Producing the Fruit of the Spirit Together

Devotional

Day 1: The Importance of Spiritual Rhythm

Maintaining a healthy rhythm in church activities helps prevent burnout and keeps us spiritually healthy. This rhythm allows us to serve effectively and stay connected to our community, especially as we transition from midweek services to life groups. A balanced spiritual rhythm ensures that we are not overburdened and can continue to grow in our faith without feeling overwhelmed.

By establishing a consistent pattern of worship, study, and rest, we create an environment where the Holy Spirit can work within us. This rhythm is crucial as it helps us stay spiritually nourished and ready to serve others. As we move into new phases of church life, such as transitioning to life groups, maintaining this rhythm will help us stay connected to God and each other. [32:16]

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to establish a healthier spiritual rhythm in your life? How can you ensure that you are balancing worship, study, and rest effectively?

Day 2: Identifying True Believers

True believers are identified by their fruits, as Jesus taught in Matthew 7:15-21. The visible manifestations of the Holy Spirit's work in their lives, such as love, joy, and peace, serve as proof of their genuine faith. These fruits are not produced by our own efforts but by the Holy Spirit working within us.

It is essential to examine our lives and actions to ensure that we are bearing good fruit. This self-examination helps us stay aligned with God's will and allows us to be a positive witness to others. By focusing on the fruits of the Spirit, we can better understand our spiritual health and growth. [36:00]

James 3:17-18 (ESV): "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Reflection: Reflect on the fruits of the Spirit in your life. Which ones are most evident, and which ones need more cultivation? How can you allow the Holy Spirit to work more fully in those areas?

Day 3: Counterfeit Conversions

Counterfeit conversions lead to hypocrisy and church hurt. True conversion is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, which includes attributes like kindness, goodness, and self-control. These fruits are produced by the Holy Spirit, not by our own efforts.

It is crucial to recognize the difference between genuine faith and mere outward appearances. Counterfeit conversions can cause significant harm to the church community and hinder the spread of the gospel. By focusing on true conversion and the fruits of the Spirit, we can create a more authentic and loving church environment. [44:14]

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV): "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you might be relying on outward appearances rather than genuine faith? How can you seek a deeper, more authentic relationship with Christ today?

Day 4: The Parable of the Sower

The condition of our hearts affects the growth of the Word of God in our lives. Good soil, which represents a receptive and obedient heart, produces abundant fruit. This parable emphasizes the need for self-examination and spiritual cultivation.

By ensuring that our hearts are receptive to God's Word, we can experience spiritual growth and produce good fruit. This involves regular self-examination and a willingness to remove any obstacles that may hinder our spiritual development. [49:12]

Hosea 10:12 (ESV): "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you."

Reflection: What is the current condition of your heart? Are there any areas that need to be cultivated or cleared to allow God's Word to grow more effectively in your life?

Day 5: Staying Connected to Christ

To produce the fruit of the Spirit, we must stay connected to Christ, the true vine. This involves a daily walk in the Spirit, studying the Word, worshiping, praying, serving, and being generous. By doing so, we cultivate good soil in our hearts, allowing the Holy Spirit to produce abundant fruit.

Staying connected to Christ requires intentional effort and a commitment to spiritual disciplines. By prioritizing our relationship with Him, we can experience the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and bear good fruit. [01:12:02]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: How can you strengthen your connection to Christ today? What specific spiritual disciplines can you incorporate into your daily routine to ensure that you are abiding in Him?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Tonight, we delved into the concept of the "Fruit of the Spirit" as outlined in Galatians 5. We began by discussing the importance of maintaining a healthy rhythm in our church activities to prevent burnout among our dedicated teams. This rhythm allows us to stay spiritually healthy and rested, especially as we transition from midweek services to life groups in September.

We then explored how to identify true believers through their actions and behaviors, emphasizing that the "proof is in the fruit." Jesus taught us in Matthew 7:15-21 that we can recognize true followers by their fruits, which are the visible manifestations of the Holy Spirit's work in their lives. We discussed the importance of self-examination and the need to bear good fruit, as trees that do not bear good fruit are cut down and thrown into the fire.

We also touched on the issue of counterfeit conversions, which lead to hypocrisy, church hurt, and the rejection of the gospel by unbelievers. True conversion is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are not produced by our own efforts but by the Holy Spirit working within us.

In Galatians 5:18-25, Paul outlines the acts of the sinful nature and contrasts them with the fruit of the Spirit. We discussed how the Holy Spirit helps us overcome our sinful nature and produce these fruits. We also examined the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, which illustrates how the condition of our hearts (the soil) affects the growth of the seed (the Word of God).

Finally, we emphasized the importance of staying connected to Christ, the true vine, to produce good fruit. This involves a daily walk in the Spirit, studying the Word, worshiping, praying, serving, and being generous with our time, talent, and treasure. By doing so, we cultivate good soil in our hearts, allowing the Holy Spirit to produce abundant fruit in our lives.

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Key Takeaways

1. 9RT0A&t=1936s'>[32:16]
2. Identifying True Believers: True believers are identified by their fruits, as Jesus taught in Matthew 7:15-21. The visible manifestations of the Holy Spirit's work in their lives, such as love, joy, and peace, serve as proof of their genuine faith.

3. Counterfeit Conversions: Counterfeit conversions lead to hypocrisy and church hurt. True conversion is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, which includes attributes like kindness, goodness, and self-control. These fruits are produced by the Holy Spirit, not by our own efforts.

4. The Parable of the Sower: The condition of our hearts affects the growth of the Word of God in our lives. Good soil, which represents a receptive and obedient heart, produces abundant fruit. This parable emphasizes the need for self-examination and spiritual cultivation.

5. Staying Connected to Christ: To produce the fruit of the Spirit, we must stay connected to Christ, the true vine. This involves a daily walk in the Spirit, studying the Word, worshiping, praying, serving, and being generous. By doing so, we cultivate good soil in our hearts, allowing the Holy Spirit to produce abundant fruit.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[32:16] - Importance of Spiritual Rhythm
[33:58] - Identifying True Believers
[36:00] - Proof is in the Fruit
[44:14] - Counterfeit Conversions
[49:12] - The Parable of the Sower
[51:12] - Staying Connected to Christ
[72:02] - Producing Spiritual Fruit
[97:14] - Conclusion and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the acts of the sinful nature listed in Galatians 5:19-21?
According to Matthew 7:16-20, how can we recognize false prophets?
In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9), what are the different types of soil mentioned, and what happens to the seed in each type?
What does Galatians 5:22-23 describe as the fruit of the Spirit?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul contrast the acts of the sinful nature with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:18-25? How does this contrast help believers understand their spiritual walk?
How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:15-21 about recognizing people by their fruits apply to our daily interactions with others? [36:00]
What does the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 teach us about the condition of our hearts and its impact on receiving God's Word? [49:12]
How can the presence of the fruit of the Spirit in someone's life serve as evidence of true conversion, as discussed in the sermon? [44:14]

Application Questions

Reflect on your current spiritual rhythm. Are there areas where you feel spiritually burnt out? How can you adjust your activities to maintain a healthy spiritual rhythm? [32:16]
Think of a time when you identified someone as a true believer by their actions. What specific fruits of the Spirit did you observe in their life? How can you cultivate these fruits in your own life? [36:00]
Have you ever encountered someone who claimed to be a believer but whose actions suggested otherwise? How did this experience affect your faith or perception of the church? [44:14]
The parable of the sower emphasizes the importance of good soil. What steps can you take to ensure that your heart is good soil for God's Word? [49:12]
Staying connected to Christ is essential for producing good fruit. What daily practices can you implement to strengthen your connection to Christ? Consider prayer, Bible study, worship, and service. [01:12:02]
Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit that you struggle with the most. What specific actions can you take this week to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others?
Reflect on the concept of counterfeit conversions. How can you ensure that your faith is genuine and not just an emotional experience? What role does self-examination play in this process? [44:14]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "How many of you have ever just come into encounter with somebody and you're like, that's a believer. Like you could tell that that's a believer. And then how many of you have encountered people that tell you that they're believers and you just don't believe them. Right. Like that person with the Bible in their back of the car in the back window. Right. With the little scripture on the back and the little. The little fish on the back and everything and they're flipping everybody off, you know, the way they're, you're like, yeah, I don't know, maybe they're having a bad day." [36:00] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If we truly desire to reach people. Or draw them into a relationship with Jesus. Then we have to ask ourselves. What are the identifying markers? The attractive markers. The qualities that all believers. That all Christians just strive to cultivate in our lives. Because this is something that doesn't happen overnight. This is something that must be cultivated. It's something that we have to have. Bring attention to. And something that we have to work on." [49:12] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The great thing about the fruit of the Spirit is that it produces something in us that's not just for us. It's But it blesses everybody else around us. John 15, verse 4 says this. And this is Jesus while he's praying. He says, remain in me as I also remain in you. And then he says this. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." [01:12:02] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So every person alive is given an opportunity to respond to God in some way. And the Bible says that when the last person has had the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus, the trumpet will sound, and that the Lord will come back for his church, and tribulation will start. Romans 1.20 says, For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, his eternal power, his divine nature, have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." [01:22:17] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "The goodness of God is not determined by our, response it's determined by the goodness of God it's founded upon his character the seed will be sown on every type of human soil whether the seed grows or not but who is responsible to cultivate that the Holy Spirit or you and me I heard this quote we can't make ourselves like Jesus we need the Holy Spirit working in us preparing us empowering us to receive from God what he wants to grow through us for his purpose and for his glory." [01:24:31] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When Jesus says you'll know them by their fruit, what he's saying is that there are attributes about them that are a reflection from my spirit. Being inside of them. And you should know them by their fruit. Because the fruit is produced by the very presence of God in their lives. Why? Because they don't have the capacity to produce fruit on their own strength. In their own will. They'll always fall short of God's glory in that. Because these things are produced by the Holy Spirit in us." [45:23] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit. And so in recent years from the Pew Research Center. It tends to support this idea even further. One of the reasons many who have left Christianity gave for, many of the reasons many who have left Christianity gave their reason for their departure. Was negative experiences inside of the church. Divisiveness. And this happens amongst people that identify as Christians or as believers." [46:39] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The fruit of the Spirit is the identifying mark of Christian character. Those that are in Christ are different from disbelievers in that they are different from unbelievers in that they have been endowed with the Holy Spirit, allowing them to bear these spiritual fruits. And according to Paul, these fruits are distinctive traits and are the evidence of a life that belongs to Jesus and is filled with the presence and the sealing of his Holy Spirit." [57:05] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "How do I produce the spiritual fruit? Is this helping anybody? Now, I'm not saying that when you get saved and you become born again, all of a sudden you're like this super Christian. I'm not saying that. There is a process of sanctification that happens throughout your Christianity, but you should see the fruit of your repentance. We should be able to tell that there's been repentance and that the Holy Spirit is in you and on you because of the way that you treat other people." [01:07:28] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "How do I produce good fruit well first and foremost and I'm going to give you all the answers right now do I produce good fruit live fully surrender to the Holy Spirit live fully surrender to the Holy Spirit which is walking in alignment to his word you guys can take it thank you when you're walking in alignment to his word so first and foremost how do I produce this good fruit or allow this good fruit to be produced in me how do I keep this soil good by fully surrendering to Jesus number one you can't produce good fruit if you're not saved." [01:39:00] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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