Numbers 18:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.

John 6:35 English Standard Version (ESV)

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

Matthew 26:26 English Standard Version (ESV)

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²⁶ Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Galatians 5:22a English Standard Version (ESV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

Exodus 13:2a English Standard Version (ESV) Consecrate to me all the firstborn.

All these verses work together to identify Jesus Christ as the first fruit of the Spirit, love. God is love, Jesus is God, Jesus is love. We have consecrate to ourselves His body in partaking of His body, the bread of life. The love produced by the Spirit is perfect love and not any other kind of love. It is perfect as He is perfect.

We tell ourselves that we do not love that perfectly and we are right. That does not dismiss the fact that perfect love resides in our hearts and used of the Spirit that produced it. The Spirit is also God, also love, and perfect in enacting God’s will.

Ephesians 5:2 English Standard Version (ESV) And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

2 Corinthians 5:7 English Standard Version (ESV) for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Walking by faith is walking in love for Christ is both love and faithfulness.

1 Corinthians 7:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

The last fruit of the Spirit has been identified as self-control. I never thought of those fruits being produced in me in a specific order until one of my pastors said, “That is why self-control is listed last.”

The advice here is to gather together in fellowship so that we might strength one another. Battles are best fought when fought together. The best way to accomplish that is to find an accountability partner. A trusted friend will understand the battles of self-control because they too battle the same battles.

1 Corinthians 10:13 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

In order to receive that help we must confess our weaknesses to one another. The temptation may be to say “God is on my side.” While that is true, it is also true that He says in James 5:16 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

We will never find an accountability partner sitting alone at home. We need to find a place to gather and open ourselves up to be known for who we are in the flesh and in the Spirit. It takes both. Accountability partners can help us with our fleshly issue and use us as a resource in the Spirit as needed. We are meant to help one another in both realms.