Sera is a theatre production student from La'Salle, she never fails to inspire others around her with her deep convictions and carefree expression of God's love. She's blessed with a beautiful singing voice too! 
Though the power for Christlike character comes from Christ, the responsibility for developing and displaying that character is ours.
Philipians 2:12-13
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.
It is us who are called to self-activity, to have active pursuit of the will of God, to promote our spiritual life in himself, to realize the virtues of the Christian life, and to personally apply to salvation. =)
If this was all that was asked of us, we'd be left to our own devices, to our own strength of character and our own willpower.
But Paul does not stop with just our responsibility, he says, "For it is God who works in you."
The spiritual power that enables us to apply ourselves to the cultivation of Christian graces is of God. He works in us so that we can will and act upon it.
Dutch reformed pastor George W. Bethune quotes:
"While, therefore, we grow in the Christian life by divine grace, it is our duty to grow in grace. Besides, the quality of grace is such that, though it is strength from God, we must use it. Grace gives no new faculty, but strengthens the faculties which we have... hence the fruits of the spirit are the qualities and actions of the renewed man, not produced without him, but wrought through him... Let us then be ever mindful of our entire dependence upon the spirit of God... [but] let us be ever mindfu of our duty to maintain good works."
The fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5 are commands addressed to our responsibility. We are to have those traits because God has already given us the power to attain them. =)
With Philippians 3:12-14, we learn that there's a need to press on and strain forward. Paul even tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:7 to train himself to be godly. =)
With God's power, we're to use it to develop our characters so that we can display them to please God. No wait for His power to work its way into our hearts. =)
Love you guys....
