fruit – Practical Insights, by Dr. Annette

“How to know if you’re walking in the Spirit? Conclusion:”

For the last seven weeks I have been writing on ‘How to know if you’re walking in the Spirit.’ I wrote on the fruit being produced by the Spirit in our lives. This is one way to know if you are growing in your walk with the Lord and if you are in the spirit or not. It is a practical application that is so simple that one could almost forget as human beings we like to complicate things to make them sound better.

This post is to encourage those who want to be led by the Holy Spirit to continue to grow in your walk with the Lord and to help recognize His leadings. I know that when the Holy Spirit leads us according to the Bible, He will not force you to obey. God always gives us a choice. Being led by the Spirit is in partnership with His leading. Galatians 5:16-18 “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17) For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18) but if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

To me that sums it up Spirit or flesh were either in one or the other. Over the years mankind tried to make walking in the Spirit more about the nine gifts of the Spirit which these are good but come from the Spirit they are not the proof of you continuing to walk in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the proof of you being led by the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Verse 25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

To end this series the next two is a fruit of gentleness and self-control. Sometimes it requires a lot of self-control to stay in gentleness especially when dealing with contentious people. Being gentle means, you’re not being harsh or hard. “Gentleness means the quality of kind, tender, or mild-mannered.” Since I’m more Type-a I tend to sound harder than I mean to be. I see things in black and white, right and wrong. So, I can sound harsher to others than it is meant. God has been working on me through the years and will continue to work on me so that I do not sound harsh. He’s seasoned me by His Spirit to think through responses so that it sounds gentler. It is still truths but with love. I would never intentionally hurt someone, so I am using my own life to help us understand that at times we need seasoning to bring out of us the un-Christlikeness that is flesh.

Self-control is keeping oneself in check and not losing control in a situation. Self-control “the ability to control oneself, in particular ones’ emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.” Being led by the Spirit produces this in our lives. But we have a choice in every situation how we will respond and what choice we want to make in our lives. Battling the flesh is a daily fight. Our flesh does not like to submit to the Spirit but when you’re wanting to be led by the Spirit you learn to choose His way and surrender that flesh to be crucified so that God gets the glory. By doing so you will begin to see the fruit come forth from your life.

How to Know if You’re Walking in the Spirit Part 5

Kindness

This week we are looking at the fruit of kindness. What is kindness? How does it look, and can a person be kind without sincerity? As I have been writing this series, I’m asking the Holy Spirit to search me for where I am in walking in the Spirit. We need a good heart check regularly. I recommend you do the same.

The word kindness means “In ancient Greek It means goodness, honesty, goodness of heart, kindness.” “Kindness is selfless, compassionate and merciful.” Websters Dictionary for similar words of kindness: “are compassion, sympathy, generosity, heart, mercy, kindliness, pity, kindhearted.“

Now that we know what kindness means we can see by these definitions how it should look and feel. I think of times when I have experienced kindness from those who truly had heartfelt genuine kindness and I was left feeling a warmth of being cared for. But I have also experienced an act of kindness that was not genuine, and it left me feeling confused thinking, why bother. As with everything we need to look at the results/fruit to decide where it’s really at.

Since we are talking about the fruit of the Spirit let’s look at the Scripture in Galatians 5:22-23 NLT “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law against these things.”

I love that the Holy Spirit is working in us producing this kind of fruit. We do have a role in it, since we have a free will, we can override the Spirit and walk in the flesh, but the result makes our situations worse not better. I would prefer my situations to go better than worse. Am I successful every time no but as you walk in the Spirit you learn to listen before you speak, wait before you act. That is a key to walking in the Spirit. James 1:19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;”

In Galatians it tells us what the fruit of flesh looks like. Galatians NLT 5: 16 “So I say. Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” Galatians NLT 5:19 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20) idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, division, 21) envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

As we look at the list think of the description of each one and as your living your life ask the Holy Spirit when you are walking according to your flesh to help you crucify it. We will always have a choice your free will is given to you by God but he won’t choose for you.

As we think of the word kindness, we can begin to choose to walk in kindness to one another and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit by doing kindness. I say do because kindness is an action coming from a sincere heartfelt motivation. These words show us kindness in action compassion, sympathy, generosity, heart, mercy, kindliness, pity, kindhearted each one of these words relay a sincerity towards others.

What type of fruit are you producing? Walking in the Spirit produces good fruit and kindness is one of them. Purpose in your heart today to allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart to work on this area in your life.

How to know if you are walking in the spirit? Part 1

shallow focus photography of yellow lime with green leaves

The Bible tells us how to know if you are walking and being led by the Spirit. It also tells us in Galatians what is not of the Spirit is flesh and gives us the fruit (actions and attitudes) of flesh. Verse 16 says, “I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5: 19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20) idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21) 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.”

So, then what is the fruit of walking in the Spirit? And why are there nine fruit of the Spirit? Should it have said fruits? I think sometimes we think of them separately but, they are one. When we walk in the Spirit, we produce fruit. Jesus said, ‘you will know them by their fruit.’ He was referring to false prophets/ teachers. My mom use, to tell us, ‘Actions speak louder than words.’ Which is a common statement, but it is true. We can tell by someone’s actions, tones, and facial expressions what they really mean. Anyone can say anything, but the proof is in the action.

I sensed in the spirit it is time to write about the nine fruit of the Spirit. The scripture I am referring to is in Galatians 5:22-23 NKJ “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” When you walk and live in the Spirit this is what you will produce, or I should say what will come forth from you.

Since Love is first on the list we will start with love.

What is love? ‘God is love.’ Since love is an aspect of the Spirit and appointed as fruit what does it look like in action? When a tree has fruit we are able to see, smell and taste it and we know by that it is an apple, orange, pear or lemon tree for example, therefore fruit is seen and known by distinctive traits. It is the same with love. Love is not just a word used to describe a feeling. Love is a commitment to someone or something. Love is seen in action

The Bible says in John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The Father sent the Son to die for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life with Him.

I Corinthians 13 describes love. Verse 4 “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5) does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6) does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7) bears all things, believes all things, hope all things, endures all things, 8) love never fails…”

Love to me means one lays down its life, it sees the good in others, it is gentle and kind, it long endures, love makes and upholds boundaries, it serves others. Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Most of us would not harm ourselves therefor love does no harm to another. I know that love is essential to our way of life.

As a believer in Christ, it is most important to allow God to change in us what needs changing. Such as actions and attitudes that do not line up with His character. First ask the Holy Spirt to search your heart and show you if there is anything in the way of love. God will show us when we humble ourselves, pray and ask so that we can confess it, repent and turn from it. God cares for and about you.

What do you base your Love on?

Three steps to walking in God’s Power and Might?

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

What does that mean? How are we to be strong in His power and might?

What does the words might and power mean?

Vine’s expository Dictionary Dunamis: power, used relatively, denotes inherent ability, capability, ability to perform anything. Note: Dunamis, power is to be distinguished from exousia, the right to exercise power.” Eph 6:10 “Ischus “denotes might, strength, power inherent and in action as used of God”

Power: “Kratos is translated ‘power’ strength”

2 Chronicles 20:6 and said: “LORD, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.”

Jeremiah 16:21 NLT “Therefore I will teach them— this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD.”

Since it is his strength and might, what are the ways we apply his strength and might in our lives?

First by faith which means trusting God in every situation. This would enable us to lean on his strength and might. So often we brush past this verse and jump straight into what we are supposed to put on but without faith in God how would you be able to put on that armor and withstand. We are strong in Him not us.

Exodus 14:14 “The lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

We must remember in Colossians 2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Therefore, trusting God’s power and might we are subsequently enabled to overcome.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” V6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Psalm 27:1 “The LORD is my light and salvation; whom shall, I fear? There is a song I don’t remember the name, but it states, “the things I’m afraid of are afraid of you” It’s true that the things we fear, God does not fear and are afraid of him.

Secondly by surrendering or yielding to God’s leading and ways. True surrender will lead to perfect obedience. One of the sure-fire ways of losing your favor is in our attitudes and actions. Moses is an example for us his anger got in his way of going into the promise land, we cannot think we are exempt from the consequences of our attitudes or anger getting in the way of blocking our promise either. I think of it as a detour when our attitudes are grumping, snotty, snobbish, or angry, distant etc. Attitudes affect other people and God cares about people. We must repent for our attitudes, anger and actions.

Colossians 1:10-11 “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy;” This scripture shows us we can be fruitful when we are fully pleasing Him in our walk. We are to walk in the spirit not the flesh.

Thirdly by obedience: There are blessings in walking in obedience. God honors what we do unto Him and through him. When He calls it, he performs it. God honors his word. That you can trust.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Blessings of obedience Deuteronomy 7:12-26; Deuteronomy 8:1-18 Although we live in the New Testament all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ Jesus.

The Prophet Samuel told King Saul ‘It is better to obey than sacrifice’ that sacrifice represents doing things your own way.

Jesus said in the book of Mark 12:29 “The first of all the commandments is: Hear O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself there is no other commandment greater than these.”

This is the type of obedience we are to walk in this love produces fruit, because we are walking in the Spirit.

“Our God is a Mighty God ~ His power and greatness are far beyond our comprehension. He alone is worthy to be praised and adored, and we can always trust Him! Our God is all Powerful. God is Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient. Our God is mighty to save. His hand is never too short, and nothing is too difficult for Him.” Microsoft search

Gods power is Omnipotence which means the quality of having unlimited power. Omnipotence means God is all powerful. This means God has supreme power and has no limitations.

Omniscience means God is all knowing. This means God knows everything, including the past and future. Omnipresence means God is everywhere at all times.

When we trust God and yield to His way through obedience to what He commands you will walk in His power and might. Because He will enable you to do what He calls you to do. Trust, yield and obey…