RECAP

Your greatest adversary is:
  • Not PEOPLE
  • Not the DEVIL
  • Not CULTURE 
  • Not GOD 
  • It’s YOUR FLESH

TEXT

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 
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. (NKJV)

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

You don’t have to produce the “works of the flesh.” You can produce the “fruit of 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. (NKJV)
Luke 8:8
Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” (NLT)
Luke 8:11
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. (NLT)
Luke 8:15
And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. (NLT)
The fruit of the Spirit is the “natural” outgrowth of living God’s way. 
The FRUIT of the Spirit, not FRUITS.
The fruit of the Spirit can be described with just one word… “character.”
“The works of the flesh are separate acts performed by the man, but the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is the issue of the one life within.” -Oswald Chambers
Philippians 1:11 
May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. (NLT)
The evidence of the fullness of God’s Spirit in you, is when the character of God is being produced through you!
Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (NKJV)
You can counterfeit gifts, but you can’t counterfeit character! 
A lack of fruit is an indication that your soil needs some work!


The Oleaster Tree
The Oleaster Tree.jpeg
A Christian who doesn’t bear fruit, is not a failed Christian, as much as they are a false Christian.
Matthew 7:16-20 
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (NKJV)
John 15:16
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit… (NKJV)
It’s not enough to get rid of those things that our flesh loves, but we’ve got to replace it with all that Jesus is!
Romans 12:2 
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)
2 Corinthians 3:18 
…are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)
“Fruit of the Spirit”, not the “Flower of the Spirit.”

APPLICATION

Galatians 5:23 
…Against such there is no law. (NKJV)
Galatians 5:24-25
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (NKJV)
In order to have the fruit of the Spirit…you must be filled with the Spirit!

CONCLUSION

Romans 8:1 
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (NKJV)
Romans 8:5-11
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (NKJV)
  • What we feed gets stronger.
  • What we focus on gets larger.
  • What we listen to gets louder. 
  • What we pursue gets closer.