Fruit Of The Spirit – Faithfulness
Developing Sticking Power
So far in our study of the fruit of the Spirit, we have looked at love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and goodness. Today we will consider the quality of faithfulness. Our focal verse for this series is from the book of Galatians where it says:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23 (NASB)
“Faithfulness” is a word we do not hear very often these days. It is a word usually reserved for retirement parties. After twenty-five years of faithful service – a worker gets a gold watch. When most of us think of the word “faithful” – we think of things that are old. My dog may be old and ugly – but she’s faithful. My car may be old and ugly – but it’s faithful.
To be faithful means to be reliable, trustworthy, dependable, consistent. Faithfulness is a rare quality. It is not easy to find someone who can really be counted on. The Good News Translation of Proverbs 20:6 says:
“Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is!” Proverbs 20:6 (GNT)
But we should strive to be faithful for a couple reasons. The first reason we should be faithful is that God is faithful. Second Thessalonians says:
“The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NASB)
Since God desires for us to be like him – he wants us to learn to be faithful.
Another reason why we should be faithful is that God rewards faithfulness. In the Book of Revelation this promise is made:
'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’ Rev 2:10 (NASB)
The Bible says over and over again that a faithful person will be richly blessed. So if you want to be rewarded in heaven – you should learn how to become a faithful – dependable person.
The most famous geyser in America is Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park. It is not the biggest geyser in America nor is it the most powerful. What makes the geyser famous is its faithfulness! It’s dependability. People appreciate faithfulness – even in a geyser.
Do you have a reputation for being reliable – dependable? You may be talented, educated, and creative – but if you are not dependable, your talents are not worth much. Someone has said, “The greatest ability is dependability.”
On the flip side – unfaithfulness is the cause of many problems in life. Proverbs 25:19 says:
“Like a bad tooth and an unsteady foot Is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.” Pro. 25:19 (NASB)
Unreliable people are a pain – like a bad toothache or a sore foot. You know what it is like to have a toothache. It hurts. When you are depending on an unreliable person – you can never quite relax. In the back of your mind you are always wondering, “Will he let me down again – or will he come through this time?” Working with inconsistent people is extremely frustrating. But God calls each of us to faithfulness.
Today we are going to look at five areas that you can do to develop faithfulness in your life.
1. Your PROMISES
Proverbs 25:14 says:
“Like clouds and wind without rain Is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.” Pro. 25:14 (NASB)
The Message Bible puts it this way:
“Like billowing clouds that bring no rain is the person who talks big but never produces.” Pro 25:14 (MSG)
Do you know people like that? They make promises but never keep them. They tell you they will do something – but never do.
Be careful about the promises you make. We need to be dependable in what we say. We need to keep our promises.
Ecclesiastes 5:5 says:
“It's better not to make a promise at all than to make one and not keep it.” Ecc 5:5 (CEV)
When you are faithful with your promises – you don’t have to convince people that you are. You don’t have to make a big deal of it. You don’t have to say, “Cross my heart and hope to die – stick a needle in my eye.” No – you just say you will do it and then you do it! Jesus said:
“When you make a promise, say only "Yes" or "No." Anything else comes from the devil (evil).” Mat 5:37 (CEV)
The second area to develop faithfulness is:
2. Your RELATIONSHIPS
We all need to cultivate personal loyalty. A faithful person stands by his or her friends. Proverbs 17:17 says:
“A friend is always a friend, and relatives are born to share our troubles.” Pro 17:17 (CEV)
Genuine friends are reliable and consistent. They can be counted on in a crisis. They can be relied on when the road gets rough.
But notice that this verse talks about two groups of people. It talks about friends but it also talks about relatives.
You know – your in-laws may be outlaws – but they’re still your in-laws. We need to cultivate faithfulness in our relationships. Someone has said, “You know if you marry Ellie-May you get Jethor too.”
I am thankful that my spouse has always been there at my side. She has stuck with me when we moved to California, Washington, Kansas, Alaska, New Jersey, Kentucky, Wisconsin and North Carolina. She stuck with me in my 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and now my 60’s. Relationships with families are important. If we are going to be faithful we need to be faithful in all aspects of our relationships. Years of marriage mean years of commitment. It means years of reliability. It means years of dependability. It means years of faithfulness.
Cultivate faithfulness in your relationships. But you also need to cultivate faithfulness with:
3. Your ABILITIES
God has given you some spiritual abilities, talents, and gifts. He has made an investment in you and he wants and expects a return on that investment. First Peter says:
“Each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
1 Peter 4:10 (NASB)
If you do not use the abilities you have been given by God – other people will miss out on what you have to offer. If you want to become more faithful – use your abilities.
Some people are very good at cooking. Some people are very good at organizing. Some people are very good at growing plants. Some people are very good at praying. Some people are very good at showing hospitality. What every your ability is – use it. Be faithful with it.
Faithfulness does not depend on what I do not have or cannot do. Faithfulness depends on what I do with what I have.
When you use your abilities, gifts and talents it matters. Look at what the Bible says:
“It takes many parts to make a single body. That's why the eyes cannot say they don't need the hands. That's also why the head cannot say it doesn't need the feet… If one part of our body hurts, we hurt all over. If one part of our body is honored, the whole body will be happy.” 1 Cor. 12:20-21; 26 (CEV)
All the parts of the body affect all the other parts of the body.
Folks we cannot all be brilliant – but we can all be faithful. And faithfulness is what counts with God! So keep your promises, build your relationships, and use your abilities.
And then also be faithful with:
4. Your TIME
Time is something we all have in common. Everyone has the same amount of time – 168 hours a week. Ephesians 5:15 says:
“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
Eph 5:15-16 (NASB)
You can do three things with your time – spend it, waste it, or invest it. The best use of your time is to invest it in something that is going to outlast you. Faithfulness involves time management.
There are two primary time wasters: regret and worry.
When we regret the past we waste huge amounts of time looking backward to change something we can’t change anyway.
When we worry about the future, we waste time fretting over events that may never happen.
As a result we waste the time and energy allotted for today. To become a more faithful person, you are going to have to give up what I call “when and then thinking.” It kind of goes like this: “When we pay all the bills – then I will be able to serve the Lord.” But God says be faithful now.
Look at what it says in Hebrews:
“Encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Heb 3:13 (NASB)
Let me offer you a thought: God understands your schedule and he knows how busy you are. He understands it better than you do. So what should you do? Talk to him about it. Say, “God, tell me what I need to cut out tell me what I need to add. Tell me what I need to do to make the most use of my time.
When you try to burn the candle at both ends – you are not as bright as you think you are. You probably need to cut out some things. God can help you make these choices.
So make your time count. It is a part of being faithful. Also be faithful with:
5. Your GIVING
I have heard before, “Pastors should never talk about money.” Why not? I need money – you need money – we all need money. In fact the Bible talks about money – a lot. And if you want to develop the fruit of faithfulness – you must learn to manage your money.
God has given you resources and how you handle money is a test of your faithfulness to him. Jesus says:
“If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, you will not be trusted with the true riches.” Luke 16:11
Amazing! God says that if you are not faithful with your material possessions – he will not trust you with spiritual resources.
So you need to ask yourself questions like, “Am I being a wise manager of the money God has given me?” The way you handle your finances determines to a large extent what God can do in your life.
You know it seems that giving to God – has not always been as secretive as it is today. Do you remember this story?
“Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on." Mar 12:41-44 (NASB)
Now let me be clear on this – I am not telling you how you should use your money – that is between you and God. But what I do see in these verses is that the widow put God first. She put God first before any of her own needs. Isn’t that amazing?
King David wrote this:
“Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to Your name, O LORD, for it is good. For He has delivered me from all trouble.”
Psalm 54:6-7a (NASB)
I am sure that all of you have heard the statement – you can’t out give God. The widow seemed to know that whatever she gave – God was worth it and David seemed to know that too. Willingly I will give to you. Willingly I will sacrifice to you. Willingly I will give you my all.
The management of your money – matters. Be faithful in it.
I cannot overestimate the importance of faithfulness. Jesus told a parable about a master who went away and left his servants in charge (Matt. 25:14-30). When he returned, the servants were rewarded not for their ability. They were not rewarded for their knowledge. They were not rewarded for their good intentions. Do you remember what they were rewarded for? They were rewarded for their faithfulness. Jesus has left you and me in charge of his business here on earth, and one day he will come back. When he returns will he find us faithful?
(I want to thank Rick Warren for the sermon starter ideas.)
