March 31, 2023
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Thought:
In the last section of Galatians 5, Paul explains how the Holy Spirit enables the believer to enjoy freedom in Christ.
The Spirit enables us to overcome the flesh (Galatians 5:16-21, 24)
The Spirit enables us to produce fruit (Galatians 5:22-23, 25-26)
We’ll look at the second - Producing Fruit. The characteristics that God wants in our lives are seen in the ninefold fruit of the Spirit. Paul began with love, because all of the other fruit really stems from love. When a person lives in love, then he experiences joy (an inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances). Love and joy together produce peace. These first three qualities consider how we relate to God. The next three consider how we relate to people: patience or long-suffering (courageous endurance without quitting), kindness, and goodness (love in action). The final three qualities turn toward ourselves: faithfulness (dependability), gentleness (the right use of power and authority, power under control), and self-control (moderation and constraint).
Remember, the fruit of the Spirit is the change in our character that comes about because of the Holy Spirit’s work in us. We can know that we’re operating by the Spirit in this way: When the Spirit produces fruit, God gets the glory. We do not bear fruit for our own consumption; we bear fruit that others might be fed and helped and that Christ might be glorified. The flesh may manufacture “results” that bring praise, but the flesh cannot bear fruit that brings glory to God. In short, the secret is the Holy Spirit!
Application:
1. What are some of the ways you’ve performed works driven by pride or fear instead of bearing fruit?
2. What will walking by the Spirit involve for you today?
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