Fruit Of The Spirit (Bible Study) - Love Ground Series

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Last week we looked at the fruits being the Characteristics of God, and how He loves us so much that He gave us the Fruit Inspection Test to know if people are safe. This week we’re going to talk about how love is the groundwork for all the good fruit, tie in what Jesus said about it, how Paul built on that ground, and even go back to Ezekiel. Jesus taught us the secret and we’re going to dig in…

But first, homework! Did everyone think about the Fruit of the Spirit this week and do Fruit Inspections?

Don’t forget, “Little fruit, big problems. Big fruit, little problems.”

Let’s quickly review Galatians 5:22-23 and the picture of the offshoots.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The Fruit of the Spirit is the Breath of God on your life. When you walk in the spirit, these characteristics don’t just stay inside you. They emanate from God, through your spirit, and out for others to partake. This fruit is to share with others, not just something you grow for yourself. Have you ever been around someone or listened to someone speak and you just feel uplifted, encouraged, strengthened, or ready to conquer your mountain? That’s the Breath of God’s Life feeding your spirit through that person, the Fruit of the Spirit, the secret to why it’s referred to as a food! It’s spiritual food that you produce, because these characteristics can feed other people! It grows inside you and then emanates out of you. The fruit isn’t imaginary strawberries, bananas, or an orange watermelon to make you think and reflect; these are real traits of The Father that He Breathes in us. We’re to be so full of fruit that it flows out to minister for others to take. Does this make sense to everyone? I know this is a little bit of a new thought.

Love is the first fruit, but it’s also your ground in which all fruit grow. Let’s look at one of the most important scriptures concerning God’s Character.

1 John 4:8 NKJV

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

That’s a very powerful scripture. Christians love quoting, “God is love,” but forget the first part is a very difficult saying. “He who does not love does not know God.” We’re not going to camp on the issue of love, but mediate on this scripture this week making sure you love everyone so you can know God.

Let’s take a look at judgement in Matthew 7:23 NKJV

And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Lawlessness, the King James says, “ye that work iniquity,” which means “grossly unfair or grossly injustice.” That is the complete opposite of love. In the Greek, the word know is personally know or intimate knowledge. Write down what these scriptures are saying to us: if you do not love, you don’t personally know God and He doesn’t personally know you! This is why we talked about being Fruit Inspectors so much last week. We don’t want to be found giving lawless ministers our support or a place in our lives. If they’re non-ministers, we want to make sure our help is pleasing to the Lord.

God is love. God and His Word are one (John 1:1). We can read God in any scripture adding the meaning of love. Let’s use the well-known

John 3:16 NKJV

For Love so loved the world that Love gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Love’s Son, should not perish but have everlasting life.

Do you believe in Love (God) that begot Love (Jesus)? We were reborn by Love, now carrying the Spirit of Love in our spirit that thrives on love. We should remind ourselves that love is the very nature of God, and one step out of His love is one step away from Him. I know that sounds harsh, and hard to live by, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do it. But we must not TRY to love people, because it will never work. Let’s look at what the Word says.

Romans 5:5 NKJV

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

He already poured His love out in each Christian. It’s not that you’re going to get it one day, you already have it. Going back to last week, Paul told us to just do it in Galatians 5 and called it walking in the spirit, because your spirit is reborn by Love into a Love Covenant (new commandment-love). That’s exactly how we do it, choose it. Choose Love, it’s choosing God. The more you choose God’s Love, the greater He can Breathe His Breath into your life. Let’s take a couple quick looks at some scripture, because this is a new thought and it might feel too far out for you.