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Title: A MAKEOVER - ONLY THE SPIRIT CAN BRING Text: Galatians 5:19-26 Date: 9-10-06 am INTRODUCTION: For the next few weeks we are going to look at the Fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5.22-23. It is this fruit in our lives that distinguishes us and sets us apart from the world. As Believers it is important for us to understand BELIEF must equal BEHAVIOR…
Right BELIEF does not necessarily equal right BEHAVIOR (Matthew 7:20-23).
As believers, our beliefs must translate into behaviors that make us different than non-believers!
1. Galatians 5:19-23a is the ‘litmus test’ for BEHAVIOR. Bad/Good
2. Galatians 5:23b-25 is the ‘litmus test’ for BELIEF (James 2:26; Matthew 7:20).
James says “faith without deeds is dead” and Jesus taught, “by their fruit you will recognize them.” Galatians 5:23b-25 Crucify the flesh and live by the Spirit
Belief must equal behavior.
Your believing must equal your behaving Your behaving must equal your believing
Think of FRUIT not FRUITS: The nine qualities /attributes that are listed as the FRUIT of the Spirit must not be confused as being the FRUITS of the Spirit. The picture given to us is not like the picture of going to the grocery store to the produce section and picking and choosing what fruit you want. The Extreme Makeover: Spirit Edition works all this fruit in our lives – not just this one or that one.
I was in the grocery store last week and we were looking at watermelons, trying to decided which was the best. There was another guy standing there he said the best ones are on the bottom! He was kidding, I think! When you think of people in a grocery store picking and choosing what fruit they would take, not just watermelons but from all the different kinds of fruit. This is not the picture that Paul had in mind. He was not thinking of Christians coming along and looking at the list to pick one or two that they liked: Paul doesn’t want us to pick this or that fruit. His instruction is to have all this fruit growing in our lives.
There is a vital connection between the FRUIT and the ROOT:
The fruit is the characteristic that grows in our lives, the root is the character of God out of which the characteristic in our lives grows.
The Fruit of the Spirit The Character of God Love …God is love (1 John 4.8) Joy He will rejoice over you… (Zephaniah 3.17) Peace …the God of peace (Hebrews 13.20) Patience He is patient with you… (2 Peter 3.9) Kindness …his kindness to us… (Ephesians 2.7) Goodness I will see the goodness of the Lord… (Psalms 27.13) Faithfulness …great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3.23) Gentleness …I am gentle and humble… (Matthew 11.29) Self-control …God, slow to anger… (Exodus 34.6)
The Fruit is to CHARACTERIZE our life:
We’re probably all thinking, “Well That’s what God is like, how can I hope to be like that?” And then we’re probably thinking of excuses – I’m not God, I’m only human, that’s just not me etc.
Paul is holding out a high standard and it is difficult for us manifest this fruit in our life but not impossible because the Spirit of God dwells within us. There is a command in Scripture to manifest each of aspect of the fruit of the Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit The Command in the Scripture Love …love your ENEMIES… (Matt 5.44) Joy Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. (Phil 4.4) Peace …live at peace with EVERYONE (Romans 12:18) Patience …be patient with EVERYONE (1 Thess 5.14) Kindness …CLOTHE yourself with… kindness (Col 3.12) Goodness . . .let us do good to ALL people… (Gal 6.10) Faithfulness Be faithful, even to the point of DEATH. (Rev 2.10) Gentleness …show true humility toward ALL men (Titus 3.2) Self-control BE self-controlled and alert. (1 Peter 5.8)
The fruit of the spirit is to be a life quality. It’s not something that is turned on or off, or pick and choose. Each of us exhibits at least one of the nine characteristics of the Fruit of the Spirit at times. The issue is not whether. . . am I patient at times? or am I good at times? or am I loving at times? or do I have joy at times? We can all say yes or should be able to say yes to that. We need to understand what is vital for us to understand is that the complete fruit is our standard for living as Christians.
How is all this possible?
It is the result of two things:
1. God’s PURPOSE.
God’s purpose for our lives is that the passions and desires of the human nature be replaced with the fruit of the Spirit. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. -Galatians 5:24
These passions and desires refer to the acts of the sinful nature that are noted in verse 19. These are the natural result of human nature trying to live by its own power under the law (v.18).
Romans 6:6 refers to our sinful nature and helps us understand that on our own power – even if we fight and struggle to live according to the law… we remain……slaves to SIN -Romans 6:6 Romans 6:18 shows the contrast of the God’s resolve for our lives… You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to RIGHTEOUSNESS.-Romans 6:18
How is this possible? The Scripture tells us how it’s possible in 2 Corinthians 5:17,18a: Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, [Refers to acts of sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21] the new has come! [Refers to fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23] All this is from God. -2 Corinthians 5:17,18a
2. Our RESPONSE.
We not only need to have God’s Holy Spirit at work in us, but we must obediently respond to the prompting of the Spirit in our lives. As the Scripture that we read indicates: Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit (v.25)
How do we keep in step with the Spirit?
BELIEVE. Not just initial belief for salvation, but continual belief in the power and presence of God in our lives. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. -2 Corinthians 12.9
ASK. With the Psalmist we must be will to ask for God’s leadership Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. -Psalm 139.23-24
Ps 25:5 Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation; for Thee I wait all the day. (NAS)
Ps 43:3 O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Thy holy hill, and to Thy dwelling places. (NAS)
The New Testament makes it clear that when we come to God and ask for His guidance leadership, wisdom He will supply it. Matt 7:7-8 7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. (NAS) (also see Matt 21:22; Mk 11:24) That’s not carte blanche to ask anything we want. The NT also makes clear that the asking is by faith (Jas 1:5) and in accordance with the will of God (JN 14:13-14;[in My Name] 16:24 [that your joy may be made full])
OBEY. Make a covenant with yourself and with God that whatever He wants from you, you will do. (Job 31:1 a covenant with my eyes) Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. -Hebrews 4.7
Are you willing to respond to God’s purpose and allow the Spirit to do a makeover in your life? We must believe, ask and obey. We must be willing to say, like Isaiah, Lord, Here am I |