Same Power Pt. 3: Fruit of the Spirit - 4/21/2024

Today's topic is one that I am growing in: the Fruit of the Spirit. Paul provides a different perspective on how God guides people and shapes their actions/lives. Galatians 5:16-25 (NLT) Fruit is a metaphor for my actions, intentions, and identity. - We all the time say things like, judge a person by their fruits. - Matthew 7:20 (NLT) - John 13:35 (NLT) We have a sin nature and a spirit nature. - Galatians 5:17 (NLT) This has been going on since the beginning. These two forces are constantly fighting each other. We go back and forth between two desires. It's only natural that we are better at the tree of death, it is the Norm. The things on this tree aren't good, but man are they addictive and don't they taste good in the moment? Fruits vs. Gifts: I’ve heard it said, "A Fruit is Grown, but a Gift is Given." They are both the result of the Holy Spirit, but fruits are for everyone, and gifts are selective. If you are in Christ, we can all live a life of peace, joy, love, and self-control. This is the expectation. This is something that people spend a lot of time and money trying to find. I think it is safe to say that we all want the Fruit of the Spirit, even people who don't want to follow Jesus. Everyone wants to feel peace. We want to be patient. We want to be kind. The problem is how we go about it. We pursue temporary fixes, and we go back to the tree of death! What do I do to live in the Fruit of the Spirit? - Invite the Holy Spirit to lead. - Investigate my relationships. When you decide to follow Jesus, you have already said that you are a new creation. I am no longer defined by my old fruit. Though there is a struggle, the battle has already been won on the cross. My old passions stand defeated on the cross! So, we cast off the things that hinder, we surrender to the Holy Spirit, and ask God to lead every part of our lives! What does the Holy Spirit do to help me live in His fruit? - The Holy Spirit is a guide. - The Holy Spirit instills the right desires. - The Holy Spirit is our source of strength and growth. Jesus wants all of you! And what He has for you is real love, real joy, real peace, real patience, real kindness, real goodness, real faithfulness, real gentleness, and real self-control! No longer trading our lives for cheap substitutes.