Bearing Fruit

Cultivating The Fruit Of The Holy Spirit

The Christian life is not simply the absence of sin but the presence of life manifested in us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Galatians 5:22–26 NKJV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

I. The Indwelling Presence Of The Holy Spirit Gives Life

“It is one thing to overcome the flesh and not do evil things, but quite something else to do good things.

The legalist might be able to boast that he is not guilty of adultery or murder (but see Matt. 5:21–32), but can anyone see the beautiful graces of the Spirit in his life?

Negative goodness is not enough in a life; there must be positive qualities as well.”

• It is not sufficient to say as the Pharisee in his self righteous prayer did in Lu 18:11

Luke 18:11 NKJV

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

• Christ did not come to make us better “keepers of the Law”

• Christ came “that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

• It is one thing to overcome sin in your life, it is quite another to be able to see the fruit of His Spirit in your life.

II. The Contrast between Works and Fruit

When speaking of the flesh Paul writes in vs. 19 that“…the works of the flesh are evident.” Yet when he speaks of the Spirit he says “The Fruit of the Spirit.”

A machine can produce “work” It is an inanimate object that produces a work. On the other hand fruit can only come from something that has life and in the case of the believer, it is the life of the Spirit

What do you think of when you hear the word “Work?”

• Effort, labor, strain, toil, sweat

When you think of fruit what comes to mind?

• Beauty, quietness, unfolding of life

The Flesh produces only dead works!

• Some by reason of discipline and strong will may be able to inhibit or cease from certain sinful practices. But this is only “works”

• It requires the indwelling life giving presence of the Holy Spirit to produce the life giving graces known as the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Fruit by nature have living seed within them which will produce an even greater harvest of the same fruit.

• In this manner when the Holy Spirit brings for the fruit of the Spirit in Love, it will only serve to produce more love. Joy will only give rise to more joy.

• Jesus is concerned that our lives will produce Fruit

John 15:2 NKJV

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:5 NKJV

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

• In fact Jesus says that this is how we glorify God. John 15:8

John 15:8 NKJV

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Our old sinful nature – the flesh can never produce fruit. Only our new nature can do that!

III. New Testament Use of Fruit

The New Testament uses the term Fruit for several things.

• In Rom. 1:13 refers to having “people won to Christ”

Romans 1:13 NKJV

Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

• In Rom 6:22 it refers to living a “Holy Life”

Romans 6:22 NKJV

But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

• In Col. 1:10 it refers to “good works”

Colossians 1:10 NKJV

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

• In Heb 13:15 it refers to our Praise to God “Fruit of our lips”

Hebrews 13:15 ESV

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

• In our text though the term fruit is referring to “Character”

We must understand and make a distinction as does the scripture. For instance:

Acts 2:38 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 11:17 speak of the Gift of the Spirit refer to Salvation

Acts 11:17 NKJV

If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

1Cor. 12 speaks of the Gifts of the Spirit referring to enablements for service. Too often the Church becomes hyper focused on the gifts of the Spirit and not so much the fruit of the Spirit.

But our passage in Galatians speaks of the Fruit of the Spirit which has to do with the graces of the Holy Spirit or Christian Character.

While it is important to understand and seek after the gifts of the Spirit for service, building and manifesting Christ like character should always take precedence over displaying special abilities.

After all, what good is it if you can sing like an angel but you have the character of a “Skunk.”

IV. IT IS FRUIT NOT FRUITS

The character that God wants us to manifest in our lives is the direct result of the inner working of the Holy Spirit in us. It is God’s design/purpose for our lives to manifest Christ.

Romans 8:28–29 NKJV

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God’s expressed purpose is that we manifest the character of Christ and in Galatians we see the “ninefold fruit of the Spirit.”

It is one Fruit, manifesting it self in nine different ways.

Like a diamond with it’s many facets, all of them equally important, all of them necessary to see the full splendor of it’s greatness.

So to all the nine different manifestations of the fruit of the spirit are needed for the full revelation of the Glory of the person of Christ to be revealed.

Conclusion:

Do you struggle to manifest the character traits of the Holy Spirit?

• Perhaps it is your struggle is because you attempting to utilize your carnal nature are trying to overcome sin. You are seeking by sheer determination of your will to be able to say, “I don’t smoke, I don’t swear, I don’t do this or the other thing.”

• The Christian life is not about just about not sinning! It is also about living! And if that life is lived “In the Spirit” Paul says, you cannot fulfill the lust of the flesh”

• You see, you can try to live the Christian life in your own strength and you will live a life filled with small victories and great frustrations.

All you will see is the life of negatives.

But to have life you must yield to the spirit.

You must submit and surrender to his presence and will in your life.

Only then can the principle of life be release in your life as he brings forth the “fruit of the Spirit” through the inward change of your character, causing your life to shine forth with the glory of Christ.