SPIRIT vs FLESH

GAL 5:16, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

GAL 5:17, For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

GAL 5:18, But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

WORKS OF FLESH

GAL 5:19, Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

GAL 5:20, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

GAL 5:21, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

GAL 5:22, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

GAL 5:23, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

DESIRE LEADS TO WORK

FOLLOWING SPIRIT LEADS TO FRUIT

GAL 5:24, Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

GAL 5:25, If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

RESULTS:

GAL 5:26, Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

GAL 6:1, Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.

GAL 6:2, Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

GAL 6:3, For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.CHOSEN TO BEAR FRUIT

JOH 15:16, "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 of the Father in My name, He may give to you.

JOH 15:17, "This I command you, that you love one another.

Bearing fruit is essential to Christian discipleship. A life well lived is a more effective witness than words well said. Benjamin Franklin learned that plaster sown in the fields would make things grow. He told his neighbors, but they did not believe him and they argued with him trying to prove that plaster could be of no use at all to grass or grain. After a little while he allowed the matter to drop and said no more about it. But he went into the field early the next spring and sowed some grain. Close by the path, where men would walk, he traced some letters with his finger and put plaster into them and then sowed his seed in the field. After a week or two the seed sprang up. His neighbors, as they passed that way, were very much surprised to see, in brighter green than all the rest of the field, the writing in large letters, "This has been plastered." Benjamin Franklin did not need to argue with his neighbors any more about the benefit of plaster for the fields. For as the season went on and the grain grew, these bright green letters just rose up above all the rest until they were a kind of relief-plate in the field - "This has been plastered." "By your fruits shall all men know that you are my disciples."

JOH 15:8, "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

FRUIT COMES FROM WISDOM

JAM 3:13, Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

JAM 3:14, But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

JAM 3:15, This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

JAM 3:16, For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

JAM 3:17, But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

JAM 3:18, And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

WE NEED LIVING WATER TO BEAR FRUIT

PSA 1:3, And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

FRUIT COMES FROM SACRIFICE

JOH 12:24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

BEARING FRUIT RESULTS IN MORE PRUNING

JOH 15:2, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.

ABIDE IN JESUS TO BEAR FRUIT

JOH 15:4, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

JOH 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.

JOH 15:6, "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

JOH 15:7, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.

JOH 15:8, "By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Donald Grey Barnhouse cites an amazing example of lasting fruitfulness. In Hampton Court near London, there is a grapevine under glass; it is about 1,000 years old and has but one root which is at least two feet thick. Some of the branches are 200 feet long. Because of skillful cutting and pruning, the vine produces several tons of grapes each year. Even though some of the smaller branches are 200 feet from the main stem, they bear much fruit because they are joined to the vine and allow the life of the vine to flow through them. He is the vine, and we are the branches. And when we need pruning, the goal is always more fruit.

LOVE IS FRUIT

JOH 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

JOH 13:35, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

FRUIT (ENDURANCE) COMES FROM TRIALS

JAM 1:2, Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

JAM 1:3, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

JAM 1:4, And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

FRUIT DOESN'T GROW ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

IT GROWS IN THE VALLEY

FRUIT, GOOD OR BAD, TELL A STORY

MAT 7:15, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

MAT 7:16, "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?

MAT 7:17, "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit.

MAT 7:18, "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.

MAT 7:19, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

MAT 7:20, "So then, you will know them by their fruits.

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