Fruit of the Spirit - Faith Gal 5:22-23

Introduction

The fruit of the Spirit is the fruit in our life produced by the Spirit. None of the characteristics of the fruit can be obtained in our own power, but through the power of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to live inside of us.

We have looked at love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness and goodness. Tonight we come to faith.

Faith is an important characteristic in the Christian life. It begins when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” , and continues until the Lord calls us home 2 Timothy 4:7–8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Tonight I want to look at three questions to help us better understand faith.

Faith

What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Faith is not just a belief, but rather a deep rooted trust in God’s character and promises.

True faith involves surrendering our will to God and relying on His wisdom and power to sustain us.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

We cannot please God without having faith.

Think about the times when the disciples doubted Jesus, like in Matthew 8 when Jesus was sleeping during the storm and the disciples and they wake him up and he says “O ye of little faith” or in Matthew 14 when Peter was walking on the water but when he saw the wind and things going on around him he was afraid and began to sink and Jesus grabbed him by the hand and said “O ye of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”

What is the source of our faith?

It's crucial to recognize that faith is not something we conjure up on our own strength.

Jesus is the source

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This verse describes Jesus as the author of faith

Author is defined as One who produces, creates, or brings into being; as, God is the author of the Universe.

Not only is he the author but he is the finisher of our faith as well

Finisher- One who completes or perfects

Jesus Christ creates our faith in Him and perfects it in us as well. Our faith finds its source and fulfillment in Him.

The word of God is our source

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

As we engage with Scripture, God's truth takes root in our hearts, leading to the growth of faith.

Reading the Bible should help strengthen our faith and grow it as well.

"I prayed for Faith, and thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, 'Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God'. I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since." ~ Dwight L. Moody

How do we Sustain our faith?

Faith is not passive; it is dynamic and life-changing. It empowers us to overcome obstacles, persevere in adversity, and live with hope and confidence in God's providence. Through faith, we experience God's transformative power, shaping us into vessels of His love and grace.

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Our faith is sustained by living a life yielded to christ. It is the difference between living a life after the flesh and a life lived after the spirit.

It is His faith working within us that enables us to live a life pleasing to God.

2 Peter 1:5–8 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Faith is the beginning of our journey, but if we want our faith to be sustained we must add to it.

we add virtue, knowledge, temperence, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.

Then Peter tells us if these things be in you you will produce fruit and be fruitful in the things of God.

Three practical ways to increase our faith

2 Corinthians 5:7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

Read the word of God

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.”

When we are walking through the dark valleys in our life, God’s word is the light that keeps us on the path.

Camping illustration- camping, pitch black, flashlight

Pray

Philippians 4:6–7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So often prayer is a last resort, rather than a first priority. Jesus died so we could have access to the throne of God through him, but how often do we waste it.

Imagine if you were given tickets to your favorite sports team game, and these weren’t just regular tickets. They were all access tickets, there was no place you didn’t have access to with the ticket you were given. You could go on the field, in the dugout, in the locker room, nothing was off limits. When you head to the gate they show you the elevator to get down below the stadium where the players are and you get in the elevator and instead of going down to the locker room you go up to the nose bleeds, farthest you could get from the field and sit in a seat that has limited visibility to the field. You have full access to the best seat in the house and you choose the worst. That is often how we treat prayer. We have full access to God, but we settle for the worst seat in the house.

Fellowship with others

Hebrews 10:24–25 “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

We grow our faith by being with like minded believers, we should fellowship together and exhort or encourage one another. Nothing encourages me more than you being in your place at church. When I look out and see you i’m encouraged, and when you’re missing, a part of our church is missing.

Jesus was faithful, even to the death of the cross, and we have a hard time being faithful to reading His word and praying to him.

Conclusion

How is our faith tonight? If we had enough faith to trust God for our salvation why can’t we live a life of faith after salvation?