The Fruit of the Spirit

There are two directions we can all walk—after the Spirit or after the flesh, but we cannot do both.  Have you ever seen someone walk backward and forward at the same time?  No, because it is impossible.  Walking after the Spirit and the flesh at the same time is impossible as well.  We must make up our minds which direction we will walk in life.

By far, the majority of people in the world choose to walk after the flesh, demonstrated by their works.  Paul said that the works of the flesh are, “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰  idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹  envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21).  Most of these things are common practices in the world today, some of them are even encouraged.  The way to heaven, however, is in the opposite direction, walking after the Spirit rather than the flesh.  

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
¹  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

What does it mean to walk after the Spirit?  It simply means to follow the revelation that he gave to the inspired apostles and prophets of the New Testament.

Ephesians 3:4-5 (ESV)
⁴  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵  which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

When we live by the revelation of the Spirit, we are not only walking after Him, we are full of Him.  When the apostles were looking for men to serve tables so that they might devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4), the church was to choose men who were full of the Spirit (Acts 6:3).  That had nothing to do with any kind of miraculous manifestation of the Spirit, for these men had not yet had the hands of the apostles laid on them (Acts 6:6).  These were simply men who were living by the inspired teaching of the apostles, which resulted in godly lives.

What was the evidence that these men were living by the revelation of the Spirit?  It was the same as it is today—what Paul called the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

There is a good chance that you have not mastered any of them the fruit of the Spirit but you should possess them all to some degree.  These are the kind of characteristics that new Christians are to begin adding to their faith right away (2 Peter 1:5-7).  When we possess this fruit, we are protected against the schemes of the devil.

2 Peter 1:10 (ESV)
¹⁰  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.     

So, make sure you have these characteristics and strive to cultivate them so that they are constantly increasing in your life.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.