[Galatians 5:16-26] 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
[Abstract] God wants us to produce fruit of the spirit. Instead of being defensive in our spiritual battle, we can be offensive and anti-fragile. That is, we ought to come back stronger than when we fell down. However, it is not by our own strength that we can accomplish such a task. We must attach ourselves to the root of all power, which is Christ himself and from which we can produce fruit. This demands humility on our parts to accept our limitations and the need for God’s intervention.
There are three simple situations that can derail our effort to produce spiritual fruit and make us fall into temptation: 1) disruption of our established routine or pattern, 2) not being at where God intends us to be (i.e. “in the wrong place”), and 3) putting ourselves in the midst of wrong doers (i.e. “with the wrong people”). Despite the danger of these situations, we ought to anchor ourselves in Christ the foundation. Even if we fail, we should strive to get up with tenacity.