Beloved, do you want to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit at all times? If so, I have an encouraging word and prayer for you that will help you, because it's the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of you! And when you know that Holy Spirit is the one who bears all righteous fruit in you, it takes the pressure off you and releases you to walk in grace by abiding in Jesus!
The "Good Christian List"
Too often, people try to conjure up the fruit of the Spirit in the strength of their flesh. It's almost like people make a checklist for each day, trying to cross off various items from their "Good Christian List." Even if they don't realize it, their mindset goes something like this:
"Did I fast and pray today? Check. Did I read my Bible today? Check. Was I gentle to somebody today? Check. Did I tell the truth today? Check. Okay, I must be doing good; this is what the Christian life looks like."
The problem with this is that in your flesh dwells no good thing, according to Romans 7:18: "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find" (NKJV). And we can do nothing at all under our own power, or even through the sheer weight of our own determination! We might set out to do a good thing in the strength of our own flesh, but we cannot accomplish it! Jesus said so Himself, and God's Word also tells us that it is through Jesus that we can do anything at all.
Look at these truths: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 NKJV). And also, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). (Photo via Pexels)
If you notice what Jesus said in John 15:5, it is not our flesh at all that accomplishes anything good. Instead, the fruit-bearing is accomplished in people who abide in Jesus, and in whom Jesus Himself also abides. Why? Because Jesus, Father God, and Holy Spirit are the ones who actually are doing the work of bearing the fruit. They are literally moving through you to produce fruit and to give you fruit that remains.
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:16 NKJV)
God Himself Moves Through You
It is God's will for you to bear fruit, but yet you cannot do it on your own. Here's the good news: God Himself will move through you, particularly by His Spirit, to bear that fruit that remains. How do we know this? From all the Scriptures above, plus many more. The most obvious proof of this is that the Bible calls it "the fruit of the Spirit," not the fruit of you!
Look at this list of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:19–23:
"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (NKJV)
And there is an additional, expanded description of the fruit of the Spirit in Ephesians 5:8–19:
"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord." (NKJV)
This passage in Ephesians does not contain a longer list, but it does contain a broader list of what the fruit of the Spirit is. From this passage, we learn that the fruit of the Spirit is in ALL goodness, righteousness, and truth. In other words, Holy Spirit bears the fruit of everything that is good, righteous, and true. So, Holy Spirit is not limited to bearing "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." If there is anything at all that is good, He also bears that fruit, and He produces it in you too. (Photo via Pexels)
Abide in Him and in His Love
Beloved, if we want ANY positive, holy, and good fruit coming forth out of our lives, Holy Spirit is the one who will bear that fruit in us and through us. This is one of the many reasons why it's so essential to abide in Jesus at all times. We must abide in Him, and in His love, so that we can remain focused on Him and not take our eyes off Him, and therefore not hinder the work of God's Holy Spirit in our lives.
This should take the stress and pressure to perform off you, beloved. Yes, we all need to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit, actively exhibiting His fruit in every area of our lives. However, we do that by His grace, by abiding in Jesus, and by honoring (and not grieving) His Holy Spirit. As we do that, Holy Spirit is the one who will work through us to bear His fruit and release it both in our lives and through us onto the earth. Hallelujah!
Always remember Zechariah 4:6: "So he answered and said to me: 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts'" (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV).
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Jamie Rohrbaugh
From His Presence
Email:Â Jamie@FromHisPresence.com
Website:Â www.FromHisPresence.com
Jamie Rohrbaugh equips people to walk in the manifest presence of God. She blogs for a global readership at FromHisPresence.com, where she writes about prayer, the prophetic word, living supernaturally, inner healing, and Kingdom wealth. Her podcast, Take Your Territory with Jamie Rohrbaugh, can be found on iTunes and Spotify. Jamie holds a Master's in Biblical Studies from Berea Seminary and is the grateful servant-in-chief of the From His Presence Prophetic Hub in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Check out her FREE ebook, "Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them In Prayer and Worship," on her website.
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