Roots + Fruits - PART ONE

The Fruit of the Spirit

Recently, I’ve been praying and asking the Lord for wisdom about how to reach more people at The Bridge.

James 1:5 (ESV)

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

God is faithful and gives us wisdom generously when we ask Him for it, and one of the strategies I believe He spoke to me was to create space for the gifts of the Spirit to be in full operation. He challenged me to believe that this would be a place in which miracles were the expected outcome. And I see it. I see bodies healed, souls delivered, hope restored…all of it.

I believe that we are on the precipice of a move of the gifts of the Spirit in this place that will be the catalyst for a revival that this generation has never seen. When people are regularly experiencing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our services, we won’t be able to contain everyone in this room who will come seeking the miracle-working power of God.

With that in mind, I considered preaching a series about the gifts of the Spirit. There are several passages in which they’re listed, most notably in 1 Corinthians 12.

It’s not unusual to desire the gifts of the Spirit. In order for us to sustain a move of the gifts of the Spirit, though, we have to pull back our focus and put our attention first on the fruits of the Spirit.

I believe that when the fruits of the Spirit are present and in operation, the gifts of the Spirit become a reasonable byproduct. If we want to see a move of the Holy Spirit in our personal lives and in our corporate gatherings, we have to make cultivating the fruits of the Spirit our top priority. Paul speaks about the gifts of the Spirit at length in 1 Corinthians 12, but we can’t ignore that the very next chapter says that all of those things are just noise without love.

Tonight, we’re going to start our series on the fruits of the Spirit with the primary fruit, which is love. It can even be said that love is both the fruit and the vine from which all the other fruit find their source.

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The Passion Translation says that the fruits of the Spirit is “divine love in all its varied expressions.” Notice that the word used is singular, not plural, even though it goes on to list several different qualities.

In order to fully understand the passage listing the fruits of the Spirit, we have to apply some context. Doing so requires us to actually start our study of this passage a few verses earlier.

Galatians 5:14–18 (ESV)

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

What we’re given here is a presentation of two diametrically opposed forces. On one side is the flesh and all its desires that bring bondage. The flesh is who you are by human birth. It’s the nature of sin that was a part of you from the very beginning. If you don’t believe that everyone was born with a sin nature, just have kids. You’ll know it beyond a shadow of doubt.

Yielding to the flesh results in sin and the consequences of sin under the rule of the law. On the other is the Spirit, which brings freedom. There are consequences for each. To break the law is to be subject to the punishment for breaking it. And the entirety of the law is summed up in this commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. How? How is it possible to love seemingly unlovable people and not bite and devour one another as Paul mentions in verse 15?

It’s simple: live by the Spirit.

If you live by the Spirit, you’re fulfilling the commandment to walk in love, which is the only force strong enough to overcome your flesh. We’re going to talk about what living by the Spirit looks like, but Paul is kind enough to offer some ideas about the evidence of living by the flesh.

Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 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.

When you prioritize the desires of your flesh, this is the result. This is an interesting list, because there are things that I think we would universally agree are bad and to be avoided, but there are are also some that have a tendency to creep into the daily lives of even the most seemingly “good” people.

Strife? Jealousy? Fits of anger? Divisions? Envy?

Anyone else deal with the temptation to fall into these regularly?

The enemy is crafty. He understands that most of you good Christian people will be able to identify certain works of the flesh and steer clear of them. You know. Sorcery. Drunkenness. Orgies. They aren’t listed in order of importance, though. They’re all works of the flesh that are in opposition to the Spirit. Eliminating the works of the flesh requires displacing those things with the fruits of the Spirit, the root of which is love.

Another love message? You bet. Every message should be a love message, seeing as it’s the fulfillment of the entire law. We can and will talk about all the other virtues that should accompany a life lived by the Spirit of God, but it will always start with love.

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 (ESV)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

We can’t ignore the importance Paul places on love. Do you see how the gifts of the Spirit here are powerless without the operation of the dominant and originating fruit, which is LOVE.

Let’s define the word before we dive into this.

Lexham Theological Wordbook (ἀγάπη)

ἀγάπη (agapē). n. fem. love. This term means “love” but can also denote ideas such as benevolence or goodwill.The noun ἀγάπη (agapē) carries the sense of affectionate regard or benevolence toward someone. The Septuagint almost always uses this word for love to translate one of the main Hebrew words for love (אָהֵב, ʾāhēb). The NT employs the term agapē in two basic ways. First, it can denote “love” in a general sense. Examples of this use include references to love as an idea (e.g., John 15:13; Rom 13:10) and love between people (e.g., 2 Cor 2:4; 8:7). Second, the NT writers use the noun agapē to refer to the love of God (e.g., Rom 5:5; 2 Thess 3:5) or of Christ (e.g., John 15:10; Rom 8:35). This use of the noun is epitomized in the affirmation that “God is love” (ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν, ho theos agapē estin; 1 John 4:8, 16).

1 John 4:8 (ESV)

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

If God IS love, then the fruit or RESULT of the Spirit of God being the source from which we live is a godlier or more God-like life.

What are the choices we can make to live more like Jesus and avoid the works of the flesh?

Patience. Kindness. Oh. There’s are both listed in Galatians 5.

Not envious. Also in Galatians 5.

Not boastful. Not arrogant. Not rude. Not insisting on its own way. Not irritable or resentful. Doesn’t rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoicing with the truth.

It’s interesting that, in our discussion of what love IS, we also see what it’s not.

Love bears all things, it believes all things, it hopes all things, and it endures all things. Love has no expiration date. You don’t fall out of love. Not real love.

This isn’t lust we’re talking about. It’s not admiration. It’s not affection or obsession or infatuation. It’s love.

It’s the result of the choices you make to remove the work of the flesh and its grip on your life and choose love.

At the beginning of this year, we talked about growing up. Maturity. Perfection, if you will. Isn’t it interesting that, in discussing the importance of love, Paul says that he gave up childishness upon his growing up.

Love is mature. It takes maturity to walk in love. If you’re struggling in your walk of love by the Spirit, my challenge to you tonight is going to be pretty direct...

Grow up.

A life lived by the Spirit is not for the faint of heart. The fruits of the Spirit don’t come easily. In fact, Galatians 5 tells us that we have to walk by the Spirit in order to NOT do the things we want to do. Defeating the works of the flesh requires you to fight in the Spirit by the Spirit.

How do we fight? With weapons.

Ephesians 6:10–18 (ESV)

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints...

I’ve already preached this message, so I’m not going to dive too deeply into the armor of God, but I bring it to your attention for a reason.

Every instruction we need for living life by the Spirit can be found in the Word. God doesn’t leave us to our own imaginations. He provides wisdom in the Word for living by the Spirit. Living by the Spirit will develop in you a greater love for the Word and a hunger for the life that it contains. They are cooperative forces.

I believe that this revival that we’re seeing come closer and closer is going to see two movements into alignment that will create a faith momentum unlike any we’ve ever seen. A move of the Spirit with the demonstration of all the gifts in operation birthed by a renewed commitment to that same Spirit’s fruit being central to the lives of believers. And a revival of the Bible and a reverence placed on the Word of God that allows it to be the sword it was designed to be. Notice what it’s called here. The sword of the SPIRIT.

Love is the source. Is there anything you need to uproot tonight to make room for love to take root in you?

Ephesians 3:17–19 ESV

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Let His love take root in you so that the Spirit’s fruit comes out of you. He loves you. Hear. Believe. Receive His love, plant it in the soil of your heart, let it take deep root, and watch as it bears the fruits of the Spirit in your life.