Extra-Spiritual Fruit

Devotional

Day 1: True Spiritual Fruit Flows from Gratitude and Love, Not Performance

The world often encourages us to measure our spiritual lives by outward achievements, badges, or impressive practices, but these can easily become substitutes for genuine relationship with Jesus. When we focus on performance, comparison, or spiritual “leveling up,” we risk missing the true fruit that God desires to grow in us—fruit that overflows with gratitude and love. The Spirit produces lasting fruit in us not through our striving, but as we surrender and receive all things with thanksgiving, letting go of pride and the need to impress. [17:41]

1 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Reflection: What is one “spiritual badge” or achievement you tend to take pride in? Can you offer it to Jesus today, thanking Him for any good that’s come from it, and ask Him to grow true fruit in you instead?

Day 2: Beware of “Jesus Plus”—Finding Sufficiency in Christ Alone

In a culture hungry for spiritual experiences and self-improvement, it’s tempting to seek “Jesus and something else” to feel more powerful, unique, or fulfilled. But blending other sources of identity or spiritual power with Jesus leads us away from the simplicity and sufficiency of Christ. The enemy is eager to offer enticing alternatives that seem to fit our wounds or desires, but only Jesus truly frees and satisfies. Returning to Him alone, without additions or upgrades, is the path to peace and wholeness. [06:03]

Colossians 2:6-10 (ESV)
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Reflection: Where are you tempted to add something to Jesus—another practice, belief, or identity—to feel more “spiritual” or secure? What would it look like to trust in Christ’s sufficiency alone today?

Day 3: Receive God’s Good Gifts with Thanksgiving, Not Legalism

God’s creation is meant to be received with gratitude, not rejected through strict rules or legalistic practices that masquerade as spiritual maturity. When we elevate good things—like food, marriage, or work—to ultimate things, or impose unnecessary restrictions to appear more holy, we miss the joy of God’s generosity. Instead, we are invited to enjoy His gifts with thankful hearts, recognizing that everything is made holy by His word and prayer, and that true holiness is marked by gratitude, not pride or comparison. [25:35]

1 Timothy 4:4-5 (ESV)
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Reflection: Think of one ordinary gift in your life today—a meal, a relationship, or a moment of beauty. How can you intentionally receive it with thanksgiving, honoring God as the giver rather than focusing on rules or comparison?

Day 4: Break Agreements with Lies—Take Every Thought Captive to Christ

The enemy’s “whisper campaign” often tempts us to believe lies about ourselves, others, or God—subtle agreements that shape our attitudes and actions. These thoughts may sound reasonable, but they lead us away from trust in Jesus and into cycles of shame, anxiety, or control. We are called to recognize and break these agreements, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ, so that our minds and hearts remain sensitive to His leading and truth. [21:58]

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

Reflection: What is one recurring thought or belief that you sense is not from God? Will you name it, break agreement with it in Jesus’ name, and ask Him to help you think His thoughts instead?

Day 5: Surrender Pride and Comparison—Let the Spirit Produce Lasting Fruit

Spiritual pride and comparison can creep in even through good practices, leading us to measure ourselves against others or seek validation through our own efforts. But the Spirit’s true work is revealed in love, humility, and gratitude—fruit that lasts beyond trends or performance. As we surrender our need to be “extra spiritual” and invite the Gardener to prune away our pride, we make space for the Spirit to grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in us, all for God’s glory. [34:14]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most struggle with spiritual pride or comparison? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to prune that area and grow His fruit in you this week?

Sermon Summary

In a world hungry for spiritual depth and meaning, many are tempted to pursue “Jesus and”—adding extra practices, traditions, or spiritual experiences in hopes of leveling up their faith. This impulse is fueled by a culture obsessed with performance, identity, and self-improvement, where even spirituality becomes another arena for badges, comparison, and self-expression. Yet, this pursuit often leads to anxiety, pressure, and a sense of never being enough, as we try to manufacture spiritual fruit through our own effort or blend together a “spiritual smoothie” of whatever seems powerful or appealing.

The ancient warning from Paul to Timothy is as relevant now as ever: not all spiritual fruit comes from God’s Spirit. There are teachings, practices, and experiences that look spiritual on the surface but are rooted in pride, legalism, or even deception. The enemy is subtle, offering counterfeit spiritual upgrades that play to our wounds and desires for control or status, but ultimately leave us empty or enslaved. True spiritual fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—cannot be manufactured by performance or comparison. It is the overflow of a life surrendered to Jesus, rooted in gratitude and humility.

Rather than striving for spiritual superiority or collecting badges, the invitation is to return to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. This means receiving every good thing as a gift from God, with thanksgiving, and refusing to elevate any practice, experience, or identity above Him. It means being honest about the ways we seek validation or control, and allowing God to prune away the leafy show of performance so that true fruit can grow. The wisdom of the saints reminds us: only love and humility reveal the true work of the Spirit. When we surrender our badges and our pride, we make space for God’s presence to produce fruit that lasts—not for our glory, but for His.

Key Takeaways

1. Spiritual curiosity is not neutral; it can lead us to blend practices and seek power or identity outside of Christ. The enemy exploits our wounds and desires, offering spiritual experiences that seem to fit our needs but ultimately deceive and enslave. True freedom and healing come only from turning to Jesus alone, not from spiritual self-improvement or “Jesus plus” approaches. [06:03]
2. Performative spirituality—collecting badges, comparing progress, or seeking validation—feeds pride and anxiety rather than genuine transformation. The culture’s pressure to be unique and impressive can seep into our faith, making us more concerned with appearances than with authentic relationship with God. The fruit that matters is not what others see, but what God produces in a surrendered heart. [10:33]
3. Not all spiritual fruit is holy; some practices and experiences, even if they seem powerful or impressive, can be rooted in deception or pride. Paul’s warning to Timothy is that legalism, control, and pride can masquerade as spiritual maturity, but are actually the teaching of demons. The test of true fruit is gratitude and love, not performance or superiority. [17:41]
4. The good gifts of God—work, relationships, food, spiritual practices—are meant to be received with thanksgiving, not elevated to ultimate status. When we make good things into “God things,” we fall into idolatry and anxiety. The antidote is to receive all things as gifts, bless the Creator, and keep Jesus at the center of our devotion and identity. [30:19]
5. The deepest spiritual danger is pride, even in our pursuit of holiness. The wisdom of the saints teaches that after conquering outward sins, spiritual pride can still defeat us if we do not remain humble and grateful. Only love and humility reveal the true work of the Spirit; thanksgiving is the safeguard against self-righteousness and defeat. [37:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:40] - Spiritual Curiosity in Our Culture
[01:35] - The “Jesus and” Temptation
[03:01] - Badges and Performative Spirituality
[05:16] - The Quest for Spiritual Power
[06:23] - The Enemy’s Deception and Shame
[08:23] - Expressive Individualism and Identity
[09:32] - Spiritual Consumerism and Anxiety
[11:18] - Paul’s Warning: Not All Spiritual Practices Are Holy
[12:25] - Story: Spiritual Power in Sierra Leone
[15:29] - Not All Spiritual Experiences Are Holy
[15:44] - Reading 1 Timothy 4:1-5
[17:27] - True Gospel Fruit: Gratitude and Love
[22:35] - The Danger of a Seared Conscience
[24:24] - False Fruit: Legalism and Spiritual Badges
[28:06] - The Spirit Produces Lasting Fruit
[30:19] - Receiving God’s Gifts with Thanksgiving
[32:20] - Leaves vs. Fruit: Submitting to the Gardener
[35:40] - Ancient Wisdom: Evagrius Ponticus on Spiritual Pride
[39:01] - Practical Steps: Surrendering Badges
[41:07] - Allegiance to Jesus Alone
[41:54] - Closing and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV) — Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Observation Questions

According to 1 Timothy 4:1-5, what are some specific examples Paul gives of teachings that are not from God’s Spirit?
In the sermon, what are some modern ways people try to “level up” their spirituality or add to Jesus? ([01:35])
What does the passage say is the right way to receive God’s good gifts, like food or marriage?
The sermon mentions “badges” and “performative spirituality.” What are some examples of these from the message? ([03:01])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Paul warns Timothy that not all spiritual fruit or experiences are from God? What dangers does this present for believers today? ([17:27])
How does the desire for spiritual “badges” or comparison feed into pride and anxiety, according to the sermon? ([10:33])
The sermon says that true spiritual fruit is “the overflow of a life surrendered to Jesus, rooted in gratitude and humility.” What does this look like in real life? ([17:41])
Why is it so easy to turn good things (like work, relationships, or spiritual practices) into “God things” that become idols? ([29:17])

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to identify “badges” we wear—ways we try to prove our spirituality or worth. What is one badge you tend to hold onto? How could you surrender it to Jesus this week? ([39:01])
Think about a time when you compared your spiritual life to someone else’s. How did that affect your relationship with God and others? What would it look like to trade comparison for unity? ([39:44])
Are there any practices, experiences, or identities you’ve been tempted to add to “Jesus alone” in hopes of feeling more spiritual or in control? How can you return to the simplicity of devotion to Christ? ([05:16])
The sermon says that not all spiritual experiences are holy, even if they seem powerful or impressive. How can you discern whether something is truly from God’s Spirit? ([15:29])
The message encourages us to receive every good thing as a gift from God, with thanksgiving. What is one ordinary thing in your life you can intentionally thank God for this week? ([31:26])
Pride is described as the deepest spiritual danger, even in our pursuit of holiness. Where have you noticed spiritual pride creeping into your life? What would it look like to respond with humility and gratitude instead? ([37:30])
The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) is described as something God produces in us, not something we manufacture. Which aspect of the fruit of the Spirit do you most want to see grow in your life right now? What is one step you can take to partner with God in that area? ([33:51])

Sermon Clips

There's a whisper campaign that says you can't trust Jesus. He doesn't have your best interest at heart. Go ahead and reach out and grab what you want. It's going to be fine. He just doesn't want you to know everything that you really need to know to live and survive. That's the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Does that make sense? Remember the whisper? It's like, oh, come on. Surely he didn't say that. And surely you could probably just do that. It's not that big a deal. [00:20:13] (24 seconds) #TrustJesusNotWhispers

How many of you would like your conscience to be revived? Where you could say, I want to know again. I want to know again when I'm out of line. I want to be brought on my knees before the throne and then have you tell me to rise. I don't want to take any position other than just what you have for me. [00:22:56] (20 seconds) #ReviveYourConscience

So here's the false fruit. Here's the true fruit. False fruit, imposing strict rules that look spiritual on the, on the surface, but reject God's good creation. That's kind of what he's saying, right? I'm not junk drawing it. This is just what he's saying. In Ephesus, spiritual badges, extreme rules, rituals. I don't know if you know how long I've gone without, but you should try that too. Then you could be cool like me. Only real Christians do fill in the blank after that. Only real Christians. Okay, that's false fruit. Legalism, performance. Anything that substitutes, substitutes practices for relationship, pride for genuine community becomes this wedge in the community. [00:26:56] (49 seconds) #FalseFruitVsTrueFruit

Only love, love and humility reveal the true work of the Holy Spirit. If after a victory, you don't offer thanksgiving, you'll soon find yourself defeated again. Somehow, I don't know what it is about us, but I know it's so solidly in my soul, is that thanks Jesus for the victory. I'll take it from here. And then how far can you go? And I'm like, I don't want to go far. Receive it with thanksgiving or you'll find yourself defeated again. [00:37:36] (37 seconds) #LoveAndHumility

Let's just make no random calls to the universe for help. No, don't do it. Don't do it. Who's going to pick up that call? In an overloaded spiritual universe, don't just make a random call. Put it out there for the universe because there will be someone, something that picks up that call and you don't want it. You want the one that brings fruit that lasts. The love, the joy, the peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. Not because we did it. But because His presence is among us. All for His glory and for His name. [00:41:15] (35 seconds) #ExposePrideInLight

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