March 14: (5) KINDNESS – Fruit of the Spirit

In today’s thought, let’s look at the facts about the Holy Spirit and the fruit of Kindness. The Holy Spirit lives within each Christian! The Holy Spirit has the characteristics of personality:
The Holy Spirit has intellect – helps our weaknesses (Rom.8:26-27)
The Holy Spirit has emotion – is grieved (Eph.4:30)
The Holy Spirit has a will – sovereign (1 Cor. 12:6, 11)
The Holy Spirit comforts (John 14:16, 26, 16:7)
The Holy Spirit counsels – teaches (John 14:26)
The Holy Spirit convicts – “He will reprove” (John 16:8-11) 
The purpose of conviction is to bring us to Christ.

Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit reveals the Fruit of the Spirit in us & should be evident in us!

The Fruit of the Spirit is Kindness. God’s kindness to us: A God of great kindness – Nehemiah 9: 17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not (KJV).

• His marvelous kindness – Psalm 31:21, Praise the LORD, for he has shown me his unfailing love. He kept me safe when my city was under attack (NLT).
• His merciful kindness – Psalm 117:2, For he loves us with unfailing love; the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD (NLT).! 
• His lovingkindness – Psalm 103:4, He ransoms me from death and surrounds me with love and tender mercies (NLT).
• Everlasting kindness – Isaiah 54:8, In a moment of anger I turned my face away for a little while. But with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the LORD, your Redeemer (NLT).
• Our kindness to others: As a demonstration of love – 1 Corinthians 13:4, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (NLT).
• As a result of not grieving the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 4:32, Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you (NLT).
• Advice to the Romans – Romans 12:10, Love each other with genuine affection, (brotherly love) and take delight in honoring each other (NLT).
• As evidence of Christian growth – 2 Peter 1:7, Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone (NLT).
• Kindness in our speech: as a test of genuine Christianity – James 3:2, We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way (NLT).
• Contradiction of kind and cutting words – James 3:9, Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God (NLT).
  (We bless God – we curse men)

Harshness of speech is so harmful to the cause of Christ – words that cannot be recalled, words that wound those we love, words that divide the church.

Kind words come from the Holy Spirit – words of comfort, words of encouragement, words that build faith. Kindness with our substance:

• The example of the early church – Acts 2:44-45, And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need (KJV)
• Paul’s collections for the saints – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come (KJV).

Kindness in giving – called for in the Bible:

• To those that asks – Matthew 5:25, Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison (KJV).
• A cup of cold water – Mark 9:41, For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward (KJV).
• To him that needeth – Ephesians 4:28, Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with [his] hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth (KJV).

Instructions for receiving the Holy Spirit:  Ask, yield and surrender to the Holy Spirit…

1) “Let him come unto me and drink” Come to Jesus and drink. “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find”
To come to Him…is to believe on Him.
To come to Him…is to trust Him.
To come to Him…is to receive Him.

Jesus said “out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water” not cisterns but rivers.

2) What will flow in these rivers?
The fruit of the spirit will flow in these rivers.
The compassion of Christ will flow in these rivers.
Power to witness will flow in these rivers.

Faith will flow in these rivers.

3) Stop grieving the Holy Spirit…Ephesians 4:30, And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption (KJV).

4) Stop quenching the Holy Spirit…1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit (NLT). (def. – to suppress, to silence) Do not resist the Holy Spirit… Acts 7:51, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye (KJV).

Kindness is another dimension of love.
Kindness Reveals Our Degree of Surrender to the Lord
Selfishness Reveals Our Degree of Carnality. Do Others See the Kindness of Christ in Us?
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness…are goals of the Holy Spirit for you and me? Developing the character of Christ in us all!

Promises for those that are KIND:

• Proverbs 11:16 (NIV) A kindhearted woman gains respect, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
• Proverbs 11:17 (NIV) A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.
• Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
• Proverbs 14:31 (NIV) He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
• Proverbs 19:17 (NIV) He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.