Something that just came to me: I started thinking about the fruit of the Spirit– how does a plant bear fruit? I did some research and fruit always starts as a flower. The flower must be fertilized (via pollination) before it can bear fruit. The fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. So what are the flowers, the precursor to the fruits of the Spirit? I believe they are the promises of God! We can not bear the fruits of the Spirit without believing Gods promises! Also I believe the process of fertilization is faith. We also can not bear the fruits of the Spirit without faith in God, the promises of God (the flowers) can not become fruit without faith!