Spiritual Fruits : Apple Trees & Orange Trees

Pastor Gibson Largent teaches on Galatians 5:16-24 and Spiritual Fruit.

LISTENING GUIDE: Walk by the Spirit

Galatians 5:16-26; Titus 2:11-14; Romans 8:1-17; 12:1-2

Gibson Largent – Riverside Community Church – May 22, 2011

Walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of your flesh

OBEY THE COMMAND AND ENJOY THE PROMISE (vs. 16-18)

1. 1.       “Walk”
2. 2.       “By the Spirit”
   1. a.       The ministry of the Holy Spirit:
      1. Confirms that we are actually saved (Romans 8:9)
      2.  Brings us into intimacy with God (Romans 8:15)
      3.  Illuminates the scripture so that we can understand it (John 14:26, 16:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16)
      4.  Glorifies Jesus Christ (John 16:14)
      5.   Personally guides us into God’s will (Acts 10:19; 11:12; 13:1-4; 20:28; 15:28; 16:6-7)
      6.   Energizes obedience to God’s Word
      7.   Ministers to us through other believers
      8.   Ministers through us to other believers
      9.   Strengthens us (Romans 8:26-27)
      10.   Prays with us and for us (Romans 8:26-27)
      11.   He guarantees victory (Galatians 5:16)
      12.   He gives evidence that He is present in your life (Galatians 5:22-23)
   2. b.       He does all this and more as long as we don’t:
      1.  Quench the Spirit by turning away (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
      2.  Grieve the Spirit by turning away (Ephesians 4:30)
      3.   Resist the Spirit (Acts 7:51)
      4.    Lie to the Spirit like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)
      5.   Blaspheme the Spirit (verbally rejecting the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit) (Matthew 12, Mark 3, Luke 12)
3. The Promise: You will not gratify the desires of the flesh (vs. 16)
4.  The Conflict (vs. 17)

RECOGNIZE THE FRUIT AND UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU STAND WITH GOD (vs. 19-23)

1. 1.       The fruit of the flesh and it’s end result: hell (vs. 19-21)
   1. Sexual sins, religious sins, relational sin, out of control sins
2. 2.       The fruit of the Spirit and it’s end result: life (vs. 22-23)
   1. Love – “may be defined as giving oneself for others so that they are encouraged and strengthened to give themselves more fully to God” (Schreiner)
      1. Opposites: hatred, angry, rage, unforgiveness, selfishness
   2. Joy – rejoicing in all circumstances – inner happiness not affected by outer circumstances
      1. Opposites: fear and frustration
   3. Peace – a clean conscience, a still mind, and good relationships
      1. Opposites: guilt, worry, doubt, frayed
   4. Patience – long-suffering, enduring with hope and confidence, waiting well
      1. Opposites: impatience, urgency, manipulation
   5. Kindness – generosity, benevolence, especially to enemies and the marginalized
      1. Opposites: arrogance, stinginess, greed, selfishness, rudeness
   6. Goodness – “living lives of moral beauty, and decency that shines forth in a world blighted by evil” (Schreiner)
      1. Opposites: immorality, questionable character, indecency, shameful hidden habits
   7. Faithfulness – loyal and dependable and trustworthy
      1. Opposites: irresponsible, deceitful, gossip, divisiveness, hypocritical
   8. Gentleness – humility, meekness, softness, warmth
      1. Opposites: harsh, proud, forceful, stubborn, willful
   9. Self-control – “able to restrain themselves unlike those who are dominated by the desires of the flesh” (Schreiner) – restraint is most obvious in your words – can you control what you say?  How you spend your money?  What you do with your time?
      1. Opposites: unrestrained, irresponsible, wild, out of control, purposeless, idle, unfocused

Matthew 12:33-37 - "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

CRUCIFY THE FLESH AND WALK BY THE SPIRIT (vs. 24-25)

1. 1.       Don’t play around with sin – crucify it
   1. a.       1 Peter 5:6-9 – “6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
2. 2.       2) How to walk by the Spirit
   1. a.       Present yourself to God many times during the day
      1.  Romans 12:1-2 – “1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
   2. b.       Tune in and listen to the Holy Spirit, mainly by knowing the Bible and living it out
   3. c.        Alter your path – change your mind – confess and repent when necessary
   4. d.       Repeat again tomorrow 

Titus 2:11-14 – “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”