruit is of the spirit realm not an emotional thing. Therefore the trust we are talking about is not emotional but of the spirit. 

David in the Psalms made us to see that while in your emotion you may be disturbed, you can still trust from your spirit:

“When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” Psalm 56:3,4 NIV

Notice, he said when I am afraid, this is fear, present in the emotions. He still is able to trust because trust runs deeper than fear, it is deep in his spirit. 

What I am saying to you is this, irrespective of what is going on around you or the turmoil that may be present in your emotions you can still be trusting and stable in your faith towards God. Listen to the testimony of Paul:

Acts 20:22-24

“And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:  Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. KJV

How is it that Paul could say he is not moved by the bonds and afflictions awaiting him in Jerusalem? It was because he had committed himself into the hands of God in trust. You too can do so today if you have never done that consciously. Maybe you have not surrendered your life to Jesus, do so now unfailingly. Maybe yours is to learn to trust God with your affairs as it is written in Psalm 37:5; 1Peter 5:7.