188: Fruit Produced By The Fullness Of The Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
1 Corinthians 12:10
In today’s episode, we will discuss the following passages.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
Thank you Jeff for sharing the story of the lady at the woman’s retreat. So many times we try to come up with solutions to problems on our own. I think sometimes our minds are void of a solution so we lean in and rely upon His power and solution. It is an amazing experience being used by The Spirit in these situations. Results of The Holy Spirit produce vineyards of fruit!
Really important point that the fruit of the Holy Spirit cannot be mimicked. It is the fruit if the Holy Spirit. That’s the point a supernatural work. His enabling.
I keep saying it but this series has really helped me to reflect on the Christ life and how impossible it is without the Holy Spirit.
What a beautiful picture of a life flooded by the Holy Spirit so that he touches others.
Such an important warning that we can grieve the Holy Spirit.
I agree Ann-Louise, this series has caused me to reflect on the objective of becoming more like Christ is impossible with out the Holy Spirit.
Right there with you both. This series does cause me to pause and reflect my action or inaction with the Holy Spirit. Do I quench Him in my life or in those that I counsel? I pray not and if so, I pray for immediate change.
In the beginning of the pod cast it was a little confusing from some of the wording used between gifts of the Spirit (giftings) and Fruit of the Spirit. So, I did a word search on 3 words: gifts, fruit, body. What I came away with is this:
1) within the body of Christ are many members with different functions (giftings, spiritual gifts) that each member is to use to build the body of Christ up as we are fully yielded to, filled, inundated, baptized, etc. with the Holy Spirit continually. We do not all have the same spiritual gifts, but we do have the same Spirit.
2) this filling of the Holy Spirit produces the Fruit of the Spirit which every member of the body has in his walk with Christ.
3) there are many ways of receiving the fullness of the Spirit: through prayer and/or laying on of hands.
I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit prompted me to do that word study so that I can be clear on how to explain it to those I disciple.
Very helpful summary lorna. Thank you.
What a brilliant opportunity the body of Christ has. Individual gift, and the opportunity to bear fruit from those giftings by the enabling of the Holy Spirit himself! For the edification of the entire body and enabled to witness. Praise God .
I saw a picture in my mind when Jeff said “We want the vineyard of our lives to have an overabundance of fruit;” the picture was of a vineyard full of grapes, large grapes, and people, many, many people coming in and out of the vineyard, happily taking some of the fruit that they needed, and they were blessed by the abundance of fruit given freely to them. The idea then is that I should be thinking of others as visitors in the Lord’s vineyard, and He has good gifts to give them through me: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These fruits ultimately build up others in the body of Christ. Hm. What fruit will I allow God to give others through me? Rather, I MUST allow God to use me to give good fruit to all, I must be subject to His rule and His provision so that I can please Him and build others up.
A principle I see with the empowering of the Holy Spirit seems to be directly correlated to preaching the Gospel. I am constantly being reminded of Jesus’ word in John 3:8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
I love that. What a picture we can see as we allow God to use us and what kind of fruit we will give to others as we allow him to live and breathe through us.
I like the picture in your mind of the vineyard. And John 3:8 is a great word picture as well for those who are filled with the Spirit.
As Jeff mentioned, the fruit is the priority of the Holy spirits’ power to produce the bearing of fruit in our lives, which is to have a lasting impact. That of Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.
In Luke 1:35 And the angel said to Mary,” the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.” When Mary visited Elizabeth, Luke 1:41 says, “it happened when the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped inside the womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke 1:80 “John the baptist grew and became strong in the Spirit.” Looking at all these examples, and so many more as we read of the fruit from the obedience and calling of those in the Bible. The fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit and left for eternity in the lives of all to hear. We have divine appointments that God sets before us, and the fruit that comes from obedience is Spirit-led. God places us on the path to someone in need, and we can feel his prompting to share the word with them and bring comfort and love to them, giving God all the glory.
That’s a great description Kristen and a sobering thought that there are God given appointments and works for us to walk in. Eph 2.10. Phil 2.13.
What a wonderful thought too that we might be a blessing to others in the strength of God!
Another great podcast, Pastor Jeff. I agree that our fruit is more important than gifting – especially the fruit of love. While listening to this podcast I thought of John the Baptist as he pronounced, “…produce FRUIT in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).” Our spiritual fruit becomes evident to all.
I love the reminder that we don’t need to tell God what miracle or help we need, God the Holy Sprit is omniscient, knowing everything!
Thank you for your transparency, Pastor Jeff as you share your victories and fears with us, such as when you shared in your dilemma that you cried out, “Lord, I don’t know what to do in the situation!” Your stories and experiences really help by reminding us that we have every reason to have courage that Holy Spirit WILL show up and help us in EVERY situation.
So encouraging that we have the Spirit within to call upon when we are in need. Even when we are in the waiting process, He knows the best time to show us what to do and gives us the right words to say.
I also liked that comment that Jeff made, that we don’t need to tell God what to do, we ask Him for help and He helps and does His good and pleasing will. It is our job to trust Him and depend upon Him to do His will when we ask, and to be submissive to His will by the working of His Spirit that guides and comforts us.
I like what you say, Laura. I’m inclined to believe that your first paragraph has to do with working out our salvation in our individual spiritual giftings (Phil. 2:12 & James 2:14-26). It is our individual functioning as one in the body. Like you said, “our spiritual fruit”. But the Fruit of the Spirit is the characteristic of the Spirit, which if we yield to the continual filling of the Spirit, we will be more like Christ with those characteristics, who was filled with the Spirit. Is that what you are trying to say?
I also agree that fruit is more important than gifting. Sometimes Christian circles can put to much emphasis on the gifting over the fruit that comes from the gifting.