Romans 15:8-13

In verses 1-7, Paul finished by discussing our ultimate example, Jesus Christ, a man who did not please Himself. Paul promoted this attitude of unselfishness as the ultimate way for all Christians to deal with their conflicts and differences with other people. Paul now continues with explaining how our unselfish Savior became a servant to reach both Jew and Gentile. Reaching this lost world was and is God’s ultimate objective. Paul ends this section of the epistle with a simple way for you to know if God has fulfilled His ultimate objective in you.

Paul declared, “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.’ And again he says: ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!’ And again: ‘Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!’ And again, Isaiah says: ‘There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.’ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:8-13).

What was Christ’s objective when He came to this earth?  Vs. 8

1. Jesus came to confirm God’s promises to the Jews, and draw the Gentiles to Himself.

The most important thing to note in these verses is that God is revealed as a promise maker, and as a promise keeper. When God makes any promise to men, He is faithful to fulfill it. He promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would bless them and make of their descendants a great nation. The most well-known of these promises is found in Genesis 12:1-3 where God promised Abram, “‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). Abram obeyed God’s command to leave his home, and over time, he and his children and his children’s children ultimately gained the land of Israel, and they became this great nation that God had predicted. Through the nation Israel came Jesus of Nazareth revealed as the Messiah, who was promised to the Jewish people. God came to His own people to reveal Himself, again fulfilling and confirming that He is a promise keeper. As Jesus preached the Gospel to the people, some Jews believed, but many Gentiles also believed in Him. As the apostles of Christ continued preaching, over time, more and more Gentiles believed and followed Jesus.

It is important to note that Jesus went first to the Jewish people, but did not neglect the Gentiles (Matt. 4:23-25; Matt. 15:21; Mark 7:31). By going to the Jews first, Jesus showed God’s faithfulness to honor His promises to reach the Jewish people. Some people get upset with this idea that Jesus saw the Jewish People as His priority and say, “Why does God separate and give priority to the Jew, and not to all people? It seems unfair that He would first confirm His promises to the Jew.” This is a good question that must be answered. Clearly this was Christ’s intention when He commanded the disciples, “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:5-6). Jesus told them to take this action, because God chose Abram and his family to bring forth the Messiah to the world. He chose to make the nation Israel an example to the world of what He would do with a people who would believe in Him. God had made special promises to the Jewish people that He must fulfill. The Jews were His own special people because of these promises (Ex. 19:5). This is why Jesus commanded His disciples to first go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Paul also did the same thing. Luke records, “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures” (Acts 17:2). Paul’s custom was to enter a city, and first go to the synagogue and reason with the Jews. When the Jews started rejecting the message of Jesus, Paul then turned to the Gentiles. Luke also records what happened when Paul preached in Antioch. He wrote, “Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 13:46-47). Notice that Paul understood from the Scripture he quoted that God always intended to offer salvation to the Gentiles.

Now, if you think God is showing partiality by pursuing the Jews first, you are mistaken. This is not partiality; God is demonstrating integrity and faithfulness to His promises. Think of it this way. If I promised to help you, and then I later promised to help another person, which one should I help first? Wouldn’t it be the person I first promised to help? You would be very upset if I forgot about my promise to you, and went first to help the second person I promised. This is exactly what Jesus and the apostles did. God made promises to the Jewish people, and He must first fulfill these promises to His people, if He is to be faithful to His Word.

God always fulfills His promises whether they are for blessing or cursing. Depending on a person’s response to God’s commands, God is faithful to bring blessing or judgment upon every individual. Are you confident of this truth? God spoke through Jeremiah to His people warning them of this very fact. After many of the Jews had already been taken into captivity, God reminded them that, “Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them” (Jer. 32:42). Just as God had promised them in Deuteronomy 28, if they refused to trust and obey Him that He would bring on them terrible curses and ultimate captivity. God also promised that if they would turn to Him in faith and obedience, He would bless them (Joel 2:25-27). The same is true today. What can you expect if you rebel against God? Paul said, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Here is the blessing and the curse explained in one verse. God will be faithful to keep these promises!

The incredible aspect of God’s faithfulness in His promise for blessing and good, is not something that is contingent on you being perfect. If that was the case then no one would receive His blessing. He has such grace and mercy that He looks at the heart and not at the perfection of your life. The Jews were surely not perfect, but God still fulfilled His promise to bring the Messiah that He might bless the entire world. God promised, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David a Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS’” (Jer. 33:14-16). We know that this Branch of righteousness was to be a man, because God used the personal pronoun “He,” and that this man would be a ruler in Israel who would execute judgment and righteousness. We also know that this Branch of righteousness would be the LORD, because He is called “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This is one of the clearest prophecies that the Messiah would be the God/man from the family lineage of David. We know Him as the Son of David, Jesus Christ!

It is important to note that the first part of this prophecy refers to the first coming of Christ. When Jeremiah used the phrase concerning the Messiah that he will, ‘grow up to David a Branch of righteousness,’ he is referring to the Lord coming from the lineage of David as a man. The second part of the prophecy refers to the Second Coming of Christ, when He will come to execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. Only then will He bring the justice and judgment this world needs. In addition, the last part of this prophecy could not have been fulfilled prior to 1948. Why? Because the prophecy states that this good thing that God would do would be for, “the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” Yet this could not be done for them unless Israel and Judah were back in their land and a nation again. This is why God says He will fulfill this prophecy, “In those days and at that time.” Both Christ’s first and second coming occur at a very specific point in history. The time is now for this last part of the prophecy to be fulfilled.

Today we are living in the time and in the days when God has re-gathered His people back into their land, after over 1900 years of being dispersed throughout the world. That means that He is about to fulfill His promise, and bring the Messiah to execute judgment and justice in the earth. Think of it; we are sitting at the edge of the consummation of all things (Acts 3:19-21). There is no other people and no other nation in the history of the world that has ever been dispersed from their land and their culture for over 1900 years, and then been restored again. Yet, God declared that when, “The LORD shall build up Zion; He shall appear in His glory” (Psalm 102:16). The term Zion is used many places in Scripture as a synonym for the nation Israel and specifically for the city of Jerusalem. If you believe in God’s prophetic Word, get ready, because Jesus is about to appear in His glory. This is the good thing that He has promised to do, and He is a promise keeper.

2. Christ’s ultimate objective was also to reveal God’s mercy to the Gentiles.  Vs. 9-12

God made a covenant promise with the Jewish people, to bring the Messiah, “To finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” (Dan. 9:24). A portion of this prophecy was fulfilled at Christ’s first coming, and the rest will be fulfilled at His second coming. Jesus made good on His promise, “to make reconciliation for iniquity,” which then allowed any Gentile to come and confess their sin and be forgiven under God’s New Covenant (Matt. 26:28; Heb. 8:12-13). This is why Paul now quotes several verses of Scripture from the Old Testament in verses 9-12 concerning the salvation of the Gentiles. His point is that Jesus confirmed His promise to the Jews, so He could then draw all Gentiles to Himself. In verse 9, Paul writes that Jesus confirmed the promises to the Jewish fathers so that, “The Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” God’s intent is that all Gentiles might see what He has done by sending Jesus to this world to pay the price for all iniquity, and in so doing we would acknowledge His mercy. What a glorious truth! God wants us to realize His exceedingly abundant and amazing mercy toward us. If you believe in Jesus, I hope that you will just sit and meditate on this truth for a moment. God saw all your sin and mine and said, “If you will believe that I paid this enormous price for your sin, you can be forgiven” (John 3:16-17). Why would God ever show this kind of mercy to sinful men? He has declared the reason, “Because He delights in mercy” (Micah 7:18). This message of mercy should also be that which we proclaim to this lost world. Shout it from the housetops! God is a God of mercy! He forgave me, and He can forgive you too!

This is why Paul quotes these four Old Testament passages to reveal that God’s intention was always to save the Gentiles. David explains from Psalm 18:49 that one day he would be singing praise to God’s name right along with the Gentiles (Vs. 9). Moses declared the same truth in Deuteronomy 32:43, that one day the Gentiles would rejoice with the Jewish people (Vs. 10). David is quoted again from Psalm 117:1, encouraging all Gentiles to praise the Lord (Vs. 11). Then Paul quotes Isaiah 11:10, to show that one day the Gentiles will hope in the Root of Jesse, which is a reference to the Messiah (Vs. 12). These verses give you an amazing insight into the eternal plan of God concerning the Gentiles, and how God has also loved them with an everlasting love.

Why did Paul need all these verses to prove his point that God intended to show mercy to the Gentiles? The answer is quite simple. It shows that God’s intent is found throughout the Scriptures. The pastor that I grew up under, Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, always taught that if the New Testament truly taught a particular truth, then you should be able to find it in the teaching of Jesus in the Gospels, the practices of the apostles in the book of Acts, and it should also be found in the epistles. I have found the true wisdom of this statement many times throughout my fifty years of ministry, when I have tried to determine the difference between men’s opinions and true biblical teachings. Note that the Apostle Paul used these same criteria to show God’s heart toward the Gentiles when he quoted from the Law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets. From this example you should be extremely confident that God has always loved and desired to show mercy to the Gentiles.

In addition, do you realize that Jesus used this same methodology in His teaching? In Luke 24:44, it declares that after Christ’s resurrection He taught the disciples and said, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me.” This reveals that the law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all spoke about Jesus, and He used these verses to prove to the disciples that He was the fulfillment of all these prophecies. These passages taught who He was to be, and what He was to do. When you have a question about any teaching that you are questioning, use this method of study and you will be safe.

Consider using this method of study with the most important question about who Jesus was and is. Was Jesus an angel, or just a great prophet, or is He God come in human flesh? What did Jesus teach concerning Himself in the Gospels? Jesus said in John 8:24, “If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” Jesus made it clear that you must believe something very specific about Him. He is the great I AM. This is God’s personal name revealed to Moses when God confronted him in the burning bush (Ex. 3:13-15). Do you see this truth proclaimed by the apostles in the Book of Acts? Absolutely. As you read Luke’s account of the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:59, notice who Stephen called upon. “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’” Is this teaching about Christ found in the epistles? Yes, in every one of the epistles the apostles proclaimed the deity of Jesus (1 Peter 2:4-8; James 1:1; Jude 1:1). One such example is stated by the Apostle John, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). After reading these verses you can be absolutely certain of the teaching of the deity of Jesus Christ.

Now, how about subjecting the teaching of infant baptism to the same test? Do you find this idea taught by Jesus in the Gospels? No. Do you find it in the Book of Acts? No. Do you find it taught in the epistles? No. Do you see how this methodology of studying the Scriptures is so important in keeping you believing God’s truth and not men’s opinions? This is why Paul quoted all of these passages of Scripture in our text here in Romans. 

God’s heart and desire is to have mercy upon all people.

Now before we leave this thought concerning God’s desire to have mercy on the Gentiles, consider an even more profound truth. If God sent the Messiah to save both Jews and Gentiles, then that means He came to save all mankind because those are the only two classes of human beings on the planet. You are either a Jew or a Gentile. Do you realize that this very promise to save men begins in the book of Genesis and continues all the way through to the book of Revelation? Saving you is God’s objective! He wants to save every single person in this world. Why is this such an important truth? Because this biblical truth refutes the Calvinistic teaching that God only came to save a certain few elect or chosen people on the earth. This teaching is completely false. How can you be sure that what I’ve just stated is the truth? Let’s look at the Scripture and see what it teaches from beginning to end.

In Genesis 12:1-3, God gives a promise to Abram where He states, “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” Here is the Gospel taught in the Old Testament. God declared that He would bless Abram and his descendants who would become a great nation. But that is not all. God said that through Abram’s family lineage “all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” How could all the families of the earth be blessed? Only through the promised Messiah making reconciliation for the sins of all mankind. The Apostle Peter understood this fact when he preached the Gospel to the Jews. He said referring to Jesus, “Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities” (Acts 3:24-26). Each of us today who have believed in Jesus are a recipient of the promise of God to Abram. We have been so blessed by the power of God living in us. The Holy Spirit is the only power that can enable us to turn from our iniquities. What glorious mercy and grace has been bestowed upon all those who believe!

In the New Testament Jesus promised salvation to the world. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). Notice that Jesus said that God loved the world, not just the Jewish people, or not just the people He knew would believe in Him. He doesn’t want to condemn anyone in this world! He wants to save everyone! When Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Him,” He means it. Whoever means anyone and everyone who will choose to trust in Him. That is mercy beyond anyone’s wildest imagination!

In 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul again explains this incredible mercy when he declared, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). How many men does God desire to save? “All men,” means just what it says. Peter also said, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Who does God not want to perish? He doesn’t want any to perish, but He wants all people to come to repentance and to follow Him. This verse also refutes the teaching in the church where some people are chosen to be saved by God, and others have been ordained to be damned by God. Peter directly contradicts this teaching. God is absolutely not willing that any should perish!

The ultimate proof that God wants to show mercy to the entire world is found in one of the last events that takes place before the Second Coming of Christ. In Revelation 14:6, John records what he observed in his vison. John wrote, “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having an everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people--saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” Here is the God of all mercy using an angel to fly through the heavens to plead with the entire world to repent and worship God. In other words, God is declaring, “This is your last chance to turn to Me before judgment falls.” Remember, this is after the entire world has already had the hundred and forty-four thousand witnessing on the earth. The world has also had the two witnesses proclaiming the truth for three and half years, and yet the Lord still sends an angel flying through the heavens to give all people one last chance. This is incredible mercy! Why? Because He wants to save all mankind. 

What is the one thing men need to do with this offer of mercy? They simply need to receive it! John said it so clear when he wrote referring to Jesus, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:10-12). Receiving Jesus is a simple choice of your will and heart. You choose to receive Him because you believe that He is the Savior of the world. Believing then gives you the right to become His child. All believers and non-believers are God’s creation, but only those who choose to believe and receive Him become His children. Faith is the only way to become related to Him and enter His eternal family. May each of you reading these words choose to believe and receive Him today!

What is God’s ultimate objective for your life?  Vs. 13

Paul declared, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God’s ultimate objective is not only to save all the people on this earth, but He also wants those He does save to have abounding hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Hope is one of the greatest needs every human being has. Paul taught that there were three very important things we need. He told the Corinthian church, “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). But those who have rejected Jesus, or for believers who are living superficial Christian lives, they will never experience these benefits. Why? Because God is the only hope in this life. He is the source of true hope for anyone who will walk with Him on a daily basis. To experience true hope, you must have a real relationship and fellowship with the God of hope, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is how hope happens in your life.

How important is true hope? Without hope you cannot experience the power and reality of true faith. Why? Because, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). The word substance is the Greek word for confidence or assurance. The word evidence means the conviction and proof of what is not seen. Therefore, to walk in true faith you must have a confidence and conviction of things not seen. This conviction results from being in fellowship with the God of all hope! This hope becomes the basis of your faith which gives you access to the love of God, which He will pour forth into your hearts (Rom. 5:5). Remember that this hope that God gives to you, is not a “hope-so” kind of hope. No! True biblical hope brings a confident expectation and the assurance of a fact as we have already seen in the definition of the words of Hebrews 11:1. This confident conviction will give you boldness in your heart as you come to God in prayer, and seek Him for answers to your questions.

How do you get this hope in your heart in the first place?

1. Hope results from hearing the truth of the Gospel.

This is where hope originates in the heart of each of us. In some manner you heard the truth of the gospel message and the promises of God, and hope began to flood your heart. Hope that God truly exists and that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Hope came into you as you realized that you could be forgiven of your sins, and that your life could truly be changed. I remember the first time I heard the gospel when someone told me that God loved me and that God wanted to forgive me. I thought to myself, You don’t know what I have done. I said these words to the man who spoke with me, and he responded, “That’s not true, the Lord knows everything that you have done, and He still loves you.” He then shared some Scripture with me assuring me that God would forgive. This seed of hope was sown in my heart that day, which eventually brought forth the fruit of faith many months later when I heard the gospel again. The hope of those Scriptures ultimately brought forth the faith I needed to receive Christ and turn from my sins.

The Word of the truth of the gospel is also where your hope continues to grow. Every time you open your Bible to read, God will fill you with hope. We considered this truth in our previous study where Paul wrote, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). So, the next time you are depressed and have no hope, open up your Bible and begin to read. You will begin to experience hope filling your heart and mind. Trusting Him again will be the natural next step.

2. Hope results from the power of the Spirit living in you.

Remember that Paul said, “you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Hope is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). That means that you need to be filled and re-filled with the Spirit every day of your life. Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luke 11:13)! Here is a promise of Jesus that you should claim every morning when you awaken from sleep. Cry out to Him for more of His Holy Spirit, and He will give it to you. The word ask in this verse is in the present tense, which means that you need to ask continually whenever you sense the need. This means there is more of the Spirit that God wants to give to you right now. There is more of the Spirit He wants to give to you tomorrow, and the next day, and the next! If God wants you to ask, then ask right now, and hope will flood your soul.

3. Hope results from the experience of walking with Him.

Paul explained this truth earlier in this epistle. He taught us that, “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:3-5). As you trust God through the trials of this life and see Him strengthen and change you, the natural result is hope. Why? Because you realize that God actually does work all things together for your good if you love and trust Him (Rom. 8:28). But this takes a lifetime of experience in going through the storms of life, and seeing Him come through for you every time. This generates more hope for the next trial that will come your way.

4. Hope results from listening to others share the hope they have in Him.

This hope comes from the counsel of a pastor, counselor, or a good friend who has experienced the God of all hope. Each of the epistles in the New Testament are a testimony intended to inspire hope in your heart. The writer of Hebrews encouraged, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23). When anyone encourages you to hold fast to your faith and hope, they are doing so because they know God is faithful. Why? Because they have found Him faithful in their own life experience. The next time you are discouraged, please allow someone to strengthen you with their confession of hope. But this requires you to ask for their help and then listen and receive the encouragement given.

Accessing joy and peace in believing.

The final proof that God’s ultimate objective has been accomplished in you is the fact that you experience joy and peace in believing. Paul said, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” You must be clear on what Paul is saying here. The only way to get joy and peace inside of you is by believing! There is no joy or peace in unbelief! Faith is how you access the presence of God and the grace that He wants to bestow (Rom. 5:1-2). Your faith is the proof that the God of hope has truly filled you with His hope by the power of His Spirit. When I have counseled people, who have no joy or peace within, I know that they are in a state of unbelief. They are overwhelmed by the circumstances they see, and they are not trusting the God of all hope. When you have this mindset, go back and look at my last four points of where hope comes from. This is where you must begin. You must abide in these truths and apply them to your life, if you want to experience His joy and peace!

Jesus made one of the most important promises concerning your peace when He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Notice that Jesus said, “My peace I give to you.” This is literally the peace that Jesus experiences, which is given to you. But you must refuse to allow your heart to be troubled by what you see going on around you. This is a choice only you can make. Don’t let fear rule you; let His peace rule inside you! Stop right now, and recognize that God is in control of your life (Rom. 8:28). He will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5). He promised to be with us always even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:20). You are His child, and He will care for you to the end of your life. God has given you these exceedingly great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:3-4). Believing these promises will naturally result in the joy and peace of God filling your soul. Don’t miss the blessing. All you need to do is open your heart to God at this moment and ask Him to fill you with His Spirit. What will that do? Paul said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). May He fill your heart right now!