Series: BLUEPRINTS
Sermon 4: Blueprints to Fruitfulness
Matthew 7:15-23; Galatians 5
You may ask the question: How do we know when a person walking in the Spirit? Well, our last few studies have indicated to us that evidence is the presence of fruit. Fruit shows that the believer is sensitive to and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Fruit is the pre-eminent mark of the life that’s filled with the Spirit!
When we see fruit, we know without a doubt that the Holy Spirit has taken over that life. That person is operating under the total control, unction and influence of the Holy Ghost. And frankly speaking, that looks good! When a believer looks like that there is nothing plastic or phony about them. They don’t look like their hiding something. You feel like you can trust them. You will even be willing to open up to them. You feel comfortable around them. Not that they are perfect. Usually spirit-filled persons are the first to admit their faults and that they have faults. But they know that through Christ Jesus they have the power to rise above their fleshly desires.
I want to ask you in the early moments of this preachment hour how does fruit show up? It is during times of trouble that we make the biggest impression to the world that we are under Christ’s control and influence .We don’t win every battle. We have our down times. But we don’t stay down. We are tempted, we doubt but we come back and learn from our experience. The world will know us by these nine things; Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control.. In Galatians 5, Paul listed these things and moved on. Lest we look at them as individual challenges, rather than as a basket of fruit produced through as life under the influence of the Holy SPIRIT. It is the evidence of our dependence on the Holy Spirit. Jesus doesn’t want us to be dedicated or devoted to the fruits but to him. If we are devoted to him then we will know that the fruit of the spirit is the result. We needn’t focusing onfruit or fruit conscious," fruit is not to be in the center of our attention. Jesus Christ should be.
I want to tell you in this preachment that people will notice a remarkable transformation. It will even take you by surprise. It replaces things like anger, frustration, hate abrasives with supernatural change. And it won’t be because of any commitment of ours to any particular fruit - but giving it all to God!
Let him do through me what I can’t do on my own! And changes will take place! Just surrender to him!
I want to tell you in the closing moments of this preachment hour that there is no substitute for fruit. Spiritual gifts are never intended to be the measure of our spirituality. But we try to substitute spiritual gifts and natural talents for fruit.
They play an important part but they are not measuring tools for the Spirit. There is no merit in having a gift. For it is easier to exercise a gift or a talent than it is to walk in the Spirit. Jesus warns us to be on the lookout for Gifted Leaders who would take advantage of them and lead them astray. Looking good on the outside but corrupt on the inside. Performing well, knowing all the right things to say would have no problem drawing a crowd. But Jesus says for us to look for the fruit. You will know them by their fruits. Jesus said they would be good speakers, do amazing things, prophesying, cast out devils, perform miracles. They would be good crowd pleasers. People will look at their gifts and determine that they are men of God.
Jesus says don’t be fooled! It is not how many miracles or how much knowledge, but we’ve got to recognize that the hand of God is upon that life or that ministry!
That is why there was division in Corinth and in the modern day church! Churches have plenty of gifted and talented people. But they are suffering from a fruit shortage. Jesus said don’t be fooled! STOP LETTING GIFTED AND TALENTED LEADERS BE CONSIDERED THE BEST GOD HAS.
