Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–26 CSB

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Intro

Every living thing shows signs of life. Trees bear fruit. Rivers flow. Children grow. Likewise, a believer filled with the Spirit should display unmistakable evidence of spiritual life. That evidence is not just religious behavior—but transformed character. In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, and urges us not just to receive the Spirit—but to walk in step with Him daily. It is by our fruit that we are known and judged. (Matthew 7:16). The fruit that we bare reveals the Spirit we contain.

Many believe that if you just shout and speak in tongues that you have the Holy Spirit. But I want to tell you today that like Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13 it doesn’t matter if you speak in tongues if you don’t have Love (the very part of the fruit of the spirit). You are just making noise. It means nothing and carries no weight when we lack the fruit. Tongues may be the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit but it is the Fruit of the Spirit that is the continual evidence.

Understanding the Fruit

Paul references the Fruit in the singular version of the word. This means that it is one “fruit” with 9 different expressions. In other words you can’t have one without the other. You can’t just have self-control without kindness. We have a tendency to celebrate the fruit we bare strongly while downplaying the fruit we lack in. But my friends this should not be. If you lack in one “expression of the fruit” then you lack in the fruit as a whole.

How we bare the fruit

Fruit is grow by abiding

John 15:4–8 “4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

A tree does not strain or work to grow fruit, it simple just abides in a place that is conducive to growth and the growth happens.

the growth of fruit is the result of being in Christ.

Crucifying the Flesh

You cannot walk in the Spirit and indulge the flesh at the same time

you must put to death the flesh

The flesh is the weed that will choke the life out of the branches and keep it from bearing fruit.

Keep in step with the Spirit

When you have crucified the flesh and are abiding in Christ you can hear the Spirit clearly

Paul gives us this command in Galatians 5:26 “26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

This command is to help us stay in step with the Spirit.

Conceited=Prideful

Provoking=Stirring up ungodly desires

envying=comparing ourselves to other