Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Are these characteristics present in our daily walk? Whether or not these fruits of the Spirit exist in our lives is apparent to everyone through the way we treat our family, friends, and others. How do you act or shall I say react when someone cuts you off in traffic, takes that parking spot you tirelessly circled the lot for, speaks poorly of you, or does you wrong? These are just some of the "small" things that occur daily to see just how much in the Spirit we are walking. We must be equipped to walk in the Spirit when the Big stuff hits. Ephesians 4:24 tells us,"to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." We must aspire to be more like Jesus! Life becomes so much easier when we walk in the Spirit. We put less stress on our bodies and become happier and healthier because of it. Neil and I have had to make verbal and mental decisions to walk in the Spirit through circumstances. It's great for spouses to keep each other lovingly in check if they step out of the Spirit. Neil and I have had to do this for each other on numerous occasions. It's a whole lot easier than dealing with the feelings of anger, strife, and restlessness. The key is to LOVINGLY keep yourself and your spouse accountable to each other. Your marriage will flourish and so will other relationships because of it. Pray for one another and be blessed.
Prayer by Stormie Omartian:
"O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Therefore, Lord, I pray that You would direct my husband's steps. Lead him in Your light, teach him Your way, so he will walk in Your truth. I pray that he would have a deeper walk with You and an ever progressing hunger for Your Word. may Your presence be like a delicacy he never ceases to crave. Lead him on Your path and make him quick to confess when he strays from it. Reveal to him any hidden sin that would hinder him from walking rightly before You. May he experience deep repentance when he doesn't live in obedience to Your laws. Create in him a clean heart and renew a stead fast spirit within him. Don't cast him away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from him (Psalm 51:10,11).
Lord, Your Word says that those who are in the flesh cannot please You (Romans 8:8). So I pray that You will enable (name of person you are praying for) to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh and thereby keep himself "from the paths of the destroyer" (Psalm 17:4). As he walks in the Spirit, may he bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). Keep him on the Highway of Holiness so that the way he walks will be integrated into every part of his life. AMEN!
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