Essence of the King: Bearing Fruit

Galatians 5:16–18 ESV

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Pray for the opening of the series. Pray for understanding. Ask for His complete will to be done through this series.

Spent quite some time dealing with the 7 Spirits of Christ and how they impact our life.

Spirit of the Lord

Wisdom and Understanding

Counsel and Might

Knowledge and Fear of the Lord

There are two natures inside of us

belongs to the flesh and will return to the dust

belongs to the Lord and is the reason why the Lord does not give up on us

Galatians 5:17 ESV

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

the opening verse was a command to walk in the fullness of the Spirit

The opposed is to walk in the flesh which places these two natures at war inside of us.

yet according to scripture it is this very war that is keeping us from living into the very thing the Lord is calling us into.

we are called to bear fruit good or bad fruit one way or another we will bear fruit

Focusing on the two natures at war there is much to engage and over the next few weeks we will look at these natures

at the end the warning and promise to the church

The promise holds that we have the nature of King inside of us

if you are walking in the Spirit, you are not under the Law

Inside of each person lies a nature that belongs to the Lord and a nature that longs for this world. We have been equipped to thrive in the essence of the King.

An Essence in Turmoil

Romans 7:18–21 ESV

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

Some of us have a confusion that is raging in us… “Why do I keep doing what I believe to be bad… what others tell me is bad… does not my desire to do good outweigh the bad?

The turmoil is knowing what is good, wanting to do good but not being able to… call and beg the Lord to do good…

As you begin to do good… look who is creeping around… so it is the essence or nature of the flesh that will contend with you when you are trying to engage the essence of the king

Romans 8:5–7 ESV

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.

Learned in the Spirit of Christ…

Your actions tell of what you set your mind on

who are you listening to?

live in the flesh = mind on the things of the flesh

live according to the Spirit = mind on the things of the Spirit

Mind on the flesh is death; mind on the spirit is

Life = vitality…actually living

Peace = a time of favorable circumstances

Mind Set on the flesh is hostile to God

it does not submit

it cannot submit

Regardless what you choose; or fail to make decision on you will yield a fruit it is part of our nature.

Bearing Fruit

Genesis 1:28 ESV

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God creates and then turns responsibility over to the mankind

First series of commands are given here (irrevocable, continual, and perpetual

Be fruitful and multiply

fill the earth

subdue it

have dominion

Succession in order…

how can one fill it if they fail to produce fruit?…

what are you filling it with?…

how will you bring it under your control?…

if you cannot do the first three how will you rule over it?

Two Natures; Two Fruits?

Nature of the Flesh

It is interesting to note scripture identifies what is yielded in the Spirit as a fruit; what is yielded from the flesh is simply noted as works of the flesh

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Works of the flesh (Four Categories…each progressively more vile)

Sexual immorality; impurity; sensuality

Idolatry; sorcery

Enmity; strife; jealousy; fits of anger; rivalries; dissensions; divisions, envy

drunkeness, orgies

(it is not about salvation that is at risk) This cost of these will cost you the inheritance that is being made in the Kingdom of Heaven; they deny the essence of the King in you

Nature of the King

Galatians 5:22–25 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

( 1 category for the self and others) Fruit of the Spirit brings vitality in life and bring you into a time of favor

Love; Joy; Peace; Patience; Kindness; Goodness; Faithfulness; Gentleness; Self-Control

These bring you into the progression that is needed for those who walk in the Spirit of God.

It was the first command and remains now for us Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

Inside of each of us is the Essence of the King, living and walking in the Spirit allows us to action the work of bearing fruit… we have been made in such a way that we are equipped to accomplish the work set before us.