There’s a popular phrase going around: “love wins.” But what is love and where does it come from? The Bible teaches that love is a fruit of the Spirit.

The word Spirit in this quote has a capital S because it refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is:
1) How God lives on Earth: Religion often refers to God in Heaven. However, Scripture teaches that God is also present and active on Earth as the Holy Spirit.
2) Invisible: The Spirit is somewhat like air. You can see Him, but you can feel Him and you can see the results (fruit) of His Presence.
3) Everywhere except in those who reject Him: The Spirit doesn’t force Himself into people. He is not in those who don’t want Him.
4) A Person: The Spirit is not a force (to be with you). He is a Person to live in you!
5) Knows everything: The Spirit is all knowing. Therefore He is a great Comforter when we don’t understand.
6) All good: Everything He is and does is good. He longs to do good in and through all human beings.
7) All powerful. The Spirit has unlimited power. He can break every chain that binds human beings and produce amazing fruit in people’s lives.
8) Speaks to people. Through out the Book of Acts it says that the Spirit spoke to Christ-followers.
9) Eternal: He lives and is forever.

Love is not a feeling produced by human emotions or by physical attraction. Love comes from the Spirit. Love is living by principle rather than by desire, doing what’s right rather than what feels good. Love even shows kindness to enemies. It cannot be produced by mere human effort.

Love and the other fruit of the Spirit are not character traits. They are radical, supernatural qualities that run counter to human nature. They are miracles released by the Spirit’s Presence in human lives.

What the world needs now is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! When people surrender their will to the Holy Spirit, these amazing qualities will flow in and through their life! Will you?