The Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5: 22-26 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
The fruit of the Spirit is contrasted to the works of the flesh and it is obvious that there is a vast difference between the two. The works of the flesh come forth from a wicked heart [Mk 7:21-23], are forbidden by the law and they will diminish your inheritance in the kingdom of God. The fruit of the Spirit, on the other hand, comes forth from the Holy Spirit within us and not from the flesh, at all. Therefore, there is no law against the fruit of the Spirit. Your flesh may attempt to imitate the fruit of the Spirit but it will be evident that you are faking.
Now notice that the word fruit is singular. That’s because, when the Spirit manifests himself in you, he exhibits all of this fruit at once. In other words, a person won’t be loving and joyful but lacking gentleness, goodness and faith, at the same time. As a grapefruit has an outer peel, an inner peel, peel and seed oils, sections, pulp, seeds and juice and yet is one grapefruit, even so, the fruit of the Spirit is one and yet has many parts.
The fruit of the Spirit is:
Love – Rom 5:5 this is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit causing us to love the Lord [1 Jn 4:19], the Bible [2 Tim 1:13], the brethren [Jn 15:12], and even our enemies [Matt 5:44] – however, we are not to love the world [1 Jn 2:15-17]
Joy – Rom 14:17 this is the joy promised us by the Lord [Jn 15:11]; this is a lasting joy that manifests itself even in affliction [2 Cor 8:1-2] and trial [Jas 1:2-3]; it strengthens us [Neh 8:10]; and with it, we rejoice in the salvation of souls [1 Thes 2:19; Ps 126:5], answered prayer [Jn 16:24], and the knowledge that our converts walk in truth [3 Jn 4]
Peace – Jn 14:27 this is peace given to us by God; we have peace because of our reconciliation [Rom 5:1]; this peace keeps our hearts and minds when we pray and don’t worry [Phil 4:6-7]; we enjoy this peace when we are of one mind [2 Cor 13:11]
Longsuffering – Ex 34:6 the Lord is longsuffering [2 Pet 3:9]; this is simply the God-given ability to suffer long with others while we wait for them to come around [1 Cor 13:4]
Gentleness – 2 Cor 10:1 this is a characteristic of Jesus causing us to be gentle among men [1 Thes 2:7]; notice the wisdom of God is also gentle, not pushy [Jas 3:17]
Goodness – Rom 2:4 this is what led us to repent; before we were saved we could not do good [Rom 3:12], but after the Holy Spirit indwelt us, we could [Eph 5:9]
Faith – Eph 2:8 we were saved and justified by faith [Rom 5:1]; faith then is very important – we walk by faith [2 Cor 5:7], overcome the world by faith [1 Jn 5:4], live by faith [Heb 10:38], resist the devil by faith [1 Pet 5:9], please God by faith [Heb 11:6], and get our prayers answered by faith [Jas 1:6]; our faith must be unfeigned [2 Tim 1:5], and tried [1 Pet 1:7], and it must grow [1 Thes 1:3]
Meekness – Jesus was meek [Matt 11:29]; meekness is like humility [Eph 4:2]; we need meekness is dealing with others [2 Tim 2:25, Tit 3:2]
Temperance – 1 Cor 9:24-27 temperance is essentially self-control causing us to keep the body under control; this has to grow in us [2 Pet 1:6]
The fruit of the Spirit is in us but it must be allowed to manifest itself through us. For that to happen we must:
- Be Crucified with Christ [v.24] – Gal 2:20 – the flesh competes with the Spirit and it will never quit being bad – to keep from fulfilling its lusts, it must be crucified and the Spirit must be allowed to work in us
- Walk in the Spirit [v.25] – we are already alive in the Spirit because he regenerated us when we received Jesus – now we have to walk in him each and every day
- Humble Ourselves [v.26] – we must not seek glory, we must not provoke others and we must not envy others – if we refuse to follow these things, then the flesh will get the upper hand and the fruit of the Spirit will not be apparent in our lives – instead, the works of the flesh will manifest themselves as in Gal 5:19-21