His Fruit . . .Not Mine

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is: Love, Peace, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. (Galatians 5:22)

What did God do for us? In the Old Testament, He sent the Jews His Law, His Covenant with them. . . a list of "dos and don'ts," a schoolmaster enforcing external control for a time. The Law was meant to show us that we are sinners. Apart from the Law, we wouldn't know our sin. The function of the Law of God is a holy function. It brings conviction and wisdom . . . knowing right from wrong. But it cannot save us! God's better plan for the salvation of fallen man was not to be in His Law -- external control, but rather thru His Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit -- internal control. In many ways, we raise our children in this way. We instruct them and through love and discipline focus on the external behavior while waiting for the promise of the salvation through their personal faith and then the best thing that could happen to any of our children . . . the Holy Spirit born in their hearts, bringing them freedom and internal control. The Holy Spirit becomes their internal parent. Not only that, He brings the anointing of God that breaks every yoke! He illuminates everything from the inside! The personality of God, the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, begins to flow from the inside out, freely.

It's the difference between incarceration (external control) and transformation (internal control). It is prison vs. freedom. The external control was needed for a time . . . just until the Deliverer came. Then the freedom just flows, without striving or struggling, but rather by faith through grace. This is Good News! This is the Relief of God!

Jesus describes this new way and life in John 15. It's called, "Abiding." He describes Himself as the Vine and His Father is the Vinedresser (the Gardener). He teaches us that we are just the branch; and that apart from Him, we can do nothing. Verse 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." Verse 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."

HOW do we abide? The very same way we came to Christ, Paul says in Galatians.

Galatians 5:5 -- "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision (what we do externally or not do externally); but faith which worketh by love. . . But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law."

He bemoans the Galatians in chapter 3, verse 2: "Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3) How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4) Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
5) I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ."

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, our Callings and ministries and the miracles of God are a gift to us by faith through the Father's Grace and Mercy in His Son Jesus. We can never earn them or achieve them through our own striving or performance. If we try, Paul says in Galatians we will fall from Grace and even live under a curse . . . v10) "But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, 'Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.' 11) So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, 'It is through faith that a righteous person has life.' 12) This way of faith is very different from the way of law. . .

HOW do we abide? We plug into the Vine by faith. The same way we received this Life, we abide. Much like plugging into an outlet. You must plug into, by faith, the source of Life, fruit and power.

Faith in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to live the Chrisitan life.

"The Vine is Christ. I am the branch. The Holy Spirit is the "sap" that runs through the Vine (Jesus) and into the branch (me). The branch lives, grows and bears fruit NOT BY STRUGGLES and EFFORT . . .but simply by abiding." (Charles Stanley) "We are the BEARERS of His fruit, not the PRODUCERS."

"How does the branch bear fruit? NOT by incessant effort for sunshine and air; NOT by vain struggles for those vivifying influences which give beauty to the blossom, and verdue to the leaf; it simply abides in the vine, in silent and undisturbed union, (rest) and (I love this) SPONTANEOUS GROWTH. How, then, shall a Christian bear fruit? By efforts and struggles to obtain that which is freely given? By meditations on watchfulness, on prayer, on action, on temptation (accountability), and on dangers? NO: THERE MUST BE A FULL CONCENTRATION OF THE THOUGHTS AND AFFECTIONS ON CHRIST (set your full concentration on Him); a COMPLETE surrender of the your own works; a CONSTANT LOOKING AT HIM FOR GRACE."

(Hudson Taylor)

The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is spontaneous! Sometimes it even surprises us. "That wasn't me! That was Someone living inside of me!" :)

"It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives IN ME!" (Gal. 2:20) It is no longer I who is expected to produce patience, self-control and love in my life. This is the job of the Holy Spirit! It is NO LONGER I who is expected to produce joy in the midst of stress. That, too, is the Holy Spirit's responsibility. It is no longer I who is expected to produce anything in the way of character. It is Christ (the Vine), working through the Holy Spirit (the Sap), producing character (blossoms and fruit) in me (the branch). WHAT A RELIEF!

His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If you think about it, branches were not designed to produce fruit -- they were designed to have fruit produced through them (to bear the fruit only). And by faith, I have accepted the relationship of abiding. To abide by faith is simply to live in Christ -- from Him every need is supplied! He is my Shepherd and I shall not want of anything. His is the all-sufficient Christ. . . and firmly adequate to carry me, keep me unto that Day and make me fruitful. Yes, He prunes, that too is His job . . . not mine. And it's not my job to prune others, either. We are all His work, His creation and work . . .hands off ourselves . . .hands off others. Eyes on Christ! Hearts fixed for the second coming! Ears open for His Voice and Song!