Discipleship | Lesson 5 | Devotion 4
Galatians 5:16-23 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We all enjoy a good fresh piece of fruit. We revert to fruit when we decide to be healthier or when we are desiring to look a certain way. Fruit is a tasty alternative to a candy bar. You may or may not agree with the above statements because a candy bar would always be the tastier choice in some people’s eyes. While we may never agree on health and diet, we can agree that rotten or moldy fruit is not the best way to enjoy a healthy snack. We are a little picky about how we enjoy our fruit. Thankfully, people have discovered ways to grow delicious and fresh fruits for us to enjoy!
We would all agree that there are certain things that must be in place for fruit for to be at its best. Consider some of the following facts about fruit:
Fruit grows best in its optimum environment. Anytime you plant something that is fruit bearing, you want to place it in the best environment for growth. You may soften ground or get some topsoil. You may study if it needs morning shade or afternoon shade. Whatever the case, we understand that certain things grow better in certain circumstances. For the Christian, we must plant ourselves in environments that are conducive for growth. You’ve taken a great step in this just by joining this discipleship program. Where are some other places where you need to be planted to maximize your spiritual growth? Where are some places you may need to “uproot” yourself because you are not growing in that environment?
Good fruit is the evidence of a healthy root system. When someone enjoys a good piece of fruit, we never think that it was the result of a good pesticide. We may not even think that it was the result of a good farmer. Do these things help growth? Of course, they do, but good fruit is the result of good roots. The Bible says in Colossians 2:7, “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Good fruit needs good roots. If we are going to produce the fruit of the Spirit, it starts with our roots.
Fruit needs to be evaluated often. Any good farmer or gardener would tell you that they evaluate their fruit often. If a tree isn’t producing fruit, chances are something needs to be done. In Matthew 3, Jesus tells the Sadducees and the Pharisees what happens to a tree that does not bring fruit, “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees:therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Regularly check yourself for fruit. Are you bearing the fruits of the flesh or of the Spirit?
Fruit can bring sustenance to others. The fruits of the Spirit are not things that are natural for mankind which means that they show a distinct difference when they are displayed by the Christian. A fruit tree gets no sustenance from its own fruit. The fruit of the Spirit in your life could be what brings someone to Jesus Christ.
We have a choice to make as a Christian. Will we walk in the Spirit and avoid the lists of the flesh? Or will we remain in the flesh and never see the fruits of the Spirit in our lives?