Whenever you see the Bible talk about spiritual fruit or spiritual character traits, these are traits that the Holy Spirit cultivates in our lives with our cooperation.

He doesn't do it apart from you. In fact, you can fight him on some things. God won't always give us what we want, and he can't always give us

what he wants. Hello, and thanks for stopping by for today's Destined for Victory, where we

feature the preaching ministry of Pastor Paul Shepard.

You know, God longs to give us so many things, but because he's given us a free will, he desires our willing participation. Take, for example, the fruit of the spirit, gifts he releases

into our lives as we grow in our faith. As you'll see today, before he can do that, something is

required on our part.

Remember, you can always visit Pastor Paul.net to listen to any of our recent messages on demand, including today's.

That's Pastor Paul.net.

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Now, let's listen closely to Pastor Paul's message, prove it.

2. Peter chapter 1 and verse 5.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness and to goodness knowledge and to knowledge self-control and to self-control perseverance and

to perseverance godliness and to godliness brotherly, and to brotherly kindness love.

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective

and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has been

cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all

the more eager to make your calling an election sure. For if you do these things, you will never

fall and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We continue our focus on this passage in 2 Peter as this apostle

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