The Fruit that God Brings

 As We Continue looking at our Mission and Vision and WHAT we do and WHY we do it… I want to show you this: Church Growth and Effectiveness is a series of STEPS! 

To LIVE OUT the Mission and Vision of our Church… we have to first make sure that we KNOW The Gospel and that we KNOW Jesus! 

Next we MUST make sure that we are INTENTIONAL to ENGAGE the next set of steps. Stepping IN…. Stepping ON and Stepping OUT and ultimately… STEPPING UP!

When we talk about FRUIT… what comes to mind? Well, the DIFFERENT KINDS of fruit for one thing… and the DIFFERENT TASTES of the fruit for another. We have our FAVORITES too don't we?

The FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is something Paul talked about in Galatians 5:22… he tells the Corinthians that if they are IN THE SPIRIT… then there is going to be certain kinds of FRUIT evident in their own lives as well as in their comings and goings.

• They will feel and show LOVE
• They will experience the JOY of the Lord
• They will have a PEACE that sometimes makes no sense at all
• They will exercise FORBEARANCE - not so quick to act… showing a little wise restraint
• They will be KINDER
• They will exhibit just a plain old GOODNESS in everything about them
• They will be extremely FAITHFUL and even loyal
• They will be GENTLE rather than quick tempered and rude
• They will exercise SELF CONTROL instead of impulsiveness and unwise reaction

Here is another thing to notice about those who are PRESSING INTO Jesus and ENGAGING Him…. not only are THEY experiencing the Fruit of the Spirit manifesting in their personal lives, but ALL AROUND THEM… the Spirit of God is then FREE to manifest itself and GROW FRUIT in the Body of Christ! This is where we see things like:

• Salvations and recommitments to Christ Jesus
• We see people wanting to be Baptized and to Re-Affirm their Baptisms
• We see people being SET FREE from the BONDAGES of addictions and fear and torments of all kinds
• We watch God mend broken hearts and relationships and RESTORE things to the way they were meant to be!  (Remember what the Bible says… “where the Spirit of the Lord is…there is FREEDOM 2 Corinthians 3:16-18)
• We watch people say “not my will but YOUR will be done!” Easy to say… hard to mean it.
• We watch God heal what is not working and is diseased
• We watch FAITH grow in people
• We watch SINful desires and behaviors start to decrease and go away
• We watch people do the opposite things and think the opposite of the way the world does
• We watch the Kingdom and its way of living advance
• We operate and act and become… Jesus With Skin On.

How do we EXPERIENCE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and THEN TASTE THE FRUIT OF GOD?

• BELIEVE - I believe, help my
• TRUST unbelief - Trust and Obey, for there is no other way…
• STAND - stand on the Promises of God your savior
• ENGAGE - James said… I will show you MY faith, by WHAT I DO!