Today is our first week talking about the fruit of the Spirit. Get your Bible out! Because, although I may quote several scriptures, there are a LOT of verses that are going to apply to what we are talking about. So, I will sometimes just list the verses I am referring to :).
As I've been reading through the different scriptures referring to spiritual fruit, one huge factor keeps jumping off the pages at me. Before any of us can bear fruit, good fruit, we must die. I'm speaking of dying in the spiritual sense. Mortifying our flesh. Crucifying our flesh.
Romans 6:10, 11 and Romans 6:21:22 As a young girl, I had heard these verses countless times. So many times, I didn't take them as seriously as what my life would force me to down the road.... "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin....." In my mind "reckon" just meant decide you're dead to sin. Well, I didn't consider the previous verses of Romans 6. Ya'll, we really have to allow our flesh to be crucified. And that crucifying hurts. Suffering. Have you ever suffered? Have you ever hurt so badly in your spirit, you literally thought you were going to die? I sure have. And every time, I fight it. I wonder why God would allow it to continue. I think of all the reasons I shouldn't have to face that particular trial....... And then, I ask the Lord to manifest the fruit of the spirit in my life, never considering that He is doing just that. He does things the right way, not my way.
So, before we go through each aspect of fruit, let's all examine our hearts this coming week. Have we allowed the Lord to cut away our flesh? Have we really reckoned ourselves dead to sin? John 12:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." A few verses to look at:
Romans 6
Galatians 2:20, 21
Galatians 5:22-24
Romans 7:4
John 12:24
John 15
From my heart,
Iris
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