1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: Life Audio. The Christian life isn't about becoming a better 2 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:10,740 Speaker 1: version of yourself. It's about becoming a new creation and 3 00:00:10,780 --> 00:00:17,890 Speaker 1: becoming more like Jesus. Let's talk about it. Hello, hello, hello, 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,390 Speaker 1: ladies and gents, and welcome to this week's episode of 5 00:00:20,430 --> 00:00:23,410 Speaker 1: the Bottom Beloved Podcast. As always, it's your girl, Kirby Kelly, 6 00:00:23,470 --> 00:00:27,170 Speaker 1: back at it again. And we are starting a 10 7 00:00:27,170 --> 00:00:29,890 Speaker 1: episode series where we are going to be diving into 8 00:00:30,190 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: the fruit of the spirit, specifically listed in Galatians chapter five, 9 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:39,580 Speaker 1: verses 16 through 23. Now, if you remember like a long, 10 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: long time ago, I did a series on the book 11 00:00:42,540 --> 00:00:46,980 Speaker 1: of Galatians and I never finished it. Yikes. A lot 12 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,580 Speaker 1: was going on. I was finishing school. My mom ended 13 00:00:49,620 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: up passing away. It was a lot, but as I 14 00:00:52,340 --> 00:00:56,450 Speaker 1: was prepping and praying and planning episodes that I wanted 15 00:00:56,510 --> 00:00:59,730 Speaker 1: to do, I thought about it that I never finished 16 00:00:59,750 --> 00:01:02,810 Speaker 1: that series. And I really was excited about getting to 17 00:01:02,870 --> 00:01:06,509 Speaker 1: breaking down the fruit of the spirit. Maybe you've heard 18 00:01:06,530 --> 00:01:08,350 Speaker 1: of it before. Maybe you haven't. If you grew up 19 00:01:08,370 --> 00:01:10,530 Speaker 1: in the church, maybe you've sang some of those songs 20 00:01:10,569 --> 00:01:12,729 Speaker 1: before because they have songs about everything, right? It's not 21 00:01:12,750 --> 00:01:16,970 Speaker 1: about father Abraham, father, father Abraham, many sons, right? There's 22 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: a song about the fruit of the spirit as well. 23 00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: That's how I actually ended up memorizing it. Not until 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:25,170 Speaker 1: I was in college, okay? But I want to talk 25 00:01:25,209 --> 00:01:27,620 Speaker 1: about the fruit of the Spirit today and do a 26 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: scriptural study on it. But maybe you have no idea 27 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,300 Speaker 1: what the fruit of the Spirit is, and if that 28 00:01:33,420 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: is you, welcome. It's more than just a list of 29 00:01:38,340 --> 00:01:42,309 Speaker 1: moral lessons and characteristics that we have to manufacture out 30 00:01:42,330 --> 00:01:45,590 Speaker 1: of our own willpower, out of our own effort. No, 31 00:01:45,950 --> 00:01:49,550 Speaker 1: the fruit of the Spirit is a natural byproduct, a 32 00:01:49,770 --> 00:01:54,370 Speaker 1: fruit that comes from a life that abides in Christ, 33 00:01:54,750 --> 00:01:58,530 Speaker 1: that is cultivated by the Holy Spirit's transformation and guidance 34 00:01:58,830 --> 00:02:02,470 Speaker 1: in our life. It is the fruit of the Spirit, 35 00:02:02,550 --> 00:02:05,190 Speaker 1: not the fruit of Kirby, not the fruit of you, 36 00:02:05,390 --> 00:02:08,190 Speaker 1: insert name here. No, it's the fruit of the Holy 37 00:02:08,290 --> 00:02:13,109 Speaker 1: Spirit dwelling and living and leading our lives. So let 38 00:02:13,150 --> 00:02:15,290 Speaker 1: me frame it this way. If someone followed you around 39 00:02:15,330 --> 00:02:18,790 Speaker 1: for a week and they listened to your conversations, and 40 00:02:18,810 --> 00:02:22,130 Speaker 1: they listened or watched your reactions to certain things, or 41 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:26,090 Speaker 1: they saw your private life, observed how you handled stress 42 00:02:26,230 --> 00:02:31,470 Speaker 1: and conflict and temptation and disappointment, inconvenience, whatever, what kind 43 00:02:31,510 --> 00:02:35,430 Speaker 1: of fruit would they see growing out of your life? 44 00:02:36,150 --> 00:02:39,510 Speaker 1: Would they see peace or would they see anxiety? Would 45 00:02:39,530 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: they see patience or would they see irritation? Would they 46 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,580 Speaker 1: experience kindness or would they experience harshness? Whether we realize 47 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,970 Speaker 1: it or not, Every single one of us is living 48 00:02:51,010 --> 00:02:56,130 Speaker 1: a life that is producing certain fruit, certain responses. And 49 00:02:56,150 --> 00:02:59,290 Speaker 1: the question is, what kind of fruit are you producing 50 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:02,620 Speaker 1: in your life? What is the evidence of the person 51 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:04,619 Speaker 1: that you are, the life that you are living, who 52 00:03:04,700 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: is learning over your life? Now, I mentioned that this 53 00:03:07,900 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: is going to be a 10-part series, right? However, if 54 00:03:11,060 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: you have read your Bible and read about the fruit 55 00:03:13,350 --> 00:03:15,790 Speaker 1: of the Spirit before, you there are only nine fruits. 56 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: So how come this is a 10 episode series? Well, 57 00:03:19,780 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: in today's episode, I actually want to answer a much 58 00:03:23,139 --> 00:03:27,710 Speaker 1: bigger question before we spend time diving into each individual fruit. 59 00:03:28,210 --> 00:03:33,269 Speaker 1: And it is what actually produces fruit in the first place? Okay, 60 00:03:33,310 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: because fruit is not the starting point. It is the result. 61 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,340 Speaker 1: Fruit is a result. So We're going to start by 62 00:03:41,380 --> 00:03:44,460 Speaker 1: talking about Galatians 5, 22 through 23, all right? That's 63 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:50,410 Speaker 1: where we get the list of these fruits. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 64 00:03:50,550 --> 00:03:54,410 Speaker 1: and self-control. But I actually want to back it up 65 00:03:54,470 --> 00:03:57,290 Speaker 1: for a second and begin in verse 16 so we 66 00:03:57,310 --> 00:03:59,690 Speaker 1: can get some more context as to what Paul is 67 00:03:59,770 --> 00:04:03,350 Speaker 1: saying when he introduces these fruits that the Holy Spirit 68 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: produces within the life of the believer. The believer who 69 00:04:07,500 --> 00:04:11,420 Speaker 1: is abiding in Christ's and submitted to Christ and being 70 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: transformed by Christ. Now, note this about the book of Galatians, 71 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: all right? It was a letter that Paul wrote under 72 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to believers, to Christians 73 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: in Galatia. These were people who put their faith in Jesus, okay? 74 00:04:28,430 --> 00:04:30,730 Speaker 1: He is warning them that there are two ways that 75 00:04:30,810 --> 00:04:33,610 Speaker 1: we can live our life. But before I get into that, 76 00:04:34,150 --> 00:04:38,110 Speaker 1: Paul spends most of the entire chapter honing in on 77 00:04:38,290 --> 00:04:41,190 Speaker 1: one big idea, and it is the topic of freedom. 78 00:04:41,450 --> 00:04:42,750 Speaker 1: And if you know me, you know I love the 79 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,180 Speaker 1: topic of freedom. Okay, I literally wrote a whole book 80 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,860 Speaker 1: on it. You can be free. But this is an 81 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: important detail because the Galatian Christians were struggling in this 82 00:04:52,980 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: specific area. Okay, to put it simply, they didn't believe 83 00:04:58,930 --> 00:05:03,170 Speaker 1: that Jesus and the work of Christ was enough. So 84 00:05:03,710 --> 00:05:05,430 Speaker 1: what happened in Galatia is there were a bunch of 85 00:05:05,470 --> 00:05:08,890 Speaker 1: false teachers who had convinced them that they needed Christ 86 00:05:09,330 --> 00:05:15,330 Speaker 1: plus the law, plus circumcision, plus religious performance in order 87 00:05:15,430 --> 00:05:18,010 Speaker 1: to be saved. So that's why I say they believe 88 00:05:18,029 --> 00:05:20,070 Speaker 1: that Jesus wasn't enough. I mean, if you were to 89 00:05:20,150 --> 00:05:22,250 Speaker 1: ask a Christian, they'd probably be like, yeah, Jesus is enough. 90 00:05:22,770 --> 00:05:24,170 Speaker 1: But then when you look at the fruit of that, 91 00:05:24,650 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: of everything that they were adding unto it, um, they 92 00:05:28,370 --> 00:05:31,750 Speaker 1: were in bondage to works. They were in bondage to 93 00:05:32,010 --> 00:05:35,549 Speaker 1: adding all of these things in order to count themselves 94 00:05:35,890 --> 00:05:40,450 Speaker 1: as saved. But Paul opposes this because the gospel opposes this, right? 95 00:05:40,950 --> 00:05:44,990 Speaker 1: It is Christ's finished work on the cross that saves 96 00:05:45,130 --> 00:05:50,110 Speaker 1: us and gives us freedom to return to any form 97 00:05:50,190 --> 00:05:53,850 Speaker 1: or way of striving and try and add unto our salvation, um, 98 00:05:54,820 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: In the words of Paul, it's slavery. It's slavery. That's 99 00:05:57,260 --> 00:06:00,730 Speaker 1: why he hones in on this idea of freedom and contrast. 100 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,410 Speaker 1: So let me define freedom real quick because it's not 101 00:06:04,810 --> 00:06:09,350 Speaker 1: doing what you want or living life in a way 102 00:06:09,690 --> 00:06:14,300 Speaker 1: to get a get out of hell shortcut card, right? No, 103 00:06:14,330 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: the freedom that Christ gives us because of his sacrifice 104 00:06:18,580 --> 00:06:22,010 Speaker 1: on the cross and his resurrection three days later looks 105 00:06:22,070 --> 00:06:25,270 Speaker 1: like us being released from what we were once captive to. 106 00:06:25,950 --> 00:06:29,010 Speaker 1: It is a release. It is a freedom in that way. 107 00:06:29,630 --> 00:06:31,810 Speaker 1: The things that separated you from God, the things that 108 00:06:32,210 --> 00:06:36,109 Speaker 1: oppressed you and oppose God, that keep you in chains. 109 00:06:37,210 --> 00:06:40,060 Speaker 1: Many people define freedom as, I get to do whatever 110 00:06:40,130 --> 00:06:41,940 Speaker 1: I feel. I can do whatever I want. But the 111 00:06:42,020 --> 00:06:45,460 Speaker 1: Bible defines freedom as, I have finally been freed from 112 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: what I was enslaved to so that I can live 113 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,950 Speaker 1: a life that God has for me, right? Within the 114 00:06:50,990 --> 00:06:54,460 Speaker 1: boundaries that he's given us. I've done so many podcast 115 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 1: episodes on that. So sin promises freedom, but it only 116 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:03,779 Speaker 1: delivers chains, period. But Jesus offers us a life of 117 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:08,150 Speaker 1: trust and surrender. And through that abiding, it produces freedom 118 00:07:08,170 --> 00:07:10,070 Speaker 1: and it produces all these other fruits that we are 119 00:07:10,110 --> 00:07:13,490 Speaker 1: going to talk about. So backing up to Galatians, I 120 00:07:13,530 --> 00:07:15,410 Speaker 1: wanted to give you that context first. Backing up to 121 00:07:15,450 --> 00:07:18,810 Speaker 1: Galatians 5, verse 16, We're going to read from the 122 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:21,850 Speaker 1: ESV translation 16 through 24. This is what it says. 123 00:07:22,250 --> 00:07:24,890 Speaker 1: Paul's writing this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit 124 00:07:24,930 --> 00:07:29,410 Speaker 1: to believers. But I say, walk by the spirit and 125 00:07:29,470 --> 00:07:33,510 Speaker 1: you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For 126 00:07:33,550 --> 00:07:36,410 Speaker 1: the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and 127 00:07:36,450 --> 00:07:39,830 Speaker 1: the desires of the spirit are against the flesh. For 128 00:07:39,910 --> 00:07:42,690 Speaker 1: these are opposed to each other to keep you from 129 00:07:42,790 --> 00:07:45,570 Speaker 1: doing the things you want to do. But if you 130 00:07:45,630 --> 00:07:48,850 Speaker 1: are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. 131 00:07:49,470 --> 00:07:59,980 Speaker 1: Now the works of the flesh are evident. Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, 132 00:08:00,390 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and 133 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 1: things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, 134 00:08:11,380 --> 00:08:14,300 Speaker 1: that those who do such things will not inherit the 135 00:08:14,340 --> 00:08:22,970 Speaker 1: kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 136 00:08:23,310 --> 00:08:28,510 Speaker 1: and self-control. Against such things there is no law. And 137 00:08:28,570 --> 00:08:32,290 Speaker 1: those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh 138 00:08:32,700 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: with its passions and desires. See, like we could have 139 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,300 Speaker 1: just read those last two verses that talk about the 140 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,939 Speaker 1: fruit of the Spirit, but backing it up and looking 141 00:08:42,980 --> 00:08:45,590 Speaker 1: at the context and understanding what was going on within 142 00:08:45,630 --> 00:08:48,470 Speaker 1: that church actually gives us a better understanding of the 143 00:08:48,510 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: text and application, a hermeneutic of knowing what it meant 144 00:08:52,820 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: then and there and how we can apply it here 145 00:08:54,940 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: and now. So Paul begins this by calling believers to 146 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: walk by the Spirit. And in doing so, we will 147 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:09,050 Speaker 1: no longer gratify or satisfy the desires of the flesh, 148 00:09:09,390 --> 00:09:14,700 Speaker 1: which is Ironic because even in satisfying our fleshly or 149 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,580 Speaker 1: sinful desires that are in opposition to God and the 150 00:09:18,660 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: life that he calls us to live because of our 151 00:09:20,660 --> 00:09:24,300 Speaker 1: fallen human nature, we never really end up satisfying when 152 00:09:24,660 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: we never end up really being satisfied whenever we cave 153 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:32,869 Speaker 1: into sin, right? Sin never satisfies. It may gratify us 154 00:09:32,910 --> 00:09:36,429 Speaker 1: for a moment, but it never truly satisfies and sustains 155 00:09:36,590 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: us because we When I think of satisfaction, like a 156 00:09:39,980 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: good meal after being hungry all day, I feel full. 157 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,939 Speaker 1: I feel content. I feel complete in a way, right? 158 00:09:48,420 --> 00:09:53,810 Speaker 1: But sin rarely satisfies. It always steals from us. It 159 00:09:53,870 --> 00:09:58,290 Speaker 1: leaves us empty. It tricks us into a cycle of 160 00:09:58,490 --> 00:10:02,339 Speaker 1: pattern and seeking to fill that void that grows just 161 00:10:02,380 --> 00:10:05,860 Speaker 1: greater and greater with each compromise that we make. Paul 162 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 1: says to walk by the Spirit, not try harder, not 163 00:10:09,970 --> 00:10:14,030 Speaker 1: do better, not white knuckle your way against temptation. He 164 00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:20,650 Speaker 1: instructs Christians, walk with God. Walk with God. It's this abiding. 165 00:10:20,740 --> 00:10:26,460 Speaker 1: It's this relationship. Relationship. Dependency on Christ. Abiding with him. 166 00:10:26,580 --> 00:10:31,020 Speaker 1: Moment by moment surrender. You might be walking in the 167 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,620 Speaker 1: flesh right now instead of the spirit. Maybe that is 168 00:10:33,820 --> 00:10:35,700 Speaker 1: what you are convicted of in this season right now 169 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: while you're clicking on this episode series. I don't know. 170 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: But walking by the flesh looks like giving into that 171 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: bend that you have towards sin and towards self-reliance even. 172 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: It looks like That inner inclination that wants to define 173 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: good and evil by our own terms, just like the garden. 174 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 1: Instead of trusting what God says is good. It says, 175 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,710 Speaker 1: I know better. I want what I want. My feelings 176 00:11:01,750 --> 00:11:07,050 Speaker 1: determine truth. My desires determine my direction. But friend, it's misdirection. 177 00:11:07,530 --> 00:11:10,410 Speaker 1: Walking by the flesh is misdirection and it leads you 178 00:11:10,450 --> 00:11:14,580 Speaker 1: into lawlessness, not freedom. They might look a little similar, 179 00:11:14,630 --> 00:11:17,100 Speaker 1: but isn't that how Satan works? Where he is so good. 180 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,980 Speaker 1: at conjuring up things that look almost like the truth, 181 00:11:21,220 --> 00:11:23,839 Speaker 1: but it's just off by maybe a degree or two. 182 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:30,380 Speaker 1: Like I think of manifestation and prayer, lawlessness, freedom. Like 183 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: there are so many things where it's like, this looks 184 00:11:33,260 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: like a good thing. This looks like the right thing, 185 00:11:35,860 --> 00:11:39,870 Speaker 1: but it's not. It is outside of what God says. Okay. 186 00:11:40,630 --> 00:11:43,770 Speaker 1: The spirit continually points us to Christ. The flesh says, 187 00:11:43,830 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: follow yourself and follow everything else. The spirit says, follow Jesus, period. Okay, 188 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,140 Speaker 1: so let's reread verses 19 through 21 real quick. Okay, 189 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,300 Speaker 1: it says, now the works of the flesh are evident. 190 00:11:55,890 --> 00:12:01,390 Speaker 1: Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits 191 00:12:01,450 --> 00:12:06,630 Speaker 1: of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things 192 00:12:06,929 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, 193 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: that those who do such things will not inherit the 194 00:12:13,900 --> 00:12:17,020 Speaker 1: kingdom of God. Now, one thing I want to point 195 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,060 Speaker 1: out about this is that Paul calls these things works. 196 00:12:21,780 --> 00:12:27,340 Speaker 1: And what does work require? Work requires effort. It requires effort. 197 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,190 Speaker 1: You don't accidentally produce these fruits in your life. You 198 00:12:32,270 --> 00:12:37,190 Speaker 1: choose them. It is willing, okay? And notice how broad 199 00:12:37,230 --> 00:12:39,310 Speaker 1: this list is too, right? Like some of these sins 200 00:12:39,650 --> 00:12:44,110 Speaker 1: are pretty obvious. Sexual immorality, drunkenness, idolatry, But then there 201 00:12:44,140 --> 00:12:46,730 Speaker 1: are other things on this list that might be surprising 202 00:12:46,970 --> 00:12:53,330 Speaker 1: to us, right? Because it's relational, like jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions. 203 00:12:54,130 --> 00:13:00,110 Speaker 1: Paul doesn't separate the respectable sins from the obvious sins. No, 204 00:13:00,450 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: he exposes the whole spectrum of what a life looks 205 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: like when the flesh is leading. That's why he says, 206 00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:11,500 Speaker 1: you know, up here it says, and things like these, right? 207 00:13:11,540 --> 00:13:14,900 Speaker 1: There's a whole spectrum here. And there's something that's worth 208 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: pointing out with this too. This list is not necessarily 209 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,819 Speaker 1: meant to be exhaustive. Paul even says, like I said, 210 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:26,140 Speaker 1: things like these. He's giving representative examples of what naturally 211 00:13:26,250 --> 00:13:29,870 Speaker 1: grows when our lives are rooted in self rather than 212 00:13:29,950 --> 00:13:34,630 Speaker 1: surrender to the spirit. One of the sobering realities of 213 00:13:34,670 --> 00:13:37,300 Speaker 1: this list is that some of these behaviors can be 214 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,339 Speaker 1: just so culturally normal that we even stop recognizing it 215 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,740 Speaker 1: as a work of the flesh in our own life too. 216 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:50,429 Speaker 1: Envy is often rebranded as ambition. Fits of anger can 217 00:13:50,470 --> 00:13:54,150 Speaker 1: be excused as, well, I was just being authentic. Or 218 00:13:54,510 --> 00:13:57,610 Speaker 1: rivalry can be praised as healthy competition when it really 219 00:13:57,710 --> 00:14:03,730 Speaker 1: isn't that healthy. Competition can be good, but rivalry, that's different. 220 00:14:04,530 --> 00:14:08,290 Speaker 1: The Spirit doesn't simply help us manage these things either. 221 00:14:09,110 --> 00:14:12,290 Speaker 1: The Holy Spirit, He wants to transform us from the 222 00:14:12,470 --> 00:14:18,470 Speaker 1: inside out. Freedom in Christ with Christ, okay? Then comes 223 00:14:18,530 --> 00:14:22,870 Speaker 1: the most beautiful word in Scripture. I love this word, but. 224 00:14:23,490 --> 00:14:26,030 Speaker 1: I love a good but, all right? It says the flesh, 225 00:14:27,550 --> 00:14:29,690 Speaker 1: the Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, right? 226 00:14:29,730 --> 00:14:31,580 Speaker 1: And it goes on to talk about those things. But 227 00:14:31,930 --> 00:14:34,410 Speaker 1: The flesh doesn't have to get the final word. The 228 00:14:34,470 --> 00:14:37,230 Speaker 1: Spirit does. The Spirit gets to have the final word. 229 00:14:37,770 --> 00:14:41,370 Speaker 1: And I think it's intentional that Paul changes the language here. 230 00:14:41,430 --> 00:14:43,450 Speaker 1: He doesn't just say the works of the Spirit, but 231 00:14:43,510 --> 00:14:46,670 Speaker 1: the fruit of the Spirit. So we have the works 232 00:14:46,980 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: of the flesh, which we put our own effort into. 233 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: But then we have the fruit of the Spirit. All right? 234 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,140 Speaker 1: It is what the Holy Spirit is producing within us 235 00:14:57,340 --> 00:15:01,310 Speaker 1: as we abide in Him. Now, A couple months ago, 236 00:15:02,750 --> 00:15:05,510 Speaker 1: my in-laws came into town when I was freshly postpartum, 237 00:15:06,170 --> 00:15:08,270 Speaker 1: and I started growing stuff in my backyard, like a 238 00:15:08,290 --> 00:15:11,930 Speaker 1: little garden, okay? You probably know about that if you 239 00:15:11,950 --> 00:15:14,730 Speaker 1: tuned into my episode a couple weeks back or months 240 00:15:14,770 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: back called Garden to Garden. Go listen to that one. 241 00:15:17,210 --> 00:15:20,170 Speaker 1: That one's really good. And what I want you to 242 00:15:20,230 --> 00:15:22,890 Speaker 1: know is that this is what I learned about fruit, right? 243 00:15:23,030 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: It grows naturally when there's a healthy root, when there's 244 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:30,190 Speaker 1: a healthy root. My tangerine tree doesn't just wake up 245 00:15:30,210 --> 00:15:32,390 Speaker 1: in the morning and say, I got to try really 246 00:15:32,460 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: hard today. No, it simply stays alive because of how 247 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,300 Speaker 1: closely it is being cultivated. Healthy roots, healthy tree, healthy fruit. 248 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,220 Speaker 1: Like that is, that is the formula. Okay. And I'm 249 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: going to be honest, I've not done a good job 250 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,350 Speaker 1: of cultivating that tree. The Texas sun low-key scorched it, 251 00:15:51,770 --> 00:15:55,530 Speaker 1: but I also didn't cultivate it. So there's, there's another 252 00:15:55,550 --> 00:15:58,580 Speaker 1: little sermon analogy for you, but What I mean by 253 00:15:58,620 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: this and bringing this up is that we need to 254 00:16:01,420 --> 00:16:05,780 Speaker 1: remain connected to Christ and allow him to cultivate within 255 00:16:05,860 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: us because, friend, that sun is scorching. The enemy is 256 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: prowling like a lion seeking to devour. The enemy is real. 257 00:16:14,350 --> 00:16:17,990 Speaker 1: Demons are real. People who are in opposition to us 258 00:16:18,090 --> 00:16:23,190 Speaker 1: as believers, it's all real. Period. Globally. Wherever you live 259 00:16:23,230 --> 00:16:26,870 Speaker 1: in the world. It is happening. It is happening everywhere. 260 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: And we need to be aware of that and not 261 00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:32,900 Speaker 1: just have an awareness that this is happening. We also 262 00:16:32,940 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 1: need to be activated in running to Jesus and allowing 263 00:16:36,540 --> 00:16:40,540 Speaker 1: him to cultivate us and us cultivating relationship with him. 264 00:16:41,340 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: We need to abide in him just like he abides 265 00:16:43,500 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: in us. Like it talks about in John 15, four 266 00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:48,260 Speaker 1: through five. This is what it says in the ESV translation. 267 00:16:48,780 --> 00:16:52,340 Speaker 1: Abide in me and I in you as the branch 268 00:16:52,420 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, 269 00:16:56,690 --> 00:16:59,550 Speaker 1: Neither can you unless you abide in me. I am 270 00:16:59,590 --> 00:17:03,310 Speaker 1: the vine. You are the branches. Whoever abides in me 271 00:17:03,410 --> 00:17:06,810 Speaker 1: and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. 272 00:17:06,869 --> 00:17:11,050 Speaker 1: For apart from me, you can do nothing. The Spirit 273 00:17:11,410 --> 00:17:15,250 Speaker 1: naturally produces something beautiful in us as we abide in 274 00:17:15,330 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: him and remain connected to him, as we're cultivated by him. 275 00:17:19,470 --> 00:17:23,619 Speaker 1: And Paul uses the word fruit. Like, this is a 276 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,129 Speaker 1: singular word. These aren't just like, nine separate fruits that 277 00:17:27,170 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: we get to pick and choose from. No, it's one 278 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: unified picture of Christ-like character that the Holy Spirit produces 279 00:17:35,740 --> 00:17:39,379 Speaker 1: within us as we abide in him. It's like facets 280 00:17:39,700 --> 00:17:43,640 Speaker 1: of a diamond. They shine together as evidence that Christ 281 00:17:43,980 --> 00:17:48,700 Speaker 1: is forming us rather than just it being like a 282 00:17:49,020 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: one-sided thing. It's a fully dimensional thing. He is conforming 283 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:56,930 Speaker 1: and transforming the whole self into his image. That's the goal. 284 00:17:57,420 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 1: Not just having 90% of my life looking like Jesus 285 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:03,860 Speaker 1: and the other 10% looking like the world. I want 286 00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:06,940 Speaker 1: the fruit of the spirit, the whole basket, fruit of 287 00:18:06,980 --> 00:18:10,830 Speaker 1: the loom, the whole cornucopia of what Jesus has for me. 288 00:18:12,010 --> 00:18:15,330 Speaker 1: Cultivate that cornucopia in my life, period. Hunger Games is 289 00:18:15,350 --> 00:18:19,189 Speaker 1: coming out soon. All right. So how is it produced? 290 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:23,730 Speaker 1: I'm This is where Jesus's words in John 15 become 291 00:18:23,750 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: really essential because he says, I am the vine. You 292 00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: are the branches. Then he tells us exactly how the 293 00:18:30,580 --> 00:18:34,180 Speaker 1: fruit is produced, not by striving, abiding. I know I 294 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: keep bringing up that word, but it's abiding. It's remaining. 295 00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:41,239 Speaker 1: It's dwelling and living connected. We often ask, you know, 296 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,550 Speaker 1: how do I become more patient? Maybe that's really where 297 00:18:43,590 --> 00:18:45,609 Speaker 1: you're struggling today. How do I become more patient with 298 00:18:45,930 --> 00:18:51,149 Speaker 1: my kids, my in-laws, my co-workers. Jesus asks us, are 299 00:18:51,190 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: you remaining in me? Let's start there. We might be asking, 300 00:18:55,820 --> 00:18:57,940 Speaker 1: how do I become more joyful? I am in a 301 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,540 Speaker 1: season that really sucks right now, and joy just does 302 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: not feel like the natural thing that I can produce 303 00:19:04,380 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: within myself. Jesus is asking us, are you abiding? Begin there. 304 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:14,940 Speaker 1: Am I abiding in Christ? Because every fruit ultimately grows 305 00:19:15,340 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: from one place, relationship with Jesus, not religion, not performance, 306 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: communion with God, common union with him in the Christian life. 307 00:19:24,580 --> 00:19:28,750 Speaker 1: It is anything but behavior modification. It's not about behavior modification. 308 00:19:28,830 --> 00:19:33,250 Speaker 1: It is spiritual transformation as a result of a life 309 00:19:33,290 --> 00:19:38,790 Speaker 1: that has true proximity to Jesus, actually spending time with him, 310 00:19:38,850 --> 00:19:42,340 Speaker 1: knowing him and letting him Lord over your life. So 311 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,419 Speaker 1: before we end, I want you to picture yourself walking 312 00:19:46,460 --> 00:19:49,899 Speaker 1: through two orchards. Okay. One is healthy. Let's say the 313 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,900 Speaker 1: one on the right is super healthy. Okay. The trees 314 00:19:51,940 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: are alive. The fruit is vibrant. The other has branches 315 00:19:56,540 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: where on the other side, the left side, where someone 316 00:19:59,619 --> 00:20:04,010 Speaker 1: has literally just like stapled plastic fruit onto them. Okay. 317 00:20:04,050 --> 00:20:07,330 Speaker 1: Like the little play kitty fruit. Now from a distance, 318 00:20:07,850 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: it might look the same. From a distance, it might 319 00:20:10,180 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 1: look like, oh, there's oranges on this side and apples 320 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,300 Speaker 1: on that side, and they look the same, like it 321 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,159 Speaker 1: looks like real fruit, right? But only one of them 322 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:19,910 Speaker 1: has real life. The other one, right, like the right 323 00:20:19,950 --> 00:20:22,649 Speaker 1: side has real life. The left side only has the 324 00:20:22,770 --> 00:20:28,050 Speaker 1: appearance of real life, real fruit. And I wonder how 325 00:20:28,090 --> 00:20:32,340 Speaker 1: many of us often settle for the stapled fruit, the 326 00:20:32,380 --> 00:20:36,660 Speaker 1: appearance of holiness, the appearance of a life that's actually 327 00:20:36,740 --> 00:20:40,570 Speaker 1: cultivated with God. And I bet if that's you today, 328 00:20:41,090 --> 00:20:44,250 Speaker 1: that you're exhausted of the performance of patience and the 329 00:20:44,290 --> 00:20:48,969 Speaker 1: performance of love and the performance of self-control. It's not 330 00:20:49,030 --> 00:20:51,990 Speaker 1: meant to be a performance. It's meant to be real fruit, 331 00:20:53,109 --> 00:20:56,129 Speaker 1: a real thing that is just a natural result of 332 00:20:56,170 --> 00:20:59,109 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit abiding in you and leading your life. 333 00:21:00,340 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 1: Performance is exhaustive. It is so exhausting. I've been there. 334 00:21:04,820 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 1: It is hard to perform Christianity. Because it's not meant 335 00:21:09,660 --> 00:21:11,780 Speaker 1: to be performed. It's meant to be lived. It's meant 336 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: to be authentic. It's meant to be actual transformative life 337 00:21:16,340 --> 00:21:21,090 Speaker 1: with Christ. Stapled fruit? I don't want that. Give me 338 00:21:21,109 --> 00:21:23,990 Speaker 1: the real fruit. Give me the real nutrients. Give me 339 00:21:24,010 --> 00:21:27,190 Speaker 1: the real life. Jesus is not inviting you to be 340 00:21:27,210 --> 00:21:30,780 Speaker 1: a pretender by any means. He is inviting you to 341 00:21:30,940 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: stay close enough to him that his life becomes visible 342 00:21:34,780 --> 00:21:38,350 Speaker 1: in your life. That's what this series is about. It's 343 00:21:38,390 --> 00:21:43,150 Speaker 1: not about becoming a better Christian and collecting nine character 344 00:21:43,210 --> 00:21:48,060 Speaker 1: traits like the Avengers collecting infinity stones or whatever. It's 345 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:52,020 Speaker 1: about learning what it means to abide in Jesus so 346 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:56,980 Speaker 1: deeply that the life of Christ begins to overflow from 347 00:21:57,020 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: your own. And you get to experience that and other 348 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,410 Speaker 1: people get to experience that too. So over the next 349 00:22:02,470 --> 00:22:05,020 Speaker 1: nine episodes, we're going to slow down We are going 350 00:22:05,060 --> 00:22:10,430 Speaker 1: to examine each aspect of this beautiful fruit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 351 00:22:10,530 --> 00:22:14,369 Speaker 1: and self-control. Not so that we can check off boxes 352 00:22:14,590 --> 00:22:17,900 Speaker 1: or strive harder, but so that we can better recognize 353 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 1: what the Holy Spirit delights to cultivate in every believer 354 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: who remains in Him. So if you're not subscribed to 355 00:22:25,780 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: the podcast yet, follow so you can follow along with 356 00:22:28,820 --> 00:22:31,850 Speaker 1: this transformational study about freedom in Christ that we are 357 00:22:31,869 --> 00:22:34,850 Speaker 1: going to dive into. And speaking of freedom, if you 358 00:22:34,890 --> 00:22:37,609 Speaker 1: want to take some extra steps today, I wrote a 359 00:22:37,630 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: book all about freedom. It's called You Can Be Free. 360 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: I will link it down below. And in my book, 361 00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:47,580 Speaker 1: I share my testimony, like very raw and real parts 362 00:22:47,619 --> 00:22:50,980 Speaker 1: of my story that I struggled with, like real sin 363 00:22:51,030 --> 00:22:54,370 Speaker 1: that I never thought I would confess and bring into 364 00:22:54,390 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: the light. Temptation, shame, lies from the enemy. And I 365 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,580 Speaker 1: discuss how the power and the promises of the gospel 366 00:23:00,660 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: invite us into a deeper knowing of God and a 367 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,500 Speaker 1: deeper freedom with him. And the fruits of the spirit 368 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:10,010 Speaker 1: is like one piece of the puzzle to what I 369 00:23:10,050 --> 00:23:11,909 Speaker 1: talk about in that book. But I will see you 370 00:23:11,930 --> 00:23:14,449 Speaker 1: guys here next week. We're going to talk about the 371 00:23:14,570 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: first fruit of the spirit, which is love. But until then, Um, 372 00:23:19,580 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: I love you guys and I will see you here 373 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: next week for another episode. Go listen to some of 374 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,030 Speaker 1: my older episodes, garden to garden. Definitely recommend that one. 375 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,300 Speaker 1: Anything from my, you can be free series. You should 376 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,899 Speaker 1: go tune into those, but I'll see you guys here 377 00:23:30,940 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: next week for the fruit of the spirit series. Love 378 00:23:33,580 --> 00:23:38,070 Speaker 1: you guys. Bye. For more life giving faith based podcasts, 379 00:23:38,170 --> 00:23:41,670 Speaker 1: just like this one, check out life audio.com a proud 380 00:23:41,730 --> 00:23:43,690 Speaker 1: partner of the bottom beloved podcast.