Be Gentle, Stay Calm
Fruit of the Spirit Week #4
Pastor Kris Freeman
Revolution Church
May 28, 2017
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
In week three of the Fruit of the Spirit, we are going to discuss GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL
The God of the Old Testament was not considered gentle, but rather JUST.
The God of the New Testament was one of GRACE.
Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit? – 1 Corinthians 4:21 (NLT)
A spirit of gentleness is one of a good DISPOSITION (Gr. Praytes) – the word for gentleness appears 11 times in the New Testament.
- We should be gentle about our approach.
Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realize you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away. – 2 Corinthians 10:1 (NLT)
- We should be gentle about our correction.
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer[fn] is overcome by some sin, you who are godly[fn] should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. – Galatians 6:2 (NLT)
- We should be gentle about our instruction.
Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. – 2 Timothy 2:25 (NLT)
A common trait of someone who is gentle, is they have great POISE.
When you lose control, you are more apt to REACT sinfully.
- Anger
- Rage
- Unrighteous emotion
- Revenge
- Violence
- Unforgiveness
- Jealousy/Envy
- Hatred or Prejudice
The word for self-control is (Greek) egkrateia which is used three times in the New Testament. The purpose of the Fruit of the Spirit is echoed in 1 Peter 1:3-11.
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. 10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Speak soft. React slow. Stay calm.
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