EXPERIENCING AND MANIFESTING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Memorial Drive 6/2/19 EXPERPERIENCING AND MANIFESTING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Various Texts Text: Galatians 5:16-25 ... TRUTH # 1: THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT ARE DESIRABL QUALITIES Unbelievers can certainly experience to some degree qualities that we see in God Himself and that are similar-looking to the fruit of the Spirit, though their experience can never approximate the quality or degree of the “fruit” that is enabled and empowered by the Spirit. … TRUTH # 2: A LINE OF DEMARCATION EXISTS BETWEEN THE “FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT” AND THE ABILITY TO EXPERIENCE A LESSER QUALITY VERSION OF THOSE FRUITS There is a “dividing line” between those who HAVE the Spirit and those who DON’T, and therefore there is a vast disparity between a Christian’s and a non-Christian’s ability to EXPERIENCE and LIVE OUT the qualities that come FROM the Spirit’s work in our lives! The Dividing Line … “But I say, WALK BY THE SPIRIT, and you will not carry out THE DESIRE OF THE FLESH. For THE FLESH SETS ITS DESIRE AGAINST THE SPIRIT, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in OPPOSITION to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” … TRUTH # 3: WHILE THE NON-CHRISTIAN CANNOT CROSS THE BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN FLESH-EMPOWERED LIVING AND SPIRIT-ENABLED, SPIRIT-EMPOWERED LIVING, THE CHRISTIAN CAN CROSS THAT LINE The non-Christian CAN’T cross the line and experience and live out that “fruit of the Spirit” that is both supernatural in origin and empowered by the Spirit. The Christian CAN and DOES move back across the line at times! While the unbeliever can live life only on “his side” of that dividing line between “flesh-driven” and “Spirit-empowered” life, the believer has the ability and capacity to enjoy life on the Spirit-empowered side but he doesn’t NECESSARILY always live there! Even while “having the Spirit” within, he can end up living on the other side of the line! He can end up living a “fleshly-desires-driven” life that looks very little different from those who live without the Spirit! “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”: Implications • A Spirit-empowered life is POSSIBLE, or Paul wouldn’t have brought it up! • His exhortation to live like this clearly demonstrates that it’s also possible NOT TO live the Spirit-empowered life! • The active verb “walk” implies a “natural” or “Default Position” for those not willing to act in a way that will bring about the Spirit-enabled walk! • My natural and “Default Position” IS NOT to live out the fruit of the Spirit, but to be driven by my fleshly desires! … HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN LIVE LIFE ON THE SPIRIT-EMPOWERED SIDE OF THE LINE OF DEMARCATION RATHER THAN QUITE NATURALLY FALLING BACK ONTO THE FLESH-CONTROLLED SIDE OF THE LINE? Is there an absolutely critical, non-negotiable element that allows us to live out this kind of life? • THE SPIRIT Regenerated Us to A New Life THROUGH THE WORD of God! See Titus 3:5-6 (“regenerated by the Spirit”) and I Peter 1:23 (“through the Word of God”) • The Spirit That INDWELLS US Is Known As “The Spirit of TRUTH” and Therefore Is Closely Connected to the GOD’S WORD! See John 14:17 (“the abiding Spirit” is “the Spirit of truth”) and John 17:17 (“setting them apart in truth” is “setting them apart in God’s Word”) • This Same Spirit That INDWELLS Every Believer Is the One Who GAVE US THE WORD OF GOD! See 2 Peter 1:21 (“men moved BY THE HOLY SPIRIT spoke from God”) The Spirit of God is the One that GAVE US GOD’S WORD and the Spirit of God is the One that brings us to new life THROUGH GOD’S WORD and the Spirit of God’s primary means of doing His work in us is by indwelling us so that He can “set us apart” IN THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S WORD! Without consistent and diligent tending to the Word of God … • No “fruit of the Spirit” • Christian living in the discouraging “Default Position” of being driven by our flesh • Marriages will suffer and we will convince ourselves “It’s HIS/HER problem!” • Children will love neither God nor His Word resulting in lukewarm and unfulfilling faith • We will experience neither the power of the Spirit in our churches and world nor the boldness of witness that can change the lives of others In short, we will live lives with little experience of “the fruit of God’s Spirit”, with little power and impact, little more than Christians in name only! An Application Relative To the Spirit of God And the Critical Role of the Word In His Work • God will not SUBSTITUTE SPECIAL MEANS FOR WRITTEN WORD “I refuse to make of you someone who ignores what I’ve given and said yet asks for “special revelation” of My care for you or My work in your life! I refuse to create believers who are always depending on the next “moving” experience” to direct your lives! Be a man, a woman, a youth, of the Word of God!”