Fruit of HS Long-Suffering/Patience  © 2016 WF Cobb Truthbase.net DailyTruthbase.Blogspot.com

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering <3115>, benevolence/kindness, goodness, faithfulness

I. Patience is choosing to suffer offenses/difficulties as God's test (Ps 11), knowing (insight into God's perfect purposes/ways/promises) that as you dependently draw on His HS/grace do His will,  He will act in perfect hesed/justice and timing.  2Pt 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise...but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 

Phil 1:29  to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. 2Tim 3:12 all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses 25 choose rather to suffer affliction v37 with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 he endured as seeing Him...

Ps 37:1 Do not fret because of evildoers 2 For they shall soon be cut down 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and cultivate faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret --- it only causes harm. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

II. God is longsuffering (grieved by sin, yet warns then delays eventual/inevitable just judgment) hoping people will repent Lk 9:41

Ex 34:5 LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in hesed and faithfulness/truth, 7 keeping hesed for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the 3rd and the 4th generation."

Rm 9:22 God, desiring to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering <3115> the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: Rm 2:4  you despise the riches of his benevolence/goodness and forbearance and longsuffering <3115>; not knowing that the benevolence/goodness of God leads you to repentance?

1Pt 3:20 were disobedient, when once the longsuffering/patience of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark being  prepared

2Pt 3:15 reckon that the longsuffering <3115> of our Lord is salvation; as Paul also acc to the wisdom given to him has written to you

III. In doing God's will, prophets suffered in hope of folks repenting; we must obey God in obeying/proclaiming His Word, then wait

Js 5:7 be longsufferig, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits/expects the precious fruit of the earth, being longsuffering 8 You also be longsuffering. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grieve/grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! 10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering (evil passion) and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord --- that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

IV. We need God's power and perspective to walk worthily in doing His will, as we love and serve, while trusting in His Revelation.

2Cor 6:6 (servants) by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, benevolence, by the HS, by love unfeigned 7 by Truth, power of God, armor...

Col 1:9 For this reason (faith and love from hope laid up in heaven v5) we pray and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will by all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience/endurance and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Eph 4:2 (walk worthy) with all humility and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love 3 keep unity of HS by bond peace

Col 3:12  T put on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, mercies, benevolence, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 above all these things put on love 15 peace of God rule your hearts..thankful 16 word of Christ dwell richly, in wisdom teaching and admonish

1Cor 13:4 Love is longsuffering and benevolent. 1Th 5:14 warn the unruly, encourage the feebleminded, hold against the weak, be patient

1Tim 1:16 I obtained mercy...Christ might show all longsuffering, for a pattern to them who should believe on him to life everlasting.

2Tim 3:10 known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience 11 persecutions..afflictions...delivered 12 ALL 

2Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine 4 not forbear

Heb 6:12 diligence to the full assurance of hope...12 not become sluggish, but imitate those who thru faith and patience inherit the promises 

Lk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long <3114> with them?

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. How does the HS fruit of longsuffering differ from forbearing, inaction, waiting, or the common understanding of patience?

2. What's the point of having/exercising patience? How do you naturally respond when people reject or even you? How did Jesus respond?

3. Why do we need power to be Biblically patient? How does the HS produce this fruit in our lives?  What do we have to do to be patient?4. When are you likely to be impatient? What does that reveal about your values/ambitions, and your trust/dependence/faith in God and His Word?