The Supernatural Fruit of the Christian Life

It says in scripture that we shall be known by our fruit (Matthew 7:16). We also read that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).  'Against no law' means that we cannot produce these fruits with our own effort.

"For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit.  For each tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes form a briar bush.  The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart (Luke 6:43-45)."

Pressure situations will always reveal the true nature of the fruit we bear.  We can put on a good show when things are going well, but it is in the midst of trial, conflict, and tension that our hearts our truly exposed.  What are your 'first fruits' in the midst of insult, neglect, or hurt; what is your initial response to injustice done against you? Do you react with peace, understanding, and love? Or are you filled with bitterness, envy, and anger, making yourself out to be a victim to your circumstances.  Do you end up blaming, complaining, and taking no responsibility for the situation?  This 'bad fruit' reveals a state of being where you will always react to circumstances, being on the defense, rather than being a powerful instigator for change. Responsibility is having the 'ability' to control your 'response'.  For it is in the heat, the droughts in life, where our true nature shines through.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.  For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor 'cease to yield fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8).'"

We learn that fruit is produced when roots are 'extended towards the stream', the river of life.  Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit. He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:1-5)."

Therefore, if we are producing bad fruit we are not abiding in God.  Also if we are producing good fruit, we will be pruned to continue to produce more! Peter explains what it looks like to be continually pruned.  "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, an din your brotherly kindness, love.  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8)."

Do you see the connection? Not only does abiding produce fruit, but it continues to increase throughout our life-time! Is your life a refection of these qualities ever increasing? Do you feel more and more love for others, greater self-control in the face of temptation, and peace and joy flowing out of you? If not you have been rendered useless in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If this is the case, you are not 'abiding', you are not connected to the vine.  If that is the case we need to spend time with Him so that He can produce something in us that our own effort cannot achieve.  We need to 'behold His glory'; and as we do we will be transformed into His likeness, from one degree of Glory to another (2 Corinthians 3).  There is no excuse for 'bad fruit', but they are indicators to us that we have turned our gaze to ourselves or the Earth. "Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth (Ephesians 5:7-9)."

As Christians our lives should be displaying a supernatural quality, because we are plugged into the source of all joy, peace, and righteousness; the kingdom of heaven (Romans 14:17).  We are 'seated in heavenly places' and have been 'blessed with every spiritual blessing therein'.  But we become what we behold, so we need to turn our gaze to heaven so that it can be made manifest through us.  "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on the things above not on things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3)." "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9)."

"We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth.  For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light (Colossians 1:4-12)."

The Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit

Jesus left the disciples with a prayer and a purpose of great weight and significance.  It is found in what is known as 'The Lord's Prayer'. "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:10)." This prayer reveals the reality that God's Kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, can manifest here on Earth; and this occurs when His will is done.  Kingdom implies a reigning or dominion, therefore God's kingdom exists wherever His will is being carried out. Jesus' own life was a perfect example of walking in the will of God, and we see the manifestation of heaven wherever He went. Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (John 5:19). So what was the will of the Father for Jesus? What was He sent to do?  "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.  He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord (Luke:418-19)."  1 John 3:8 reveals that Jesus was sent to destroy the works of the devil, to 'heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8).'  Jesus modeled what it looked like to walk in the will of God, by doing so the kingdom of heaven came to earth.

This was the call that Jesus had on His life, and as we see in the Lords Prayer, He gave the same call to those who believe in Him. "As I was sent so I send you (John 20-21)." "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons, freely you received  freely give (Matthew 10:7-8)." "Truly truly , I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (John 14:12)." "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19)."  Therefore we know, that we have the ability to bring heaven to Earth.  What doesn't belong in heaven doesn't belong on earth, likewise what exists in heaven can exist on earth.  That is why Jesus was able to heal the sick, raise the dead, and caste out demons.  Sickness doesn't exist in heaven, which is the reality Jesus existed in.  Therefore he was able to give away what he had access too. We are called to do the very same, and have been given the same resources.  "Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1:3)."

There are some very challenging scriptures that confront us with the reality of our experience as opposed to the biblical standard of the Christian life.  It is clear in scripture that our purpose, after having been saved, is to bring heaven to earth.  We look to God to see what He is doing, and we agree with Him through our proclamation and obedience.  In so doing we see a release of the Kingdom in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We are His friends, and we are so called because we 'know the masters business' (John 15:15).  We are ambassadors of the Kingdom, called to co-labor with Christ in this world. (2 Cor. 5:20, 1 Cor. 3:9). If we choose not to press in, or agree with His will, then we won't see the Kingdom manifest in our lives.  We can either be passive or aggressive, claiming or laying aside the promises that are made available to us. "The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force (Matthew 11:12)."

We see this modeled to us in the lives of the Israelites and their journey to the promised land.  The promised land is a representation of the Kingdom, where God's people will be able to partake in the promises of God.  While in Egypt they were instructed to take the blood of sacrificed lambs and smear it over their doors, so that, when the angel of death passed by, they would be saved (Exodus 12:7).  This is where we get the 'Passover'.  Just like the Israelites we too have been set free by the blood of the lamb, and death no longer holds power over us, but it doesn't end there.  The Israelites were set free from bondage, and began their journey to the land that was promised them.  They went through the Red Sea, which is symbolic of water baptism (1 Cor. 10:2); but even after this they had not entered into the land of promises (the Kingdom).  After waiting for 40 years to have the generation that doubted God die off, the people of God had one last decision to make; to cross over the river Jordan or remain on the other side.  

We see in Numbers 32 that two tribes decided not to cross the Jordan river; and although they were persuaded to help defeat the Canaanites, they did not take the inheritance that was promised them.  In other words, they did not claim or experience God's promises.  We face this same dilemma, every believer and every church is faced with this choice.  Whether to cross over the river, or to remain with the comfortable control of compromise.  The Jordan river is symbolic to the Holy Spirit (John 7:38).  John the Baptist baptized people with water, but he recognized that there was something far greater that not only could he not give, but wouldn't receive.  "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (John 3:11)."  Here is a revelation unfolding, a scary, powerful, exciting reality; the kingdom of God is inextricably linked to the indwelling and over-pouring presence of the Holy Spirit.  This reality is so powerful and real that Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11)."  

How can that be? That soon believers, those in the Kingdom, would be greater than then the greatest prophet of all time! Not only that but Jesus makes an incredible statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (John 14:12)."  He also says, "These signs will accompany those who have believed; in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover (Mark 16:17-18)."  These are definite statements, that should make us squirm.  These signs will follow those who believe. So what if they aren't following us?  Reading further in John 14, Jesus links the 'greater works' to the fact that He is returning to the Father and is sending the Holy Spirit.  It all comes back to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus promised the disciples that 'there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God (Luke:9-27).'  It was later on the day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit came with fire, drastically changing all those who were touched by Him, and launching them into a destiny where they brought the Kingdom of Heaven down to Earth.  "For the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17)."  We can choose to compromise and live on the other side of the Jordan, but we will not be able to display the Kingdom of heaven to a dying world the way that we were intended.  Neither we will experience the vibrant intimate life with God that Jesus paid for.  The Holy Spirit is central to the Gospel, Jesus died for our sins and purified us so that 1) we could be with Him for all eternity, and 2) so that the Holy Spirit could fill us up, lead us into all truth, and manifest a heavenly lifestyle to a lost and broken world.  "My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (1 Cor. 2:4-5)."

Sadly, our western church has much knowledge but little experience, and the work of the Holy Spirit is approached very cautiously if not completely rejected practically.  Caution is not a fruit of the Spirit, rather we are instructed to 'eagerly desire the Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor. 14:1).  We have a church that has a 'from of Godliness denies its power (2 Tim. 3:5).'  We are 'always learning but never come to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7).'  It is only when we feel 'out of control', that we might be 'under-his-control.  We need to go there. 

The Holy Spirit brings about a boldness, love, and power that is altogether supernatural.  He produces in us peace that passes understanding, and a joy unspeakable and full of glory! I don't see that in many of our churches.  There is more passion for football than Christ, ultimately because the divine life just isn't very real and tangible to most people.  Those who encountered the Holy Spirit in scripture didn't seem to have this problem though. The new testament, especially the book of Acts, is focused on how the people of God are continually transformed to do the impossible!  The Holy Spirit pulls us out of our comfortable lifestyle and flings us into a supernatural lifestyle where we fix our eyes on heaven and are transformed from Glory to Glory (Colossians 3:2, 2 Cor. 3:18). Paul rebukes the Corinthians for acting like 'mere men' (1 Cor. 3:3).  Being 'only human' is no longer an excuse for us, because He that is in us is greater than He that is in the world; we are over-comers (1 John 4:4).

Receiving the Spirit is simple and yet hard.  We simply have to let go of our control and ask for Him. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13)." We no longer have the luxury to live a comfortable Christian life, because according to scripture there is no such thing.  Our christian church is failing to meet the needs of it's own people, let alone the world.  We will continue to place 'good citizenship', good relationships, or social justice at the center of our community until we take a stand and wait on the Holy Spirit to come and do what we cannot.  We can no longer rely on our own effort, or have dreams that are possible for us to accomplish.  All of creation is groaning, waiting for the Sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:22); because it knows that we have the power to free it from being subjected to the devil, and it is waiting for us to discover and step into this reality.

There is much more to be said about the Spirit, but one thing is clear.  We need Him to come and radically transform us so that we can listen to God and release the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth.  We have a role, that is to wait for and hasten the coming of the day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:12).  God has granted to us His magnificent promises so that we can become partakers of the diving nature, being seated in heavenly places, having access to all spiritual blessings therein (2 Peter 1:4, Eph. 2:6, Eph. 1:3).  Let us step into the river, allow the Spirit to take control, and take the promises that Jesus paid for.  We only need to submit, be obedient, and watch the impossible become possible. Do not settle, press on to take hold of that which Christ has taken hold of us; do not compromise but be built up in faith that God will fulfill all His promises. Come Holy Spirit. 

"For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us (2 Corinthians 1:20)."