I once read something Gloria Copeland wrote on the fruit of the Spirit, and found it to be exactly what God’s Word says about it. The fruit of the Spirit is so strong that once we have it abounding and flowing out of us, all the demons in hell can’t stop it. It has the power to correct every problem in our lives. It will keep us steadfast when others around us are falling down or caving under pressure. It will keep us above water and rooted on our feet when systems fail and the storms of life come. There is only one way we can make it through to victory, again and again, and that is through the character of God being developed and made strong in us.
The last part of 2 Peter 1:4 says that we must become partakers of the divine nature. That means we must be actively involved to see God’s nature and character abound in us. Verse 8 & 9 tell us why, "For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)..."
How do we build ourselves up in the Spirit? Romans 8:26 says, "So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.". Praying in the spirit, by the Holy Spirit causes your spirit to rise up in the power of God and flow in and through you. It strengthens you and gives you fresh hope and perspective. Jude 1:20 says that as we pray in the Spirit, we build ourselves up, on our most holy faith. The Amplified version says, "...[make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit."
Romans 8:28 declares that God Himself is our partner in life. Everything we need to be supernaturally strengthened and equipped to overcome is already inside of us. As we yield to His Spirit inside of us, praying in the Spirit, we will build ourselves up in His supernatural power, and as He reminds us of His promises, we wield the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), and declare His truth over our lives. No matter how hopeless your circumstances seems, these are the things you can do! So build yourself up today!
