“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The greatest manifestation of our progress in our relationship with God will never be through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A person can be an extremely gifted preacher or teacher yet show very little evidence of growth and maturity in the things of God. -RC Sproul
We will be examined and evaluated at the end of our lives not by the number of gifts we display, nor by the talents God has given to us. We will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ by how much fruit we bore as followers of Christ.
Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-18
Seek the Kingdom of God first and His righteousness: all these things will be added to you. Matt 6:33
Our demonstration of our walk in the spirit is to be manifested by the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Walk in the Spirit and you should not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are against each other. Galatians 5:16-18
The works of the flesh are manifest as such: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, evnyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings – they which practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 One of the scariest passages in the Bible because we all know someone (it could be our self) who battles these things. If these things define your lifestyle and this is your practice, you are in the flesh and not in the Spirit of God. There is a difference in battling your sin/flesh and practicing your sin with no desire to repent. There will always be a battle with the flesh. The Word of God disciplines that flesh and we should be seeking the Word on all matters, including our sin and never justifying it or getting comfortable in it. It is by our fruit that you will recognize the people of God.
“16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:16-20
The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of the flesh. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us no be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26
All of us are called to bear the fruit of the spirit. All of us are called to be gentle, good, faithful, meek, have temperance, love, joy, and peace.
Jesus was extremely tender with the weak and the powerless of the world. The woman caught in adultery – he was tender. He didn’t point his finger, He sent the pharisees packing and told her to go and sin no more. Jesus was strong against the strong. Firm against the powerful, but tender against the weak. Not everyone is to be treated in the same manner. Moderate the strengths that you have! Not everyone needs a strong or firm hand.
As followers of Christ, we rejoice. Our joy is never defined by the loss of a loved one, the loss of possessions, the loss of a job, or the loss of anything else. We’ll be affected by many setbacks in this world; but these setbacks are not to rob us of the foundational JOY that we have in Christ. Nothing compares to the wonderful fullness of the Spirit that we enjoy in the presence of God. That is something that has to be cultivated. A relationship has to be tended. A relationship has to grow.
God is not hasty to judge. These fruits imitate the very character of God. God is long-suffering. He is patient. He gives us time to turn around.
Excerpts from a sermon by R. C. Sproul <-- Click to hear the entire sermon
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6:24-26