Praying for fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

So this morning I was having my regular TAWG (Time Alone With God) and I was praying for some people I'm concerned for and it occurs to me... (perhaps God planted this thought, that's what my charismatic, evangelical, and pentecostal brothers and sisters would say and I tend to agree with them) anyway it occurred to me that what these people needed was what the Holy Spirit nurtures in people, they needed the fruit of the spirit.

So think about it some, meditate on it if you want to, pray about it, ask and consider using Gal 5:22-23 to pray. In the case of the people I had on my mind, they're in a relationship that tends to be full of tension. So, without using names and hopefully not revealing too much about the kind of relationship they have, allow me to pray for them again right here at this computer keyboard, so that you can see an example of how this kind of a prayer might work-

Dear Lord,

Please grant and increase love between these two- genuine selfless, sacrificial, generous love so that they will each seek the well being of the other rather than seeking how they can use the other.

Father God, grant them each joy. Joy in you, joy in living, and right now, especially joy in each other, so that they would each be glad to be with the other and find rest and renewal from each other's very presence.

Lord grant them both peace, there just seems to be so much pain and frustration and competing interests and sometimes defensiveness and hostility. Replace all of that with calm and security and rest and even harmony.

Help them to be patient with each other

Help them be kind to one another, rather than wanting to "win" battles or score points or gain leverage.

Help them want to be good to each other

Help them to remain faithful and loyal to each other, faithful to You and Your will and Word, and faithful to who You created each of them to be.

Help them to be with each other, they've both been through so much, they're each so fragile and wounded, help each of them to treat each other as they themselves need to be treated.

and grant each of them self-control, so that each can protect the other from themselves, so that they don't pull up the kitchen sink so to speak, that they have the reason, wisdom and presence of mind to keep from lashing out, but instead to keep their cool.

In Jesus' most precious Name, Amen.

Of course, you can modify it to apply to whatever individual or whichever pairs or groups as will work for whomever you're praying for. If/when I get a chance, I'd like to write some more about this this or next week. Till then, be fruitful!

Me ka pule,
Ted

"Fruitcakes in the kitchen (fruitcakes in the kitchen)
Fruitcakes on the street (fruitcakes on the street)
Struttin naked through the crosswalk
In the middle of the week
Half-baked cookies in the oven (cookies in the oven)
Half-baked people on the bus (people on the bus)
Theres a little bit of fruitcake left in everyone of us

...Stay in touch with my insanity really is the only way
Its a jungle out there kiddies
Have a very fruitful day." ~Jimmy Buffett