Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law. 

Many believers can have the Holy Spirit but that does not mean they walk in the Holy Spirit. For instance, to physically walk properly, you must have both legs functioning properly. Well, the same applies to our walk in the Holy Spirit. We must have two “legs”– the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit which could represent character and charisma.

In Galatians 5:22-23 we see that there are nine gifts of the Holy Spirit but one fruit of the Spirit. It’s interesting because Paul doesn’t call it the nine fruits of the Spirit; he names nine characteristics and calls them the fruit. Why is it singular and not plural? Well, these nine character qualities of the Holy Spirit come at the same time.

This fruit is what He develops in our character throughout our lifetime.

One important thing to remember is that fruit is not developed by striving. Trees don’t struggle to produce fruit. Branches simply abide on the tree, and they bear fruit. The Holy Spirit will use your surrender, not striving, to make His character in you. It’s your attachment to the Holy Spirit that brings fruit. Therefore, as believers, we shouldn’t “work” on our fruit; we should work on developing a close relationship with Him, and fruit will come as a result. That’s why it’s called the fruit of the Holy Spirit, not the fruit of our efforts.

Before describing the fruit of the Spirit, Paul writes about the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). The works of the flesh are plural, but the fruit of the Spirit is singular. Interestingly, all those evil works he mentions are connected with the flesh, not the devil. That means there are two approaches to character formation: the flesh or the Holy Spirit—works or fruit.

Maybe the problem with our character is that we are working on it out of our flesh instead of letting the Holy Spirit produce those qualities by a continuous surrender to His indwelling presence. Our natural inclinations, marred by sin, often steer us toward selfish desires and actions, leading us away from God’s perfect plan for our lives. However, when we are rooted in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to lead, these nine virtues manifest beautifully, showcasing the transformative power of God’s presence within us.

 And it is not enough that we cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well. Our conversation will always be answerable to the principle which guides and governs us, Ro 8:5. We must set ourselves in earnest to mortify the deeds of the body, and to walk in newness of life. Not being desirous of vain-glory or unduly wishing for the esteem and applause of men, not provoking or envying one another, but seeking to bring forth more abundantly those good fruits, which are, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God. Bible Hub