Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Our lives are like a garden. But what kind of garden is your life displaying? Is it one abounding in beautiful fruit, fragrant flowers, and life-giving foliage? Or is it filled with thorns, thistle, dead trees, and dry barren leaves that will burn quickly destroying lives? Is the soil so hardened that the seeds of God’s word cannot grow? For a garden to grow and bear, it requires allowing the Master Gardener to till the soil, prune the leaves, and remove the dead, barren leaves. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other (Galatians 5:16-17).
Jesus said, Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:4-5). The life-giving sap comes from Jesus Christ, who died and rose again victoriously that we might have life in Him. No branch can produce fruit apart from the vine nourishing it, watering it, and filling it with life. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are given life, a dead branch grafted into the vine. The Holy Spirit enters our spirit to guide, comfort and produce fruit. Yet, we must allow the Spirit to do His Work in us.
A Garden Abounding with Fruit, or Not
Over the course of the next few weeks, I want to delve deeper into these verses so that you and I might learn how to truly grow that the garden of our lives might flourish with the fruits of the spirit. Only then can we be used of God to bring forth life into a world that is barren and dried by sin. We must learn to die to self, allowing the Master Gardener to till the soil within our heart, to prune the wild branches that cannot produce fruit, and to sweep away the dry underbrush we cling to. Paul wrote, they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25).
Dear Heavenly Father let me die to self that you might live. Till the garden of my heart. Sweep away all the chaff. Prune the dead branches of my mind. And teach me to abide in Christ that the fruit of the Spirit may flourish.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; Because, He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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Previous Posts to Consider
How to Discern the Voice of God from Yours
Walking in the Spirit. How? and Why?
POEMS
The Shepherd’s Lullabye of Love
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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