Focus: The Spirit's Fruit

Text: Song of Sol.2:3

"His fruit was sweet to my taste."

The new birth in Christ is made possible by the Holy Spirit. The believer in Christ is born of the Spirit, baptized with the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, possessed by the Spirit, consecrated to the will of God by the Spirit, led by the Spirit, taught and instructed by the Spirit, anointed and empowered by the Spirit, used by the Spirit, enabled to pray in the Spirit, equipped for ministry by the Spirit, inspired by the Spirit, comforted and encouraged by the Spirit. Apart from the Spirit of Christ we can do nothing. From start to finish, the Holy Spirit is at the helm of the believer's life of worship to God, daily walk with God, work for God, and witness for Christ on earth.

The believer possesses within him the power of the Spirit. He has with him the presence of the Spirit. He functions with the gifts of the Spirit, worships in the Spirit, and manifests by his life the fruit of the Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is tasty and appetizing. The fruit of the Spirit manifesting in our lives attracts the world. Our lives preach more than our words. Our character convinces the world better than our charisma. Our conduct evangelizes better than our creed. What we do speaks louder than what we say with our mouths. 

The world wants to see the fruit of our faith in holy living and in acts of kindness.

The fruit of the Spirit brings out the beauty of the Christian faith in us. The Spirit indwelling us produces the tasty fruit of godly character. A believer who lacks the fruit of the Spirit would indeed be an ugly Christian. Just imagine a Christian life completely devoid of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance! Such a life lacks luster or charm. 

Spiritual fruitlessness is abnormal in the life of someone who bears the name of Christ. Christ longs and demands that we bear fruit, and He gave us His Spirit to indwell and enable us to bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit makes us winsome in our Christian witness. By the fruit of the Spirit we shine as light in this dark world. By our fruit and good works we radiate the light of Christ to our world. 

Solomon writes, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Prov.11:30). Solomon also tells us that "the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit" (Prov.12:12). We yield the fruits of peace and righteousness. Paul says, "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom.6:22). By the Spirit we are able to bear the fruit of holiness. Even our words are salted with grace. God says, "I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him" (Isa.57:19). By means of the Spirit goodly words flow out of our mouths.

The fruit of the Spirit and the words of Christ are tasty. The psalmist declares, "How sweet are thy words to my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my lips." O yes, the fruit of the Spirit is sweet to our taste!

Let us sow to the Spirit and reap everlasting life! Let us cultivate goodly, godly and lovely fruit of the Spirit! Let us yield to the Spirit's promptings and prodding! Let us put on a winsome attitude! Let us live in such a way that the world would look at us and call us 'Christians' once again!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter