Grow in Strength of Spirit reminds us to focus on strength from a place of love, joy, and peace – because as we move from that foundation of the fruit of the Spirit, strength and self-control (in the sense of intentional and decisive choices) will come naturally and with ease, giving us true power.
- Galatians 5:22-23 (TPT) But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
- Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP)But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
A post by Meghan Williams from MeghanW.com is connected to this. It’s called “Power vs. Force.”
Often we mistakenly view various forms of strength as being all from the same core. But as I’ve grown in both age and wisdom, I have realized there is a dramatic difference between true power and sheer force. Force comes from striving, whereas power comes from innate strength and a yielding to the authority that comes with it.
This is why when we try to “make” ourselves do things, we may succeed for a while but it’s hard to maintain over time because it takes so much energy to strive to be successful. Often this is because the reasons we are even trying to strive in the first place are low level emotions (e.g. dieting because of self-hatred, saving money because of a fear of lack).
True power comes as we begin to make choices from a place of love and peace (e.g. eating differently because we love ourselves enough to want to feel healthier, saving because we want to bless our future self with peace of mind). True power is actually a place of yielding to the greater good, rather than forcing something.
I’ve been spending time meditating on and creating Dyed4you Art pieces for the fruits of the spirit, and self-control was highlighted. Immediately, I felt that sting that seems to come with that one because so many of us have negative connotations associated with it. We spend countless hours in recriminating ourselves to simply “try harder.” Essentially trying to force ourselves into a place of striving. Ironically, this actually works against our success.
This makes me pause to note the order the fruits of the spirit are listed in: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Note that self-control is last. I believe this is because we need to have the other 6 in full operation to walk our the 7th in the way it was intended, which I believe the Passion Translation captures the essence of beautifully by translating self-control as strength of spirit.
So may we all walk in true strength of spirit as we learn to make choices from that place of love/joy/peace, and may the fruit that becomes evident as a result be sweet indeed!
Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP)But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Galatians 5:22-23 (TPT) But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
The “THE POWER OF CHOICE” card from D4Yart Deck 1 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Strong in the Lord” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “There will ever be choices before you that offer you the decision between life and death, darkness and light. Choose life. Choose light. Stand strong. Recognize the power you have in each choice, and use it wisely, for we are each accountable for the choices we make, so make wise ones.”
The “CHALLENGES” card from D4Yart Deck 2 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Lord of All” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “All of life presents challenges to overcome and grow through. Making daily choices to be healthy may be difficult, but not doing so and dealing with the resulting health challenges is difficult too; just as being fiscally responsible is challenging, but living in a constant state of debt and lack is as well. So choose wisely which challenges you want to take on, rather than allowing your non-decisions to force your hand.”
A Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Step into Steadfast Faith.”
Psalm 125:1 (VOICE) All who have faith in the Eternal stand as Mount Zion: unmoved, enduring, eternal.
Beloved, those who stand in Me, step into steadfast faith. For those who find their foundation in Me, stand as surely as the most solid bedrock. Those who are truly rooted in Me, will not be moved or easily swayed, for they are indwelt by My Spirit and strengthen by My presence.
Though the winds may batter and the waves may rock as the trials of life impede, still you will be steady and hold fast when you find your foundation in Me. So, beloved, be steadfast in your faith, and know that its source and foundation is One that never changes.
A Meditation of the Word called “In His Image” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.
Genesis 1:27 (NKJV) So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
In the opening of Genesis, we are told that humanity has been made in the image or shadow of God—in Hebrew, tselem (Strong’s H6754). Something that I have frequently meditated on is what this term tselem means. This meditation most often happens when I’m going through trials and tribulations. During these times when my soul is grieved, and I’m searching for the righteous path through the chaos of life, I will hear my Heavenly Father’s still small voice saying, “Come back into My shadow.” I‘ve come to understand that He means this is several ways.
Firstly, He is reminding me that it is only under His shade—tsêl (Strong’s 6738)—that we have any hope of finding real comfort and peace. Sometimes if we are not careful, life’s difficulties can chase us out of our hiding place in God instead of remaining in Him. Nothing in the world can refresh and sustain us better than our Source. In the heat of trials, when I pause to listen for His voice, I can tell that I have unintentionally moved out of His shadow. It is like standing outside on an incredibly hot day and completely avoiding the shade of a nearby tree. While the shade doesn’t compare to air conditioning, I would be a fool not to abide there when left with no other choice. Plus, there is sweet fruit from the tree that revives and sustains me.
Secondly, I know that by calling me to come back into His shadow, the Father is also referring to His image. One can say that, during troubles, we are tempted to lose our mind—or lose the mind of Christ. We can quickly forget who we are and the vows we have made to His covenant. Trials always require a response from us, but what will our response be? Will we let the trials disconnect us from our Source, leaving us with only the resources of our flesh? Or will we continue to abide and bear the fruits of the Spirit while under pressure—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control? We have a choice in difficulties even when we may feel like we don’t.
When trials come—and as our Savior told us, they certain will come—they become an opportunity for God to build His character into us. The more we yield to the process and are mindful of the point of the difficulties, the more we will have access to the life-giving flow of the Holy Spirit. And the more of God’s Spirit that we are able to receive, the more we are able to accurately hear His voice and reflect His image in the earth—in both good times and bad.
Galatians 5:22-24 (TPT) But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
The “FREEDOM & STRENGTH” card from D4Yart Deck 2 is connected to this. The card is based on the “Higher Ground” Dyed4you Art piece, and it reads, “We are created as a unique blend of spiritual and physical beings, and if we place undue focus on one or the other, we find ourselves out of balance. True freedom and strength comes in recognizing we are inherently both – we are spiritual beings having a physical experience, and both those parts of us are powerful, so embrace and cultivate both rather than simply hyper-focusing on one or the other.”
A portion of a prophetic download from LaShawn Dobbs of LaShawnDobbs.com is connected to this. It’s called “Move to the Beat of His Heart.”
{Visual} I see the Father’s heart and our heart inside of His heart. As His heart is beating, our hearts are beating to the rhythm of His heartbeat. We are entering into the new season with our heart positioned inside of the heart of the Father. This is the beat we are to move to. Move to the beat of His heart…Those who have positioned their hearts to hear and receive from the heart of the Father for the new, this is a time of receiving heaven’s will, heaven’s plan, and heaven’s agenda.
Do not be afraid to release the old for the new
This has been and remains to be the time of cuddling up into our own personal “nook” in Papa’s heart. A time to release the past–exchanging the old for the new.
For some, the last season was a season of building without God. For others, it was a season of following His blueprint, but that blueprint has expired. It was the blueprint for the last season. It’s time for an upgrade. It’s time to walk into the new…This is a time of intentionality. This is a time of releasing what was and moving forward into what is and what will be. We can only accomplish this in partnership with the Father…A supernatural understanding and revelation of knowing who you are in Him and who He is in you. A readjusting of your vision to see what heaven sees and to hear what heaven is speaking with greater clarity. {Visual} I see a tuning, just as one would tune a musical instrument, you have been finely tuned, into the frequency of heaven.
A final Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Make the Most of Each Day.”
Psalm 6:5 (VOICE) I’m alive for a reason — I can’t worship You if I’m dead. If I’m six feet under, how can I thank You?
Beloved, make the most of each day and each breath. Spend each wisely, treasuring them as the priceless gifts they are. Resist the urge to take them for granted or waste a single one. Rather cherish each with intentionality.
Choose to pursue the talents and passions I’ve given you. Choose to build up. Choose to rejoice. Choose to bask in the beauty of My creation. Choose to praise Me. Choose to forgive and receive forgiveness. Choose to rest. Choose to love well and to speak life. Whatever you do and however you spend your moments, do so with wise intention that honors the Giver.
{artist note} Before I began this piece, I knew it would be the next in the series God had started with the fruits of the Spirit. With each piece, we’re encouraged to grow… Grow in Joy, Grow in Kindness, Grow in Love… and it’s not because we are somehow lacking, but rather that fruit is a continuously expanding outpouring. There’s always more fruit to bear! And though the fruit of self-control is almost always translated as such, I immediately sensed it was not how Papa God wanted to describe it in this piece (I believe this is in part to the strong feeling we have about the idea of self-control and how it’s often tied to personal short comings or failures). So to avoid any preconceived attachment to this fruit, He picked the wording from the Passion Translation, which better encompasses the heart of this piece – strength of spirit.
I paused to write the “Power vs. Force” piece, and as I wrote it the image that came to mind was flowers growing through a crack. Life is power – it has a way of pushing through simply because it loves to live. It isn’t hindered by obstacles, but simply finds a way through. In the same way, rather than forcing ourselves to “try harder” and “exercise self-control,” we find success as we find what works for us – what aligns we how we’re made: our innate, God-given power. So I found it interesting when the main flower that was highlighted is what I believe to be a Calla Lily, which typically represents life and fertility.
As the piece came together, I found the visual chaos of it interesting. Initially, it seemed almost at odds with the idea of control, but as I pondered this I realized that what’s being emphasized is the organic nature of power. It simply is. It isn’t something you strive for or have to control in the way we typically use the word, but rather it is a flow. And as we trust that flow – that strength of spirit, flow of authority – we are able to truly move in power.
Finally, as the word began to be complete I noted a theme: intentionality. The power of choice. It is so vital to recognize this power we have. It empowers and strengthens us. This is not to pressure ourselves to do “more,” but simply to make wise choices one at a time – and to be intentional to make the choices consciously rather than by default.
The name of the silk hidden in this image is Rise Up. The colors in it are: pink representing tender-hearted, spring green representing new life, candy apple green representing flourishing, white representing purity, and gold shimmer representing abundant blessing.
Thank You, Father, that we have been given the power of choice. That we can choose not to strive – that we can focus on the fruit of the Spirit and see ourselves move in power. We want to exhibit true strength of spirit, so may Your Spirit embolden us, lead us, and give us wisdom as we walk in the power You have given us.
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