Below is an article I wrote for The Pentecostal Messenger which was published in the June, 2010 issue.

Patience

When we moved into our current home in 2005, we inherited 3 trees that graced our back yard. Problem was, with half the yard taken by a rather large swimming pool, we needed more space for our 5 kids to have room to play. Since the next door neighbor wasn’t willing to give us any of his backyard space, it was obvious that two of the trees had to go.

The first to get the pink slip was a rather healthy fig tree. It was a beautiful tree but an easy choice because we don’t like figs. (I tried a Fig Newton once and, uh, well….anyway) The next choice was harder because it came down to a lemon tree and an orange tree. We like both fruits, so we chose to keep the orange tree based on the amount of shade it provided for my BarBQ area – which in Arizona is extremely important. The three trees were all different in which type of fruit they bore, but there was one common thread between them: Not once did I ever have to stand in the backyard and say to the trees in my best preacher voice “BEAR FRUIT, O TREE OF MINE.” (That would have been weird and provided unnecessary entertainment for the neighbors) It was in the DNA of the tree for fruit to come forth, a byproduct of what the tree was.
I am a firm believer that God sets us up perfectly for success. All things pertaining to life and Godliness are in our spiritual DNA (see 2 Peter 1:3) The problem is we still have our natural DNA (the flesh) to contend with. It really boils down to how we choose to live our lives.


Gal 5:16-18
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (NKJV)


The Holy Spirit is there for us as a Divine agent to counteract our evil nature, but He does that when we place ourselves under His control and by our own free will say a definite “no” to the works of the flesh. When we are firmly submitted to the Spirit of God, and yielded to our spiritual DNA, we will not have to scream out in our best preacher voices “BEAR FRUIT, O LIFE OF MINE.” The fruit will be a natural production of a life yielded to the Spirit of God.


One of the misconceptions about yielding to the Holy Spirit is that we just sit back for the ride and let Him do all the work. In reality, that’s only half of it. The Holy Spirit is not a perpetual motion machine that just operates in our lives. He is a Divine person, waiting to be depended upon to bring about a fruitful life for us. The Wuest translation of Gal 5:16 brings out this powerful truth.


“Through the….Spirit, habitually order your manner of life, and you will in no wise execute the passionate desire of the flesh.” (Emphasis added)


As we partner with the Holy Spirit and seek to order our lives, there is a remarkable list of fruit that will be produced in us. The list found in Gal 5:22-23 has been the subject of Sunday School curriculum, sermon series, and even books. In a single article, the depths of this passage cannot be exhausted, but there was one fruit in this list that jumped out at me….PATIENCE (or as the KJV translates it in this instance – LONGSUFFERING) Believe me, after nearly 17 years of parenting 5 children and Pastoring congregations, this is one I have had to really lean into Holy Spirit for help with. But as we dig into this, you may be surprised at how it comes about in our lives.


By definition, “patience” (gr – makrothumia – Strong’s 3115) means to be “Long Tempered.” One writer described it as a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to action or passion. Our English dictionary defines it this way:


"the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like."


Historically the word was used to describe the Romans as they conquered the world. They did it through “longsuffering” or “patience” because even in times of defeat they persisted toward their ultimate goal. What a powerful thought!


Each of us as believers is pressing toward the ultimate goal of eternity with God in a place called heaven. We are more than conquerors through Christ and even in our moments that seem defeating, a life yielded to the Spirit can produce a patience in us that won’t allow us to quit but will keep us pressing toward our ultimate victory.


The writer of Hebrews had a prayer for us that gives us tremendous insight into the operation of patience in our lives.


Heb 6:9, 11-12
But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation….And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (NKJV) – Emphasis mine


In this passage faith and patience are coupled together and it’s no accident. Some would like to believe that all we need is faith but here it is clear that faith and patience work together in perfect cooperation to position us to inherit what God has for us – the better things. How does this happen? I’m glad you asked.


We know that faith comes by hearing the word of God. The key is how we hear. Jesus taught us that there are four types of hearers:


 Wayside Hearers (The word falls to the side in our lives and the enemy snatches it away)


 Stony Hearers (The word brings change but only for a season because it never takes root)


 Thorny Hearers (The word is received but choked off by cares, riches and pleasures – no lasting fruit)


 Good Ground Hearers


“But the ones that fell on good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15 NKJ – Emphasis added)


If we are “Good Ground Hearers,” the faith that came through hearing the word takes root in our spirit and allows the believer to bear fruit as that faith is coupled with patience. Again we see faith and patience working together. As if this weren’t enough, James takes this principle a little further.


James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (NKJV)


If this were a sermon, I would say at this point, “Stay with me. If you don’t hear anything else I have to say, hear this.” The faith we receive in the good ground of our lives will bring forth patience but in order for that to happen, the faith has to be tested. We don’t like this part of the equation but it is absolutely true and the best part is that as tested faith and patience work together, it brings us to a state of maturity that positions us to receive the better things promised to us in Hebrews 6. Too many of us want to jump right to the better things without allowing the Word and the Spirit to develop faith and patience in us.


For some in the church world, trials are perceived as a lack of faith, but if it wasn’t for the testing, I would never enjoy the spiritual union my faith has to have with patience to position me for what God has for me; and if it takes months, years, or even decades to get there, so be it because I want the fullness of what He has for me. That’s why I can rejoice when my faith is tested.

I love Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Colossians 1:9-11


Col 1:9-12
Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul — not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy,
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)


The next time you are in the middle of an unendurable situation, remember that God may just want you to tune in to His word and hear what the Spirit is saying. That testing of your faith is producing a patient endurance in your life that you are going to desperately need to bring you to maturity and position you for God’s best.


I am turning 42 this year. Basically I’m at the midway point of my life (give or take a few years) and I have determined that I want my life to be stronger and more fruitful in the second half, much like a football team that makes adjustments and then comes out and crushes its opponent. For that to happen, I need this fruit of the Spirit to increase in me on a daily basis. If that means more testing, bring it on because ultimately it is the winning combination of faith and patience that will enable me to inherit the promises of God and crush the devil’s agenda against my life.


Ps 92:13-15
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (NKJV)