"(16) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (17) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (19) The acts of the sinful nature 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, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:16-23 (NIV)
The verses that talk about the fruit of the Spirit are 22 and 23, but as is needed with most of Paul's writings, we need to read more than just what is directly said. Paul wrote the Epistles, letters to various churches, as you would write a letter to a good friend needing comfort or help. Just as you may write the sentence "I am so happy about it.", no-one knows what you are happy about without reading what you said before that. Therefore, if you want to understand what is being said in the New Testament, it is best to read it one book at a time like you would read a letter from a good friend. It really helps to have it make sense.
There is a version of the Bible, The Message, that is an interpretation, not a translation. Let me explain the difference. With the New King James Version, or the New International Version of the Bible, people study the Greek and Hebrew and translate one sentence at a time and try, if possible, to translate each word exactly from the original to the English language. That is why we can say that it is the exact Word of God. The Message, however, reads the Greek or Hebrew and try's to relay the underlying meaning of the scripture, more like the feel of the letter, therefore, it is not the absolute Word of God, but does help us to understand the meaning behind it. Following is The Message interpretation of the Galatians Scripture we just read.
"It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on. This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom. But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard-things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." The Message - Galations 5b.
What this passage about the fruit of the Spirit is saying, is that as we let more of God run our lives and less of ourselves, we will become more like Jesus who lived his life totally in the will of God. Below is the Amplified version of Galatians 5:22-23. The Amplified Bible is like the King James or NIV but with words that could be translated differently due to English usage, it also lists the other words to help us get a clearer meaning of what the passage is saying.
Galations 5:22-23 (The Amplified Bible) "But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance) kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, (23) gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]."
Last night I was sitting in my chair praying about today's lesson and God brought to remembrance the Good Samaritan Laws. About 10 or 15 years ago there was a problem with people getting into car accidents and someone would come along and try to help them. In the process the helping person might accidentally injure the hurt person and themselves be sued for trying to help. The government passed the Good Samaritan Laws saying that if you try to help a person and you accidentally further their injuries, you are not held responsible for such actions. It was just a good reminder that God protects His Word and if it is said that being good and kind and helpful is not chargeable by law, then God will protect us and make sure that we can not be charged legally for doing so.
Galatians 5:24-26 (The Amplified Bible)"And those who belong to Christ Jesus, the Messiah, have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.(25) If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the [Holy] Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit].(26) Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another."
The fruit of the Spirit is what happens to us as we walk in line with God's will. We try to control our anger and develop self-restraint, we learn to control our greed and develop a giving attitude, we stop being self-glorifying and become God glorifying. As time goes on and we keep walking and trying to become as God wants us to be, it becomes easier. Our nature, over time, gets changed and all that is left of the old is passed away and all that remains is our walk as Jesus did it. This scripture answers the question, "I'm saved, now what do I do?" It tells us what Jesus would do, and by the Holy Spirit, we all will get there eventually. We may not hit it until we get to heaven, but we will get close with persistence and patience.