04 - The Fruit of the Spirit Series (4 of 7)

Living IN the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The Likeness of God

God’s desire is that we live like Him. All the nine attributes of the Spirit define who He is. They also make up the parameters of who every child of God should be.

Hebrews 1:3 (KJV)

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person...

Just as Jesus was the express image (or exact copy) of the Father, we should also be the exact copy of Jesus!

The Boundary of God’s Spirit

The Fruit of the Spirit makes up the parameters or boundary of the spirit-filled believer. Put all nine attributes in a circle, and these acting as a fence or boundary line, this becomes the area that we live in. A true child of God lives within the parameters of God’s Spirit. We become new creatures in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

We are created to dwell within Him, within the realm of who He is. Jesus said...

John 14:20 (KJV)

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

By This, We Know!

1 John 2:3 (KJV)

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

We are convinced that we know Him by keeping His commandments. This is something we cannot do by our own strength. God has to help us in order for us to be able to fulfill His will. When you know that you are living a righteous life and you truly understand that it is impossible for you to live that way, then you know that God must be helping you. Then, you KNOW that you are connected with the almighty God!

Because of This, We Must!

1 John 2:5-6 (KJV)

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Ought - To owe, be bound, be one's duty, be a debtor, be guilty, be indebted

We are a debtor to Jesus for dying for our sins. We owe Him our lives! Therefore, we must walk as He would have us to walk!

All In or All Out

1 John 3:7-10 (KJV)

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

If you have never fully surrendered to God and are living a lukewarm life, you will never be able to live in the Spirit. You cannot be half in and half out. We encourage you to surrender all to the Lord!

Please pray with us...

Dear God, we know we are created to reflect your life to all who are around us. We understand that you want us to live in the Spirit and be like you. We surrender all to you right now Father. Take all of us and make us wholly yours. Please work your will thru us today and forevermore. -Amen

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Sowing The Word | Bible Study Blog is a ministry of the church of God of Mount Vernon, Ohio

03 - The Fruit of the Spirit Series (3 of 7)

Born of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

What the Spirit of God Produces

As we continue our study in the Fruit of the Spirit, we see that the Spirit produces little copies of who God is. We become like Jesus by His spirit. However, before any of these things can happen, we must first be born again of God’s Spirit.

You Must Be Born Again

In order to possess the fruit that the Spirit produces, we must be born again.

John 3:5-8 (KJV)

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Born of the Water and The Spirit

Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV)

25...Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The word of God cleanses us. When we hear and accept the word, it washes us like water thru the Spirit. We are clean, as we’ve now been born anew. He puts in us a new heart and a new mind. We become new creatures in Christ.

New Creatures in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

God comes into your heart and makes all things new. He gives you His nature and encourages you to grow more like Him in all things. He gives you love for those you used to hate, joy in the midst of sadness, peace in the midst of trouble, endurance and patience for the long hard trials, gentleness where harshness had been, goodness where evil and wrong used to be, faith where hopelessness abounded, meekness where roughness reigned, and temperance where there was no self control. What a change!

Have You Been Born Again?

If you haven’t been born again, you can be. Just recognize that you are a sinner who needs to be made anew. Understand that you need to be changed. Repent of your sins and ask God to forgive you and set you free by making you a new person in Him. If you mean it from the heart, He will change you in an instant of time!

1 John 1:9 (KJV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Please pray with us...

Dear Father in heaven, I want to be born again. I want to be a new creature. I’m tired of living my own way and I desire to be changed, converted and made new. Please forgive me for all my sins and cleanse me from my own selfish desires. Please make me like you! In Jesus' name I pray... -Amen

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Sowing The Word | Bible Study Blog is a ministry of the church of God of Mount Vernon, Ohio

02 - The Fruit of the Spirit Series (2 of 7)

The Fruit...

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

What God’s Spirit Produces

• Love

• Joy

• Peace

• Longsuffering

• Gentleness

• Goodness

• Faith

• Meekness

• Temperance

This is who God is!

Abide in Me to Bear Fruit

John 15:4-5 (KJV)

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

A branch cannot bear fruit of itself. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Him. To abide in Him means that you are living in the realm of the Spirit which causes you to be cleansed and sanctified. Abiding in Him and He in you produces fruit. His Word and Spirit will naturally produce life and fruit to His glory.

You Will Be Like Him

This gives greater meaning to the phrase, "I'm filled with the Spirit of God". If you have truly been filled full of God’s Spirit, you will have His attributes! To be full of His Spirit means... you will walk like Him, talk like Him, think like Him, like what He likes, and dislike what He dislikes. It will be easy for people to identify you as a child of God as you are living a God-like life.

So, hopefully you can see that the Spirit of God produces love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance in the heart of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. He causes you to be like Him. This is the whole purpose. God doesn’t save us for us to continue to live as a sinner, but to be as He is... holy, happy and complete.

Are you living a Spirit filled life like Jesus? If not, we encourage you to get on your journey of living a Christ like life today!

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Please pray with us...

Dear father in heaven, we come humbly in your presence. We ask that you would make us more like you! We pray that we may receive from you the understanding to walk like you and yearn to be in sweet fellowship with your Holy Spirit. Grant to us, your servants, that we may reflect all that you are through our feeble beings.

-Amen

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Sowing The Word | Bible Study Blog is a ministry of the church of God of Mount Vernon, Ohio