In Pursuit! Interval 1 Mile 3

Interval  1 – Mile 3
 

Fruit:  This is a typology used frequently by Jesus in His ministry to illustrate what the result is when we are operating under the influence of Holy Spirit living within us.  However far too often our focus is only on seeing the fruit of Holy Spirit.  We fail to discern the bad fruit that is both in our midst as well as the less than mature fruit that we ourselves may be exhibiting.

This week, focus on discerning fruit of all types – not judging fruit but discerning its existence and then seeking Holy Spirit’s wisdom and counsel as to what you are to do about what you see.  Remember to focus first on  your own fruit.  Our overall topic is walking with God therefore let’s meditate on the impact fruit has with that walk.

Search the scriptures through your concordance for verses dealing with fruit – particularly the New Testament and the red letters.

What kind of fruit are we seeing?

·      When scripture says, we shall know them by their fruit, who is “them”?  Matthew 7:15-20; 12:33

Sometimes we believers develop tunnel vision and are looking at people through the lens of “are they in the kingdom or out”.  What is the purpose of “knowing them by their fruit”?

  

·      How are we identifying the fruit? 

       Fruit comes in all varieties – good, bad (easily identified through scripture) but also in various levels of maturity.   Questions to take to Holy Spirit about the fruit you are discerning would include: is this just immature fruit?  Is this branch attached to a good tree and just has not grown into fullness yet?  If the tree is not a good tree, can you still operate in love?

What about the fruit that is in our lives?  What is happening to us?  How do we interpret that?

·       How do the circumstances of our lives impact the fruit that we are producing?

·       If we are not producing fruit, we must ask why  John 15:5

·      What is our personal definition of “fruit” and with this definition how are we answering the questions  above?   By personal definition I am referring to how we have imposed our behavioral system onto our faith.  Example:  when I became a Christian, I was 37 and had lived a life of performance based achievement.  At that moment out of ignorance I placed my soulish understanding of living life around my faith instead of encircling my soul with my spirit influenced by Holy Spirit.  What about you?

·      How is our “fruit” related to our need for acceptance, affirmation, performance or achievement (among other things)?

Seizing the opportunity to take action

 Through the discernment of Holy Spirit we are called to respond to the fruit He has shown us.  The critical question is how.  Answer - not in judgment but in love and only when instructed to action by Holy Spirit.

·         First – recognize the  “fruit” and its source  Galatians 5:16-26  Once you have identified the source, you will better understand the course of action (or standing) that Holy Spirit is directing.  Remember that the demonic will use every opportunity, if given, to distort and confuse the issue.  For example, “outbursts of wrath” (verse 20)  are different than angry words.  If you know you are attached to a good tree (again John 15:5), but see yourself expressing  anger, ask Holy Spirit what the source is.  Once you have gained that understanding you can move on to the next step.

·         Second - exercise our authority  

o   Colossians 2:13-15 Recognize what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross and through the resurrection.  When He disarmed the principalities and made a public spectacle of them, He took the keys of authority from the enemy that Adam had given up in sin and gave us that authority back – just as it had been first given in Genesis 1:28

o   James 4:7 Our authority is based on our submission to God.  Then and only then can we resist the devil and he will FLEE from us.

o    Acts 16:16-18 This is a very important example of discerning fruit and its source.  The slave girl was speaking truth, but Holy Spirit had revealed to Paul that her knowledge was coming through divination.  If Paul had given acknowledgment to what she was exclaiming he would have also given acknowledgment to the source of the divination.  This was what was causing him agony (research the Greek for “troubled, annoyed” depending on your translation).  Finally he responded by taking authority and ending the spectacle.  **Note his stand resulted in severe consequences for him and the other disciples with him.  Often we must be prepared for the consequences when we stand up to the enemy.  We cannot operate in fear.

We will continue with our discussion of taking authority next week as we move into making agreements with erroneous thinking.