RIGHT FRUIT!
Right Fruit!
We cannot “make” a person change. Preachers, Pastors, Teachers, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, parents, spouse’s, mentors, coaches…NOT ONE of them can “make” any of us “change”.
BUT…what they can all do is allow GOD to use them to create circumstances that will help us to “change”. And often those “circumstances” are not fun.
It’s not always “fun” to have the sharp edges of our personality shaved off in order to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus!
Sharp edges usually are those things in us that are lacking in self-control.
We ARE however given the fruit of Holy Spirit inside because Holy Spirit does LIVE inside of us. BUT…it isn’t produced without preparation and some effort on our parts.
When a person wants to plant a garden what do they do?
Just throw out the seeds on the ground to watch what will happen, anticipating a harvest?
You know, I have done that before and I can tell you from experience what happened….NOTHING! The seed died.
So, let’s look at a scenario of how our hearts are affected by “fruit of Holy Spirit” that IS put inside of every follower/believer in Jesus Christ.
FIRST…it takes cultivation of the ground. Then the “seed” can be planted. NOT only that, but a type of food also must go into the ground we call fertilizer, then the seed which has to be protected by the cover of new ground often mixed with the old dirt with new dirt like “miracle grow” What is the next step? Let it bake in the sun? NO, it will surely die if there is not this one element applied….WATER! Without water, the ground will dry up and so will the seedling.
We water it and then, we wait. We pray for rain, rain comes and God nurtures that seedling. Then one day it pops its head through the ground cover and we see a small plant emerge. At this point it is still in a fragile state and must be protected from predators like rabbits or squirrels and other little critters also from pestilence who would try and eat it up before it has a chance to come to its full fruition! So a lot of times a “fence” is put up to protect the crop. THEN one day, it becomes a full plant full of blooming fruit but only after it has weathered a storm or two and has deep roots that are stable and firm in the ground!
HOW do we relate to this scenario…the ground is our will and mind which affect our emotions. Circumstances come along to help this ground soften up…this for us is the place of surrender to the will of our Heavenly Father. Then His seed is planted in our hearts but there must be growth because while we are given Holy Spirit to live in us there must be growth in order for what is inside of us our Heavenly Father has planted, to come out and be seen or “manifest” be revealed in other words!
What is that? Fertilizer the WORD of God is food for our soul (heart). THEN water…HIS living water where Holy Spirit brings revelation that gives us insight into His ways and purposes and truth that sets us free from an old “root system” that kept us entangled and trapped or held captive to death and destruction. The fencing in to protect is the Shadow of HIS Wings which He puts angels about us so when storms or predators come along we have a chance to exercise the many ways and tools and weapons our Heavenly Father has given to us, called “POWER”! HIS Power!
Soon after we have been through a storm or two and have learned to lean into the Father and to use the weapons of our warfare in times of testing and or when temptations come….we begin to produce fruit! Weapons of warfare and armor are another lesson to be studies and found in: II Corinthians 10:4 & Ephesians 6:10-18.
So, what is this fruit beloved ones?
“22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 AMP
The last part of that verse says “against such there is no law” meaning? There is no legal accusation or judgment against this fruit!
What am I saying about the fruit being revealed? That troubles and trials as well as temptations will come; when they do, then it is the time for us to learn to practice the fruit of the spirit. HOW we react, or respond will show the depth of change within our hearts,(minds, wills and emotions). Do we exercise love or joy or peace, self-control or kindness, goodness, patience or faithfulness in the circumstances and situations we are in?
A good way to prove to your own mind that you CAN exercise self-control is …how do you act around others who may upset you but you don’t want to give a “bad impression too”? Yet perhaps you “act” a different way to a family member in the same set of circumstances and your words or actions are not at all Godly?
IF you can act one way with a certain group and another with others, then guess what, YOU have the ability to have and practice “self-control”!
SELF-CONTROL is what helps produce this amazing other fruit in our lives…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and gentleness.
Look at Galatians 5:22-23 like this:
Self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, patience (not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting…results in inner) peace (and) joy and love (unselfish concern for others) (are the result of HIS presence within us) the fruit of the Spirit!
So, it seems that it actually begins WITH …self-control!
This is where we rule our flesh, by our will, in the choices we make!
What is the result?
RIGHT FRUIT!!
Be blessed today as you grow and produce “right fruit” by demonstrating the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!