The warfare between what Paul describes as “the flesh” and the Holy Spirit is an unremitting struggle. For believers in Jesus, and in this life, there can be no escape from the need to depend on God’s grace. The difficulty of life now weighs upon us, but, as we learn in this passage, a remarkable and heavenly “fruit of the Spirit” grows in our embattled hearts that transforms our daily lives. As we believe and follow Jesus, we are not only cultivating the fruit Paul mentions here, but in this fruit we are experiencing Jesus’ own character. Here and now we can taste what it means to belong to Him, to be changed by Him, and thereby gain the encouragement and assurance we need to continue in the struggle, not only for our own joy and happiness, but for the sake of others, too