Here is a list of known principles of God or fruits of the Spirit of God.  This is followed by a definition of what a principle is.

Honesty
Persistence
Forgiveness
Compassion
Courage
Love
Faith
Encouragement
Fairness
Gentleness
Giving
Goodness
Growth
Human Dignity
Integrity
Joy
Longsuffering
Meekness
Nurturance
Patience
Peace
Potential
Process
Quality
Service
Temperance
Trust
Truth

What is a Principle?

Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value.  They’re fundamental.  They’re essentially unarguable because they are self-evident.

One way to quickly grasp the self-evident nature of principles is to simply consider the absurdity of attempting to live an effective life based on their opposites.  I doubt that anyone would seriously consider unfairness, deceit, baseness, uselessness, mediocrity, or degeneration to be a solid foundation for lasting happiness and success.

Although people may argue about how these principles are defined or manifested or achieved, there seems to be an innate consciousness and awareness that they exist.

Principles are deep, fundamental truths that have universal application.  They apply to individuals, to marriages, to families, to private and public organizations of every kind.

Principles are not practices (works).  A practice is a specific activity or action.  A practice that works in one circumstance will not necessarily work in another.  When principles are internalized into habits, they empower people to create a wide variety of practices to deal with different situations.  To invoke a principle is to put it into a practice (a work).

Principles are not values.  A gang of thieves can share values, but they are in violation of the fundamental principles we’re talking about such as honesty.  Principles are the territory.  Values are maps.  When we value correct principles, we have truth……we put on Jesus Christ.

All principles are Spirit.  They are the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).  God and Jesus Christ ARE principles.  God and Jesus Christ are Spirit.   The more we invoke principles the more we become like Christ.  You are, in essence becoming like and preparing to be a member of the God Family.

Principles of Personal Leadership

The following was taken from the book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."  This information will give you some basic information regarding principles and what they can do in our lives.  I will mix quotes from the book with my own comments.

THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE

Habit 2 –– Begin with the End in Mind

Principles of Personal Leadership

What it Means

To begin with the end in mind is to begin with the image of the end of your life as the frame of reference by which everything else is measured.  We may be busy, we may be efficient, but we will only be effective if we begin with the end in mind.

All Things are Created Twice
Habit 2 is based on the principle that all things are created twice:

          –a mental or first creation
          –a physical or second creation

Most endeavors that fail, fail with the first creation.

God's Word gives us a prime example of beginning with the End in mind:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  -Matthew 6:33

With this end in mind, coupled with our Godly calling, we choose to take all those appropriate actions that will make that vision real and give us our entrance into that Kingdom.  It works the same with each Godly principle we embrace and make a part of our lives.

By Design or Default
There is a first creation to every part of our lives.  We are either the second creation of our own proactive creation, or we are the second creation of other people's agendas, of circumstances or of past habits.

Leadership and Management
Habit 2 is based on principles of personal leadership, which mean that leadership is the first creation.  Management is the second creation.  Management is doing things right, leadership is doing the right things.  Often people get into managing with efficiency, setting and achieving goals before they have even clarified values.

Rescripting:  Becoming Your Own First Creator [or unlearning the ways of the World and learning the Ways of God]
Proactivity is based on the endowment of self-awareness.  Two additional endowments enable us to expand our proactivity and to exercise personal leadership in our lives:

          –imagination allows to visualize our potential.  The Word of God fires our imagination and gives us that vision.
          –conscience allows us to develop our talents within the context of principles and personal guidelines. God is the source of these principles and guidelines.

A personal Mission Statement
The most effective way to begin with the end in mind is to develop a personal mission statement.  The key to the ability to change is a changeless sense of who you are, what you are about and what you value.  Clearly the Word of God gives us these things.  Once you have a sense of mission, you have the essence of your own proactivity:  the vision and values which direct your life, the basic direction from which you set your goals.

Let me restate this in spiritual terms.  Our goal is to become like Christ.  Christ is the embodiment of all the principles we will discover in this study.  With our calling to repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit, we immerse ourselves into the Word of God, which is the mind of God and Christ.  We see that we are sinners, worthy of death.  We see that we MUST change if we are to attain eternal life in the Kingdom of God.  We learn that we must redirect our lives by learning about and invoking the principles of God [the fruits of the Spirit]. 

Our mission statement is: "I will become like Christ."  With this as our sense of mission, we have the essence of our own proactivity.  We have our vision and with immersion into the Word of God, we have the principles and values which will direct our lives.  We have our direction.  All our goals now are under the heading of the ultimate goal, the Kingdom of God.

At the Center
Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom and power.  What is at the center of your life?  How are you centered?

Alternative Centers
Spouse centeredness
Family centeredness
Money centeredness
Work centeredness
Possession centeredness
Pleasure centeredness
Friend/enemy centeredness
Church centeredness
Self centeredness

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of these elements.  There is nothing inherently wrong with work, possessions, money or pleasure.  However something else must be at our center.

A Principle Center [or Christ Center]
Our lives need to be centered on correct principles–deep, fundamental truths, classic biblical truths, generic common [spiritual] denominators.  As a principle or Christ centered person, you better manage all the alternative centers.  You make right decisions and take biblically appropriate action in all situations.

In this study, you will better attain Christ centeredness.