Be Fruitful
Moving Forward (Day 4) // Prayer365
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” - Galatians 5:22-26 NIV
Yesterday we learned that the works of the flesh, efforts that gratify the flesh, are fruitless cycles. Because it's possible to give effort and not be effective. You see, what the flesh desires is contrary to the Spirit, it has its own rhythm and cares nothing about the purposes of God. The flesh has no desire to be a part of God’s symphony known as His perfect will, instead it desires to do its own thing. While the flesh may be gratified temporarily, there is no lasting benefit, nothing good (or effective) is formed from the works of the flesh. Therefore, Paul said that we must crucify the flesh, or as we said yesterday: stop the cycle.
But if we walk in the Spirit, whom we call the Conductor of God’s symphony, instead of being ineffective, our lives become productive through the process of bearing fruit. My encouragement to you today is to be fruitful. The word fruitful means abundantly productive. A life that’s led by the Spirit of God is not a life without effect, but a life of abundance! Yes, a life that walks in the Spirit is a life that thryves! When we walk in the Spirit, we begin to develop what Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit, known as love, joy, peace, forbearance (forgiveness), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Walking in the Spirit of God to affects our character. Our works mean nothing, our effort means nothing if we don’t have the character to support it.
Earlier this week we said that preparation begins in the heart and when we walk in the Spirit, God will give us the structure we need known as the fruit of the Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to walk in the cycles of the flesh. As a matter-of-fact, I do know about you. You are not normal, you are not average, what you have made the decision to do is what others may say is an inconvenience; you're here pursuing God through the power of prayer! So that means you’re different! That means you have no desire to walk in cycles, but you are looking for the breaking point. And I have the answer for you today: instead of gratifying the flesh, it is important for us to pursue the Holy Spirit and flow in the rhythms of God’s grace. Therefore you will produce those fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Knowing that "we who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Following the rhythm of God as it is conducted by the Holy Spirit.
There’s a warning that Paul places at the end of this text: "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” This is a temptation that each of us should be cautious of and it should not be taken lightly. There’s no need to be conceited, provocative or envious, knowing that God has already approved your life before you were formed in the womb. He approved you and set you apart to be fruitful. Therefore, be fruitful today and each day moving forward. No more cycles! Our only desire is to bear fruit, be abundantly productive and move forward.
Prayer Focus: Pray for the grace to crucify your flesh and walk in the Spirit so that you will live a life that is fruitful.
I’m praying for you and with you,
Pastor Enrique Brooks
Yesterday we learned that the works of the flesh, efforts that gratify the flesh, are fruitless cycles. Because it's possible to give effort and not be effective. You see, what the flesh desires is contrary to the Spirit, it has its own rhythm and cares nothing about the purposes of God. The flesh has no desire to be a part of God’s symphony known as His perfect will, instead it desires to do its own thing. While the flesh may be gratified temporarily, there is no lasting benefit, nothing good (or effective) is formed from the works of the flesh. Therefore, Paul said that we must crucify the flesh, or as we said yesterday: stop the cycle.
But if we walk in the Spirit, whom we call the Conductor of God’s symphony, instead of being ineffective, our lives become productive through the process of bearing fruit. My encouragement to you today is to be fruitful. The word fruitful means abundantly productive. A life that’s led by the Spirit of God is not a life without effect, but a life of abundance! Yes, a life that walks in the Spirit is a life that thryves! When we walk in the Spirit, we begin to develop what Paul calls the fruit of the Spirit, known as love, joy, peace, forbearance (forgiveness), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Walking in the Spirit of God to affects our character. Our works mean nothing, our effort means nothing if we don’t have the character to support it.
Earlier this week we said that preparation begins in the heart and when we walk in the Spirit, God will give us the structure we need known as the fruit of the Spirit. I don’t know about you, but I have no desire to walk in the cycles of the flesh. As a matter-of-fact, I do know about you. You are not normal, you are not average, what you have made the decision to do is what others may say is an inconvenience; you're here pursuing God through the power of prayer! So that means you’re different! That means you have no desire to walk in cycles, but you are looking for the breaking point. And I have the answer for you today: instead of gratifying the flesh, it is important for us to pursue the Holy Spirit and flow in the rhythms of God’s grace. Therefore you will produce those fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Knowing that "we who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Following the rhythm of God as it is conducted by the Holy Spirit.
There’s a warning that Paul places at the end of this text: "Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” This is a temptation that each of us should be cautious of and it should not be taken lightly. There’s no need to be conceited, provocative or envious, knowing that God has already approved your life before you were formed in the womb. He approved you and set you apart to be fruitful. Therefore, be fruitful today and each day moving forward. No more cycles! Our only desire is to bear fruit, be abundantly productive and move forward.
Prayer Focus: Pray for the grace to crucify your flesh and walk in the Spirit so that you will live a life that is fruitful.
I’m praying for you and with you,
Pastor Enrique Brooks
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