Fruits of the Holy Spirit

[Shammu]

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Paul gives us a list of fruit. The list is meant as a contrast to the list of the deeds of the flesh' found in Galatians 5:19-20. The fruit list is clearly not intended as an exhaustive description of the fruit, but was given to highlight the fruit that Paul wants the Galatian church to keep in mind. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

Jeremiah 6:19, God speaks of the disaster which is about to come, and speaks of it as "the fruit of their plans" -- that which comes from evil scheming. So bad character also comes to fruition.

The early church continued this concern about how those with the Spirit develop a character like that of Christ's. Some of them spend much of their writing time on describing what this character is. Polycarp, for instance, in his letter to the church in Philippi, wrote that the church's leaders are to have "a wide compassion for humanity", which does not put off doing kindnesses. (Think here of Jewish mitzvot , it's about going beyond merely doing good, into being someone who is characterized by doing good, to honor God and for the sake of others.) He, like Paul, also writes about what is not a part of this character : gossip, the undermining of others, easily believing ill of others, loose sexual behavior, empty speech, quick temper, and most especially the eagerness for money.

The early Protestant pietists shared this concern. They knew from Scripture that if the Spirit dwells in a person, that person will start taking on the characteristics described as the fruit of the Spirit. The Spirit works to change Christians so that they have the depth of character the Bible talks about. It's not automatic or sudden. Like everything else in this broken world and its broken people, it's something that arises in part, not completely, in this life. We are always 'under construction', just like any good web site is. Many later pietists and Holiness believers, unfortunately, forgot how deeply marred we are by sin, and saw failure to live in these 'fruit' as proof that the Spirit was not at work. This resulted in a new legalism made of a decision to obey behavioral rules rooted in law, not in a soul which grew through the Spirit's work to bear good fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..." The fruit of the Holy Spirit are the results of the Holy Spirit taking a role in the life of a Christian. The Bible makes it clear that everyone receives the Holy Spirit the moment they believe in Jesus Christ Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14. One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a Christian's life is to change that life. It is the Holy Spirit's job to conform us to the image of Christ, making us more like Him.

The Christian life is a battle of the acts of the sinful nature with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As fallen human beings, we are still trapped in a body that desires sinful things Romans 7:14-25. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in us and the Holy Spirit's power available to us to conquer the acts of the sinful nature 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13. A Christian will never be completely victorious in always demonstrating the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the main purposes of the Christian life, though, to progressively allow the Holy Spirit to produce more and more of His fruit in our lives - and to all the Holy Spirit to conquer the opposing sinful desires. The fruit of the Spirit is what God desires our lives to look like. And with the Holy Spirit’s help, it is possible.

Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.

Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" 1 John 4:16. Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" Nehemiah 8:10. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:2.

Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" Romans 5:1. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" Romans 15:13.

Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Gentleness - We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" 2 Corinthians 6:6-7.

Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" 1 Thessalonians 1:11. "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" Ephesians 5:9.

Faith - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" Isaiah 25:1. "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Holy Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" Ephesians 3:16-17.

Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" Galatians 6:1. "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" Ephesians 4:2.

Temperance - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" 2 Peter 1:5-7.

We don't need to turn to the Law to give rise to character in ourselves and our children. We need to turn to the Holy Spirit, and understand that the Holy Ghost will be working overtime to change us, working literally till Kingdom come, refashioning us into being like Christ.

God's orchard, is the "Fruits of the Spirit." God wants to be our leverage in living, empowering us to feel better about ourselves, more excited about our future, more grateful for those we love and more enthusiastic about our faith.

May you find, God's orchard.
Bob

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

[felix102]

One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a Christian's life is to change that life. It is the Holy Spirit's job to conform us to the image of Christ, making us more like Him.

The Christian life is a battle of the acts of the sinful nature with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As fallen human beings, we are still trapped in a body that desires sinful things Romans 7:14-25. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in us and the Holy Spirit's power available to us to conquer the acts of the sinful nature 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13. A Christian will never be completely victorious in always demonstrating the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the main purposes of the Christian life, though, to progressively allow the Holy Spirit to produce more and more of His fruit in our lives - and to all the Holy Spirit to conquer the opposing sinful desires. The fruit of the Spirit is what God desires our lives to look like. And with the Holy Spirit’s help, it is possible.

Amen bro.

The Spirit is inside us transforming us and on the outside we are conforming to Christ. People can see these by the fruits that we will bear. These are the fruits of the Holy Spirit. I think some people may mistake this concept by thinking that they themselves can bear these fruits of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance by their own ability. But it is not by our own abilities that we can acheive this!!

It is by the work of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. And that is in our spirit. We need to be led by the spirit at all costs! I believe that this is listening to the inward life and denying our mind and body. We should not do things based on what we think is right or wrong...even if we are correct. We should do things based on the Spirit. That Spirit was given to us when Christ died and resurrected. The Holy Spirit came and dwelt in us with the purpose of transforming us from inside out to become Sons of Glory, Sons of God...with Christ as the Firstborn(romans 8:29, galatians 4:6). Praise this Lord! This is our destiny! To be glorified.


To put this to practice you must surrender yourself and deny yourself, COMPLETELY. We have recognized that we are sinners...but we need to recognize that we are even less...nothing! We are nothing without Christ. Our wisdom may be true but it is empty and nothing without Christ. Our works may be great but it is empty and nothing without Christ. We must decrease, He must increase (John 3:30).

Christ needs to be your mind. Christ needs to be your will. Christ needs to be your emotion. He needs to move out from your spirit into your soul.

Christ needs to be everything to you. He is the great I AM. In Him we have no want (psalm 23:1). In Him we can do ALL things (phillipians 4:13). That is why we should know...

1 cor 3:21
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours:

We have all things in Christ. We truly do. Can you believe this? So stop relying on yourself and on other men. It is not by your own ability that you truly have anything. Rely on Christ and know that Jesus is REAL and LIVING. Apart from Christ you can do nothing (john 15:5).

It is through Christ that we can bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

[MalkyEL]

I think you forgot two of them  

Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth),
10 proving what is acceptable to the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them .

Hbr 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Jam 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

shalom, nana

[felix102]

So how do we rely on Jesus for all our problems? Simply call on Him and believe with all your heart that He will deliver you. Trust in the Lord.

Romans 10:12
...the same Lord over all is rich unto all that CALL UPON HIM.

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall CALL UPON THE NAME of the Lord shall be SAVED.

Saved not only for our eternal salvation, but saved also of ALL our situations...saved from this world and hell.

Psalm 25:1
To you O Lord, I lift up my soul;
in you I trust, O my God.

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepard, I shall not be in want.

Psalm 27:1
The Lord is my light and my salvation...
The Lord is the stronghold of my life...

Who is Lord? Jesus is Lord!! That is why we call Him Lord, because He is the Lord of everything. He is everything to us. I would just simply go over Psalms and see how much the Lord can apply in all things and all situations.

[JudgeNot]

Felix says:

Who is Lord? Jesus is Lord!!

A real cheerleader for Christ!

Felix - I love your enthusiasm!
JN

[2nd Timothy]

Amen....good message!

Grace and Peace!

[felix102]

Felix says:

Who is Lord? Jesus is Lord!!

A real cheerleader for Christ!

Felix - I love your enthusiasm!
JN

lol, not that being a cheerleader is bad...but back in my highschool they were made fun of.  

I shouldnt say it's my enthusiasm, but rather it be the Spirit's. Christ has preeminence. Christ is the center. Christ is the Lord! No one speaking by the Spirit of God can say, "Jesus be cursed" and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.

Will you acknowledge Christ before men also? If not then Christ will not acknowledge you before the father.

Can you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe it in your heart?

[Shammu]

Felix says:

Who is Lord? Jesus is Lord!!

A real cheerleader for Christ!

Felix - I love your enthusiasm!
JN

lol, not that being a cheerleader is bad...but back in my highschool they were made fun of.  

I shouldnt say it's my enthusiasm, but rather it be the Spirit's. Christ has preeminence. Christ is the center. Christ is the Lord! No one speaking by the Spirit of God can say, "Jesus be cursed" and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit.

Will you acknowledge Christ before men also? If not then Christ will not acknowledge you before the father.

Can you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe it in your heart?

AMEN! brother felix!

[JudgeNot]

The simple act of attempting to the best of one's ability to live one's life "Christ-like" is being a cheerleader for Him.

Believe me - peopleDO notice.  

When confronted face-to-face, Jesus cannot be ignored.  Period.

Christians do stand out.  

[felix102]

Hey Jim,

The simple act of attempting to the best of one's ability to live one's life "Christ-like" is being a cheerleader for Him.

I think I know what you mean. A simple act to bring forth Christ is to be a cheerleader. But for others, to make sure this is clear, it is by no means of our own ability that we can live Christ-like.

What will happen if we by our own ability try to live like Christ? We will try to do good works, serve others, get involve in a ministry, study the bible...but doesnt it seem that in the end we still lack something? I see many people doing this. On the outside they seem to be doing well, but on the inside it is a different story. How can we become Christ-like? Is it by what we do on the outside? Or what is happening in the inside?

When someone is sick that person can make herself look better in two ways. She can put on makeup and hide her sickness or she can take in food, vitamins, and anti-oxidants (antioxidants are so underrated  ). Which do you say is better? Things done on the outside will do nothing about that sickness. But what changes on the inside -the food and vitamins- will make her healthy on the outside...and take away the source of the sickness which is inside.

To have a Christ-like life it must be a transformation from inside out. No matter how hard you try to do it on the outside it is nothing but makeup...a facade. When give Christ who is inside you access to all the things around you, Christ will move into those areas of your life...and then Christ will take over. That will then be a Christ-like life.