Walk in the Spirit

Walk in the Spirit (Sunday Morning)

            We have been having lessons on Thursday nights about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. From time to time God will send messages concerning the Fruit of the Spirit as well. This morning You Must Bear Fruit

 Matthew 7:16-23KJV

. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God isn’t looking for great supernatural manifestations, miracles, exorcisms, prophecy, and wonderful works. God is looking for fruit; He is more interested in what you are than He is in what you have done or can do.

      I.      The Fruit – Mark of Spirituality

A.     Love (the first Fruit) just one fruit of the Spirit is more important than miracles.

1 Corinthians 13:1-2KJV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

According to this Christians may speak in tongues, prophesy, have all understanding yet without love they are nothing.

B.     The gifts build up the Body and we must desire them; but they are not marks of spirituality alone.

Since the gifts are distributed by the will of the Spirit according to His will, the lack of any one doesn’t mean the person is unspiritual. The lack of any one fruit shows a fault of character.

C.     The Church of Corinth had the Gifts of the Holy Spirit but it was full of carnality.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Corinthian were plentiful but they were having problems with the Fruit.

   II.      Producing the True Fruit

A.     The Fruits of the Spirit are supernatural qualities not ordinary human virtues. This world knows a type of love, joy, peace, etc. but the fruits of the Spirit go far beyond that.

B.     To produce beautiful fruit the tree must be planted in good soil.

Psalm 1:1-3KJV

1Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Galatians 5:22-23KJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

C.   Our roots are in Christ. (Sunday Night)

 Before becoming Christians we were planted in the world and producing fruit of this world. This scripture shows fruit planted from 2 soils.

Galatians 5:14-25NLT

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Living by the Spirit’s Power

16 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law. 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

III.      The Fruit in the Life of Jesus

A.     Jesus is the perfect and only pattern in whom we can see all the Fruit.

Jesus ministered and lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. After He came here to earth to dwell among man Jesus was dependant on the Holy Spirit.

B.     As we live as Christians and according to the will of God the Fruit of the Spirit is produced in us; as long as we don’t smother it with worldly living and evil thoughts.

C.     Christ is the Vine and we are the branches that prove He is the source of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit!

IV.      Bringing Glory to the Father

A.     The lack of the Fruit of the Spirit brings shame and discredit to God’s work. What men think of Jesus is affected by the Fruit they see in us. (Jesus isn’t the only one that sees a lack of the fruit in you!)

B.     The presence of the fruit brings glory to God!

C.  Conclusion

We can glorify God with our lips and we should do it now! But are we glorifying God through the Fruit of the Holy Spirit which others see in our lives?