The Holy Spirit vs The enemy of our souls

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Let me begin by saying I believe that the Holy Spirit, not we ourselves, produce these fruits in our lives. We cannot self-improve and end up with these benefits. But He will cause them to grow in the Believer in Christ: Messiah, Jesus, Yashua. Jesus promised to send the Spirit of God into the believer to guide, teach, and empower for service.

God brought these verses out of Galatians 5 to the front of my thinking this past Friday morning. I was blessed by several moments of revelation last week as I celebrated Season of Joy at a small campground not too far from my home. Friday morning he spoke to me about the fruit of the Spirit. I learned that Satan has a counter for every fruitful gift given by the Spirit of God -rauch ha-qodesh - the Spirit of Holiness. The gifts of Satan always fall short of the glory of God.

Love-the ability to selflessly seek the benefit and success of another without regard to personal gain or gratification: Satan counters with selfish desire for people, honor, position, possessions and wealth.

Joy-the delight and extreme pleasure that allows us to rejoice and triumph in both good and difficult situations: Satan counters with temporary hilarity and excitement in things and situations, some harmless and some destructive in nature.

Peace-the calm tranquility that feels assured of God's control and goodness through both good and difficult circumstance: Satan brings, in contrast, compliance, treaty, apathy.

Patience-the ability to remain calm and confident when we must deal with annoyance, difficulty or delay: Satan counters with tolerance, accepting evil as equal with good. A friend said to me when discussing this that God is amazingly patient. He will wait on us without time constraint. But he is not tolerant nor does he change his truth for our opinion.

Kindness-the ability to treat others with consideration, generosity, friendship, and concern: Satan counters with social consciousness- benevolence without effect, relief without hope, support without positive change.

Goodness-sometimes translated virtue or godliness: Satan counters with self-awareness, personal accomplishment and self-acceptance. Rauch ha-qodesh will change our lives to conform with truth and virtue while Satan will convince us to be happy with less than God offers.

Faithfulness-fidelity, integrity, stability: Satan counters with adaptation, self-elevation, and reciprocation.

Gentleness-meekness or humility: Satan counters either with entitlement, or self-incrimination with feelings of worthlessness.

Self-Control: Satan counters with self-elevation or self-improvement with regret and guilt upon failure.

Children of God through faith in Christ, we must know our ally and His amazing power. But we must also know our enemy and his relentless guile.