Spiritual Fruit

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. To begin with Brothers and sisters, Christians Friends, well wishers and Saints of God As we take a fresh look at the formation of this formidable text I see some pertinent facts. 1. Paul is speaking to the Church a Galatia and just like every other church the church at Galatia had problem Yeah 3x. Tell your neighbor : Every Church got some kind of problem. And so just to let you know that in Chapter one Paul had to preach and teach to the Galatians that there is no other Gospel and for the few charlatans who are coming and perverting the word of God better stop.

Then in Chapter 2 Some of the elders questioned whether Paul was a legitimate Apostle of Jesus Christ or not. In other words Peter James and John had to vouch for Paul that he was the real deal.

Then in Chapter 3 Paul got really hard He said Oh Foolish Galatians who has bewitched you. And in 2023 if we don’t watch out we’ll start allowing nay and everything to go on in God’s church. They were heavy into witchcraft and idolatry. The Paul had to tell them that the Just shall live by Faith not by works. Listen you can’t buy your way to heaven it’s a gift from God.

Then in Chapter 4 Paul made the Galatians realize that we are sons and heirs of God and when you’e an heir you have start acting like royalty as an heir ought to. Then in Chapter 5 we drop the anchor and talk about a plethora of circumstances but mainly the kind of spiritual fruit you are supposed too bear.

Let’s read the text again 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.This profound text follows some ugly stuff. and I concluded that if the church is not taught righteousness and the church is left to itself and the church doesn’t get a sure word from God all kind of crazy chaotic and coo coo stuff will be going on. I wish i could pass it up but in order to make the case of the spiritual fruit that we are require to obtain, I’ve got too go back and deal with the ugly. Look at Galatians Chapter 5:13 My brothers and sisters, God called you to be free, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. Serve each other with love. In other words just because you’re saved by Grace and not the law stop acting like you can do any and everything sinful. 14 The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Paul say that we’ve got to love one another and serve each other in Godly Love . And Paul said stop biting and fighting each other and acting like the people of the world. Paul said the church at Galatia had some serious problems and in verses 17-19 that the church was acting like they couldn’t control their flesh. And the word of God say that the flesh wars against the Spirit all the time. The flesh and the spirit are never on the same team. No No No because in my flesh dwells no good thing. Paul says here’s your gauge here’s your barometer and here’s how you see when you’re out of line Look at verses 19. The bible says in the NCV “ The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins, 20 worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people, 21 feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these”. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God’s kingdom. I counted 16 wrongful things that according to the word of God will keep us from inheriting the Kingdom of God. And so in 2023 if you find yourself on the bad list, you can change.

Tell your neighbor : You can change 2x Listen Nobody can change for you, You’ve got to make changes to your lifestyle for yourself. Ok Ok OK Well Pastor what if I decide to make some meaningful changes from Ga 5:19–21. where the word teaches against Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:? Where do I start to get away from this bad stuff Pastor ? And Pastor, How will I know if I’m doing the right thing? Well I’m glad you asked for help. Look at the text. The bible says in Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. There are at least nine nuggets of glorious good gracious gospel truth.

1. The Spirit of Love.Tell your neighbor : I love you. I love you you love me we’re a part of God body it is in His will that every need be supply you are important to me I need you to survive. If you can’t put your petty pride aside then you’re rotten and I’ve got a lot of work to do here today. Because Love covers a multitude of sins. This whole Bible isn’t nothing but a great big old love story. For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believe in Him Should not have Everlasting Life. The word Love in the Greek vernacular is agape it means to have godly affection of a brotherly nature. I love my brothers and sisters. This godly agape or love is one of the keys to being what God Almighty wants us to be. Because the bible says the person you doesn’t love does not know God because God is Love. Furthermore how can you say that you Love God oh whom you’ve never seen and hate your brothers and sisters that you see everyday.

2. Then there is Joy. Joy in the Greek is the word Chara Joy is something you have even when you’re don’t have happiness. Because happiness is eventful but Joy is spiritual. Some people have all the money in the world and it still doesn’t make them happy. While on the other hand their are people who come from a poor family didn’t have much but the Lord have been good to me. In other words this Joy I have the world didn’t give it to me and the world sure can’t take it away. And in order to have Joy you have to be able to rejoice. Is there anybody in here that want to rejoice Can you shout hallelujah shout glory to God and the church said Amen

3. Is Peace peace in the Greek vernacular is the word Irene’ And this means that all of a sudden stuff that use to get on your last nerve bother even much bother you no mo!!! And the bible says that when your mind is stayed on Jesus He will give you a peace that surpasses all understanding. I need my godly peace and I’m not going to let the vicissitudes of life stress me out. I choose to have Peace.Tell your neighbor: I choose Peace.

4. Longsuffering Man you say what you want to but don’t nobody willingly want to suffer LONGGGGG. And in order to achieve this feat you have too have the Love of Jesus Christ in your heart. Because usually when you suffer from something you have done you expect it because you did wrong right? But when you have to suffer through no fault of your own, you don’t take that lightly nor do you like it. And if you do like it you’re a sucker for punishment.

5. Gentleness, Kray stot tace it means to have excellent moral character and it means to show kindness. Ask you neighbor: Can you be kind to me? I didn’t say nice because nice is surface level good but kindness is genuinely from the heart. Oh you can tell when somebody is being kind from their heart. Because the bible says what from the heart reaches the heart. And the greatest factor about gentleness is that to be gentle means that you have a kind spirit. I can get along with people that have a kind Spirit.

6. Goodness is the virtue that’s inside of you. It’s almost like Love, but given a character trait of virtue and virtue is a conformity to a standard of righteousness. It’s celestial Hierarchy that is reserved for angels

7. Faith Is a virtue that you must have in order to please God. The word Faith in the Greek vernacular is the term Pistis And it means believing in something greater than ones own self. because Faith in God is key and I know this because the bible says Faith the size of a little mustard seed can move all obstacles out of your way! Also the bible says Now Faith is the substance hope for and the evidence of things not seen. I just believe that God will see us through. I have Faith

8. Then there is Meekness. Meekness means that you have PUC . Pastor what’’s PUC, It’s Power Under Control. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is restraint and reserve in hostile situations, and in calm situations Meaning that you don’t let nothing rattle your cage. PUC Power Under Control.

Then Lastly #9.Temperance /Self Control. My wife taught me something. I was mad mad mad mad mad and she taught me that when you are angry you’ll make the best speech ever that should have ever made. In other words you’re going to say some words that are not in the bible… And when you are that kind of angry you really don’t care what you say or do… And that’s why we have all this road rage and malice and killing and bullying, and battering folk and it makes them flip out flash out and fall out in a crazy unholy and sinister way. But if you let Jesus Christ become the Lord and the Savior of your life then the bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. God will direct you on how your Christian behavior ought to be , how your temperance ought to be and what your self control ought to look like.

Because you don’t overlook 16 pertinent negative facts of bad behavior without taking inventory of the 9 good characteristics that the bible is giving as an alternative to wicked dealings to evil ways and crooked deeds.

And so Galatians chapter 5 is a force to recognize. Let read the Spiritual Fruit again 22 But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 25 We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. 26 We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other.

Quickly 1. Verse 24 says for us to give up our old evil ways.

2. Verse 25 says we ought to live by the new spiritual fruit we have just acquired. and then

3. verse 26 say stop trying to make people mad because you’re jealous of them.

And so before us is a choice, life or death, righteousness or wickedness, saintly or sinister behavior Whatever your choice you have free will and God will respect your choices. Amen