We continue the journey through the fruits of the Spirit. We next stop at the fruit of faithfulness. If we are to imitate the characteristics of God and faithfulness is a characteristic of God, we need to know what the fruit of faithfulness looks like? How is it displayed, you know, how is our path marked? Is it littered with faithfulness feathers?
We need to first understand what faithfulness is and is not. The Word explains faith to us, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation. God’s faithfulness is revealed and His desire for our faithfulness is revealed. The Word says — God will never leave us or forsake us, even when we walk away from Him. God is always with us, even when we don’t feel Him. God keeps His promises, even when we don’t. God is always working, even when we don’t see it and doubt Him. God is devoted to us, even when we are not devoted to Him. God is loyal to us, even when we are disobedient to Him. God is trustworthy, even when we break our promises. God is reliable, even when He can’t count on us. God is everything we are not and everything we long to be – God is faithful.
Galatians tells us that when the Holy Spirit controls our lives faithfulness is one of the fruits produced. We’ve talked through the fruits about the necessity of the Holy Spirit to work the fruits in our lives. The Spirit grows faithfulness, not man. We cannot will ourselves to be faithful, we cannot hope our way into being faithful, we cannot want our way into being faithful. Faithfulness, as with all the fruits of the Spirit are a result and can only be produced through our relationship with Jesus Christ, through our Helper, the Holy Spirit. To think that faithfulness is something we can be without the help of the Spirit is completely…well, just wrong thinking. Only when the Spirit is controlling our lives can we exhibit the fruit of faithfulness. Only when we understand that our faith is enabled only by God, can we understand and sing at the top of our lungs of His faithfulness.
“Great is Thy faithfulness, ” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness, ” Lord, unto me!
God’s faithfulness to us is not dependent on us. But, our faithfulness to Him is dependent on Him. Our faithfulness can only come by God’s work in our heart. It is God’s faithfulness to us that delivers us. Do we pray for God to work in our hearts? To grow faithfulness in us?
Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news – the Good News about Christ.
Romans 10:17
Wednesday
Read 1 Corinthians 3. Write down Apollos and Paul’s roles in the planting of faith. What is God’s role in the planting of faith?
Thursday
Read 1 John 5:1-11. What is the victory? Who achieves the victory? How is the victory achieved?
Friday
Look up Colossians 3. How do we live this new life in Christ? How do we live faith? Where are the Words of Christ to live?
Saturday
Read Ephesians 6:10-18. How are we to use our faith? Against what are we to use our faith?
Sunday
Read Genesis 17:1. What instructions does the Lord give to Abraham? Was Abraham faithful to God? How was Abraham faithful to God? From the beginning…
Monday
…to the end of the Word, God speaks of faithfulness. His faithfulness to us and our faithfulness to Him. Read Revelation 19:11-21. What was the symbol of the white horse? What is the rider of the white horse called? Who is riding the white horse?
Tuesday
Read Lamentations 3. Memorize Lamentations 3:22-24.