Be Fruitful: A Link Church Theme Study

By David Willis and Robbie Willis

This study offers a detailed look at the fruit that is produced in believers' lives by the Holy Spirit. Drawing from the Apostle Paul's words to the Galatians, David and Robbie explore the truth that human effort is insufficient for attaining spiritual maturity. The life of faith is a journey in which spiritual growth should never cease. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in this process of growth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781387575367

Book preview

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

TRIAD I: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IMPACTS ATTITUDE

CHAPTER ONE: BE FRUITFUL IN LOVE

Love God

Love One Another

Love Not the World

CHAPTER TWO: BE FRUITFUL IN JOY

In His Presence is the Fullness of Joy

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength

Count It All Joy to Face Trials

THEME THOUGHT: SAUNDRA GREGORY

CHAPTER THREE: BE FRUITFUL IN PEACE

Peace With God Must First Be Made Before You Can Have True Peace

Peace With God Will Lead to a Desire for Peace With Man

Peace With God and Man Will Lead to Peace in Your Mind

THEME THOUGHT: LYDIA LARUE

CONCLUSION TO THE ATTITUDE TRIAD

TRIAD II: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IMPACTS RELATIONSHIPS

INTRODUCTION TO THE RELATIONSHIP TRIAD

CHAPTER FOUR: BE FRUITFUL IN PATIENCE

Be Patient in Trials

Be Patient With One Another

Be Patient While Waiting on His Promises

THEME THOUGHT: KRISTINA HOYLE

CHAPTER FIVE: BE FRUITFUL IN GENTLENESS

Show Gentleness in Words

Show Gentleness in Actions

Show Gentleness in Your Responses to This World

CHAPTER SIX: BE FRUITFUL IN GOODNESS

Taste and See for Yourself That God is Good

Only God Can Bring Goodness Out of Man

True Goodness of God Affects You, and Others See It Also

THEME THOUGHT: LAURYN HOUSTON

CONCLUSION TO THE RELATIONSHIP TRIAD

TRIAD III: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IMPACTS THE INNER SELF

INTRODUCTION TO THE INNER SELF TRIAD

CHAPTER SEVEN: BE FRUITFUL IN FAITH

Have Faith Even When You Cannot See It

Have Faith Even When It Seems Hopeless

Have Faith That Drives You to Action

SERMON EXCERPT: LAVACA CAMPUS PASTOR, JOSH TUMBLESON

CHAPTER EIGHT: BE FRUITFUL IN MEEKNESS

Have Meekness Toward God

Have Meekness Toward Authorities in Your Life

The Meek Will Receive an Inheritance

THEME THOUGHT: SAMANTHA PALMER

CHAPTER NINE: BE FRUITFUL IN SELF-CONTROL

Demonstrate Self-Control in Your Finances

Demonstrate Self-Control in Your Words and Emotions

CONCLUSION TO THE INNER SELF TRIAD

SERMON EXCERPT: OARK LINK CAMPUS PASTOR, GREG WILLIS

CONCLUSION

SOURCES CONSULTED

INTRODUCTION

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control; against such there is no law. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

-Galatians 5:22-26

The book of Galatians stands in distinction among all the Apostle Paul’s writings. The believers in Galatia first came to Christ when Paul preached the Gospel to them, and they experienced the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit on their lives. Tragically, they were later deceived by false teachers who convinced them that they could only maintain their relationship with God by strict adherence to the Jewish ceremonial law, what Paul regularly refers to in his writings as works of the law (Galatians 3:10). The apostle rebuked them for their error with the strongest of words, asking "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3).

Paul considered the concept of being perfected by the flesh to be foolish, because he knew that what comes from the flesh is naturally evil. Before turning his attention to the fruit of the Spirit, the apostle takes a moment to remind the Galatians what comes from the flesh.

Now the works of the flesh are revealed, which are these: adultery, sexual immorality, impurity, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousy, rage, selfishness, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I previously warned you, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. -Galatians 5:19-21

Nothing good comes from the flesh, so it’s ludicrous to believe that mere carnal efforts are the pathway to greater righteousness! How then can a person live in a way that reflects the nature of God? The Apostle Paul believed it was only through Christ’s work on the cross.

…we know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, rather than by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified…For through the law I am dead to the law, that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  I do not nullify the grace of God. For if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ died in vain.

-Galatians 2:16-21

When people identify by faith with Christ’s work on the cross, the presence and power of the Spirit is released within them. Victory over sin becomes reality, and the Holy Spirit bears fruit in the lives those who are saved.

Throughout this series, Pastor David emphasizes that the word fruit in our key text is written in the singular form, even though it is described in nine parts. Word Biblical Commentary takes the view that love is perhaps the fruit that Paul has in mind here, with the other eight in the list serving as adjectives that describe what love truly is.¹ First Corinthians chapter thirteen certainly supports the primacy of love, asserting that the gifts of the Spirit are of no value without it. Take a moment before reading further and read verses four through thirteen of that chapter and see how Paul explained love to the Corinthians.

Pastor David envisions the fruit of the Spirit as a single fruit consisting of nine portions. There may be times in a believer’s life when one part of the fruit is better than the others. One of his favorite fruits is the tomato. He says, I once ate a tomato where part of it was perfect, part of it was green, and when I got down close to the core, part of it was bruised. There are times when believers are strong in love, but joy is running low. Other times they may be strong in peace, but long-suffering is lacking. If we view it as our job to personally maintain excellence is each of the nine areas, that can become exhausting. It would also completely miss Paul’s point in Galatians five. The point he is making is precisely that human effort on its own produces the works of the flesh, while God’s presence actively at work in believers naturally produces the fruit of the Spirit. While it is certainly a noble goal to excel in every area, believers must remember that this is accomplished, as the prophet Zechariah said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).

TRIAD I: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IMPACTS ATTITUDE

CHAPTER ONE: BE FRUITFUL IN LOVE

Jesus uses the word love fifty-one times in the New Testament! Love is a virtue that is assigned supreme importance all throughout the Word of God. In First John, the apostle declares that God is love (1 John 4:16). People who are concerned with holy living sometimes fall into the trap of warning against preaching too much love or too much grace. This is impossible! How can a person over-emphasize something as powerful as God’s love or His grace? The real risk exists in misrepresenting love and grace. When the true nature of divine love comes into focus, it becomes clear that a baptism of such love will forever transform anyone that experiences it!

Love God

Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great