The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:16-25

After a trial had been going on for three days, John Smith—the defendant—stood up and approached the judge’s bench. “Your Honor, I would like to change my plea from innocent to guilty of the charges.”

The judge angrily banged his fist on the desk. “If you’re guilty, why didn’t you say so in the first place and save this court a lot of time and inconvenience?” he demanded.

Smith looked up wide-eyed and said, “Well, when the trial started, I thought I was innocent, but that was before I heard all the evidence against me.”

The Christian life is made fruitful by walking in the Spirit

I. Walk in the Freedom of the Spirit vv. 16-18

In our passage this morning, Paul gives us an incredible picture of the opportunity in front of us: our lives can bear spiritual fruit

The key to the fruitful life is to walk by the Spirit

This is a recognition of the power of the Spirit at work in us

By the Spirit, we are free from slavery to the desires of the flesh

Whatever it is that has prevented you from faithful living, you are set free by the power of the Holy Spirit in you to live differently!

However, in light of this, we must have an accurate understanding of the war we are fighting:

The desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit within us are against each other!

Whenever we live according to the flesh, we will not be able to do the things that we want to do as believers\

When, however, we are led by the Spirit, we experience a second freedom: it is a freedom from the law

We no longer live according to rules and regulations

Instead, we live according to the direction of the Holy Spirit

When you were a child, chances are that you played a little game called “Simon Says”. In this game, Simon gives instructions and it is up to you to follow those instructions to Simon’s satisfaction. In the other game, “Follow the Leader” the Leader walks ahead of the group and sets a course for the rest of the kids to follow. I’m convinced that life in the Spirit looks much more like “Follow the Leader” than like “Simon Says”.

II. Examine the Evidence of Your Actions vv. 19-21

That big statement in v. 18 begs a question, though. How do I know that I am led by the Spirit? How do I know if I am in the flesh?

Paul tells us two really important things:

The flesh is at work and it will accomplish much in your life when you are under its control

The works of the flesh are evident; they manifest themselves in ways that are unmistakable

Paul breaks the works of the flesh into 4 major groups:

Sexual Sins:

Sexual immorality- a general term for every kind of action that is outside of God’s boundaries for sexuality

Impurity- carries the notion of being spiritually unclean; it’s a reflection of our personal standing before God

Sensuality- the same impurity, but with a public face

Religious Sins:

Idolatry- participation in the worship of other gods

Sorcery- attempts to “get in touch” with the spiritual realm through chants, formulas, and even drugs

Interpersonal Sins:

Enmity- a life opposite of love

Strife- quarreling

Jealousy- desires what another has

Fits of anger- outbursts of wrath

Rivalries- selfish ambition

Dissensions- splitting off into separate groups

Division- a harder kind of dissension in which we view everyone else as in the wrong!

Envy- bitterness at the good fortune another has

Social Sins:

Drunkenness- self-explanatory!

Revelry- an extreme attitude of unending celebration

If my life is marked by any of these then:

I need to do a little self-examination

I need to repent!

In 1981, a Minnesota radio station reported a story about a stolen car in California. Police were staging an intense search for the vehicle and the driver, even to the point of placing announcements on local radio stations to contact the thief. On the front seat of the stolen car sat a box of crackers that, unknown to the thief, were laced with poison. The car owner had intended to use the crackers as rat bait.

Now the police and the owner of the Volkswagen Bug were more interested in apprehending the thief to save his life than to recover the car. Often when we run from God, we feel it is to escape His punishment. But what we are actually doing is eluding His rescue.

III. Surrender to the Way of Jesus vv. 22-25

Finally, we get to the good stuff!

The Holy Spirit will produce fruit in your life

This is not a product of your work

This is the product of the Spirit’s work in and through you!

The Fruit is:

Love- the character of a life that is continually oriented to loving

Joy- this is more than happiness, but it is a transformative character that overcomes darkness

Peace- this is founded on a settled hope in Christ

Patience- this is a willingness to trust God’s timing and control

Kindness- this is the overflow of love towards others

Goodness- more of the same, but with a sense of generosity

Gentleness- this is a person who is willing to be corrected; teachable. This person is not committed to assertiveness

Self-Control- this is self-discipline without a self-centered motivation

We produce the Spirit’s fruit when:

We are found in Christ

We crucify the flesh, with its passions and desires

A man was praying with his pastor at the altar. He prayed a prayer the pastor had heard many times before. “Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life.” Just as he said this the pastor interrupted, “Kill the spider, Lord.”

Many times we ask the Lord to forgive us of some sin, yet we leave the source of temptation in our life.

We keep in step with the Spirit

What do you need to do today?

Are you in Christ?

Are you crucifying the flesh or are you feeding the flesh? This is a question of spiritual/mental focus

Are you walking in step with the Spirit? This is a question of practical actions

What does the evidence say about the work of the Spirit in you?