"Fruits of the Holy Spirit"

Faithfulness

Faithfulness is a manifold fruit its comprised of devotion to God, loyalty to people to whom you commit things and a dependability that shows you carry out your responsibilities. It is the ability to keep your word like God does. It is a firm and unchanging resolution that's not affected by circumstances. There will be challenges to your faithfulness - time can change people, emotional and other kinds of disappointments, financial setbacks, relationships or marriages breaking down are some.

The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, ...- 1 Samuel 26:23

Faithfulness to God, is the ability to stick to your beliefs and convictions no matter what the external consequences or circumstances. Its a deep rooted sense of loyalty to God and His people that is not humanly possible. God rewards the faithful, He sees what most people miss.
Unfaithfulness is everywhere in our world, from marriages breaking up due to unfaithfulness to unfaithful businesses that dishonor others and themselves by their dishonesty. Unfaithfulness can also be found among God's children who refuse to use His Word as a guide and live life carnally.

I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.- Hosea 2:20

The ultimate test of faithfulness is holding on to what you believe when you are faced with death. It is this kind of faithfulness that the martyrs of the early church displayed that led to the manifold increase in the church.

BIBLICAL INSPIRATION

There was once a king called Nebuchadnezzar in ancient Babylon. The kingdom he ruled was mighty, prosperous and wealthy. His armies were victorious, all the enemies they faced were crushed and the kingdom accumulated a lot of riches and territory. The whole world knew of the kingdom and was in awe of the king.
King Nebuchadnezzar over time grew proud and arrogant. He thought there was nothing greater than him in the world. He passed a strange law, he made a huge golden statue of himself and declared that he was God. He said that whenever the people heard the sound of trumpets and horn they all are to fall down and worship before the image. Also anybody who refused to do so was to be cast into a burning furnace.There were three men Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were men of great faith and walked with God. They were successful in whatever they did and this made the nobles jealous of them. These men would never bow down or worship anything other than the one true God they knew and loved. The nobles knew this and decided to use it against them, they plotted against the three men and complained to the king. They said while the whole kingdom stops whatever they are doing and worships you when the horns and trumpets are blown, these three men don't bother and carry on with their work. They complained that these men do not serve or worship the god the king has set up.
The king was furious, he had a great regard for these men at the same time it hurt his ego that they publicly went against a law that he decreed. He summoned the three men and asked them, Is it true what the nobles say? That you do not care for my law and publicly refuse to worship the golden image I have set up? The men answered yes. The king said, I will give you a last chance, If you bow down now and worship the image, I will let you go or else I will burn you in a furnace as I have decreed. Let the God of Israel whom you worship, save you if he can.
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah boldly answered the king saying, we know fully well that the God of Israel can deliver us from anything you do to us. They refused publicly to bow down before any image of the king. The king was furious and asked his soldiers to heat the furnace to seven times its capacity and to cast these men into the furnace immediately.
The soldiers obeyed the king and tied up the three men and carried them to the furnace to throw them in. The furnace was so hot that the men who threw there in were burned alive and died. The king however was shocked, he clearly saw three men tied up and thrown into the fire but now inside the furnace he could see four men walking around untied. He also saw that the fourth man looked like the "Son of God". It is believed that this was Jesus Christ.
The king ordered his men to open the furnace, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah came out with absolutely no damage to their body. The whole court and many people saw this wonder and were amazed. King Nebuchadnezzar was stunned, he declared that blessed be the God of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who came to the rescue of his servants and sent his angel to protect them from him. He then declared that nobody can speak against the God of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah and promoted them to high posts as he knew that God was with them.
This is a story of unflinching faithfulness even in the face of death that was shown by three courageous men of God. This kind of faithfulness that the Holy Spirit can bring into each of our lives.

LIFE APPLICATION

*Recognize the importance of faithfulness in your life, God rewards the faithful.
*Keep your word and commitments despite the circumstances, never give up on God.