Fruit of the Spirit

Based on Galatians 4-6

Paul states again & again that this life really isn't about comforting our flesh, but conquering it by living in the Spirit! There are fruits & benefits in this life and the life to come which we can have by living according to the Spirit of God rather than by our own self in the flesh. It is salvational, eternal, yet practical for our everyday lives!

"Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." Galatians 4:28

When we are birthed into God's Kingdom by water & Spirit, we become the children of promise! The children of possibility! The heirs in connection with those that extend all the way back to Isaac. Remember, through Jesus, all the law was fulfilled. So when we are born into Christ and receive His Spirit, we take on that same life of fulfillment, promise & fruit! We can produce so much more in the Spirit than the flesh!

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Galatians 5:13‭-‬14

When we are in the liberty of Christ, we can truly serve out of love rather than obligation. There is a freedom in Jesus that is uncomprehensible in the flesh. We need His Spirit! Of course we can love our brother either way, but Jesus loves our brother like no other. When we have His Spirit inside of us, we are burdened to love more passionately and purely!

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Galatians 5:16‭-‬17

There are so many things we may want to do for God, but maybe we don't have the motivation. Draw that strength from His Spirit! Then you can do the things that God's calling you to do! Our flesh works hard against the Spirit, so each day we need that strength from God's Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to give us the power to overcome our human nature!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." Galatians 5:22‭-‬23

So much fruit, so many benefits! These aren't just eternal attributes, but qualities we can practice right now. These things can only really be perfected and experienced more consistently with an everyday relationship with Jesus and an all-the-time reliance on His Spirit! Think about it...there's so much depression, sadness, emptiness and so many other feelings that people have a hate time overcoming. If we have God's Spirit, and we encourage them to do the same, then the fruits of the Spirit will be more regular than the worries of the flesh!

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:7‭-‬8

Is what we are sowing now worth the reap later? Is what we are doing of eternal purpose? It all depends what we put our trust in-our flesh, or God's Spirit!

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." Galatians 6:15

Again, it's not about the flesh! We need to be completely made new. We need that born-again experience by water & Spirit the way God designed it. He created and designed us in the beginning. He created the way we are physically born. So shouldn't we submit ourselves to His design for Spiritual re-birth? Love. Joy. Peace. Eternal life...what soothing words! Let's continue to seek His Spirit, not just for that one-time experience, but for fruit in this life and for eternity!

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Acts 2:4

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Acts 2:38