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.
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