Fruits That Bring Delight

Fruits That Delight (Psalm 34:8-12)

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good."

We often hear about the need to eat our daily portion of fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet should contain at least 4-6 serving of fruits to build up our anti-oxidant levels that fight against the free radicals that work to cause a deterioration of our physical bodies. However, do we similarly remember to feast on the fruits that come from the Holy Spirit’s infusing, filling and enabling power? Without a consistent renewing of our spiritual, emotional and mental capacities with the fruit of the Spirit we will grow weak, vulnerable to temptation and unable to fulfill God’s greater purposes for lives.

Paul warned us of what happens when we do not saturate ourselves with what is true, noble, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent and admirable when he wrote, "The signs of the last days, will evidence people who will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love,

unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Tim. 3:1-5)

Quoting from Bill Keller, the founder and director of Liveprayer.com

"We have the better percentage of over 2 full generations, with a third one on the way, who have never even been inside of a church. Generations who have grown up their entire lives in homes void of God and Biblical Truth. You have young adults who for the most part deny God’s existence, thoroughly reject the Bible as being the Truth it is, and scoff at having a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ. Most now have grown up in broken and blended homes and have had unstable childhoods. A larger percentage than people want to admit have been abused in some way, have never had the nurturing of a mother and father which is vital to the development of any child, and through the years have developed a cold and uncaring heart."

Ron Luce, the founder of Teen Mania and Acquire the Fire ministries writes, "65% of builders profess to be born again. 37% of boomers. 25% of busters but only 4% of millenials or those born after 1984.

The following are some of the attributes of the Lord God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that we need to feast on in order to exude the fruits of Spirit that will transform us and the world around us:

1. FAITH AUTHOR AND PERFECTOR -

The Lord Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, not minding the shame and is now set down on the right hand of the throne of God from whence He will judge the living and the dead. (Heb 12:1,2) As we fix our emotional, mental and spiritual attentions on the Lord Jesus we will be filled with the knowledge, energy and joy of the Lord as our strength. He will renew, revive and refuel us with His enabling power. Without Him we can do nothing of eternal value nor can we enjoy the sense of satisfaction that only He can give. "He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with what is good."

2. FACILITATOR

"It is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:14) God is the one who infuses in to us His mighty power, capabilities and motivations that enable us to work the works of God. Jesus said, "He who believes in Me the works that I do will He do also and greater works than these will He do because I go to the Father. You can ask anything in my name and I will do it that the son may be glorified to the Father." (John 14:12-14)

A facilitator makes takes easy to complete and reduces the difficulties of any challenge. When we have the Holy Spirit working in and through and with us we have supernatural capacities to accomplish everything God asks us to do with the help of Christ who gives us the strength and power. We will not lack for any good thing when we are filled, anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

God told Isaiah, "When You did awesome things which we did not expect, You came down the mountains quaked in your presence. For from of old they have not heard nor perceived by ear. Neither has the eye seen a God beside You. who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him." (Isa 64:3,4)

When we are in the midst of the worse difficulties imaginable we can be confident that the Lord is working a far greater work of glory in and through and with us. He is using us to forward His purposes as He is able to work all things together for His good. (Rom 8:28,29) It is up to us to trust, obey and wait upon Him to do the things that only He can through His Spirit’s facilitation.