Title: The Spirit-filled Life

Main Text: Romans 8:9-11

9. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.  10. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  11. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

What is the character of Christ really like?

What is the nature of His life?

We want to answer these questions in this message.

The “person” of Christ is now at the right hand of the Father in Heaven.

But by the “person” of the Holy Spirit” can be in you and me and every believers throughout the world. You are no longer controlled by the flesh (old sin-nature).

Because the Holy Spirit dwells or lives within you.

(Example)

A little baby receives from its parents the nature and character of the family.

That nature will develop as the child continues to grow.

The eye, skin and hair color, bone size and height take a longer time to develop.

But the “image” of the family is readily seen.

Sometimes we say, “That child is truly the picture of its parents.

The same is true in the family of God.

When we were born into God’s family, we received Christ’s life and his nature.

We are too developing into Christ image.

The nature and character of Christ life is to grow in us as we grow in him.

This is our divine destiny to become like Jesus.

2 Cor 3:18

18. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Yes, we are to become like Jesus in nature, in word and in deed.

What is the character of Christ really like?

What is the nature of His life?

We are told in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that the Spirit of the Lord himself will be the source of our new life. Paul then lists the qualities of Christ’s life with these words:

Gal 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23. gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The fruit of the spirit is a beautiful word-picture of Christ character.

Each fruit is a specific quality of Christ life.

The fruit of the spirit speaks of the beautiful aspects of Christ’s life.

We might therefore outline the fruits of the Spirit as follows:

(Inward Blessings)

Lovem - being lovely within in the eyes of God and others

Joy - being joyful within in the eyes of God and others

Peace - being peaceful within in the eyes of God and others

How do you show love to your parents? To your children? To your relatives? Does it reflect the fruit of the Spirit?

How do you respond to problems? Do you have joy in your heart?

In the midst of crisis/trials/problems, have you claimed peace from God.

(Outward Blessings)

Patience - patience in the eyes of God and to others

Kindness - kind in the eyes of God and to others

Goodness - good in the eyes of God and to others

How do you treat everybody around you, does it have patience? Are you waiting for God’s answer patiently?

Have you been kind to anybody lately?

Have you done any good to anybody lately?

(Upward Blessings)

Faithfulness – faithful to God

Meekness – humble before God

Self-control – controlled by God

Are you a backslider by heart? Is your heart alright with God?

Do you readily accept to God all your sins and weaknesses?

Are you easily angered? Are you hot-tempered and easily irritated?

Do you wanted to receive the inward blessing? Outward blessing? Upward blessing?

Nurture the fruit of the spirit in your life.

Don’t let it rot, let it grow and be sweet in your life

The fruit of the Spirit reaches out in all directions to bring great blessing.

Paul gives these nine fruits of spirit as an example for us to develop our Christ character in the workplace.

1. Wailing into Dancing

Ps 30:11-31:1

11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,  12. that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

It is important for us to see that the fruit of the spirit tell us what Christ image.

Christ is not only lovely- He is the love

Christ is not only Joyful- He is the joy

Christ is not only peaceful-He is the peace

When we have Christ we have the love, joy, and peace of Christ.

Therefore as a result we can be lovely, joyful and peaceful in the eyes of God and in the eyes of others. We have real joy whether we feel like it or not, because we have Christ within us.

He said he would never leave us or forsake us. The joy can be expressed in different ways.

Sometimes it can be very bright, loud and lively.

People may sing,

People may shout,

People may dance and laugh:

2. Difficulties Bring good fruit

Gal 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,   23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

This brings us to another truth about the fruit of the spirit.

We face many things everyday that are opposed to our life in Christ.

Instead of love we face hatred and hostility.

Instead of joy we meet sadness, sorrow and grief.

Instead of peace, we find pressure, tension, discord and strife.

This dark forces work their way into the people, places and our earthly affairs.

Sometimes we wish we could run away and escape.

However most of our problems are caused by forces which opposed the fruit of the spirit.

We can call these forces the fruit of the flesh, our old sin nature.

Fruits of Spirit: Vs Fruits of the flesh:

Love: - hatred, selfishness, jealousy, resentment.

Joy: - sadness, grief, depression, self-pity.

Peace: - worry, fear, strife, conflict, tension.

Patience: - impatience, hasty, short-tempered.

Kindness: - cruel, rude, harsh, pushy, and heavy-handed.

Goodness: - Evil, wicked, immoral, stingy, greedy.

Faithfulness: - careless, unreliable, dishonest, and disloyal.

Meekness: - proud, dogmatic, and judgmental.

Self-control: - unruly, undisciplined, and messy.

Jesus always produces the fruit of life and fruit of the spirit.

But Satan always produces the fruit of death and fruit of the flesh.

There choose now whom we will yield or give ourselves.

The saddest picture in the world is that of a defeated Christian.

He has the life of Christ within, but God spirit is greatly grieved.

As a result the glory of the Lord no longer shines upon his face.

Only shadow can be seen.

Time of trouble can also be a times of growing in Christ.

The life of Christ and the power of the Holy spirit within us,

Able to protect us to become strong in the areas of our weakness.

Light always overcomes darkness.

The dark can never put out the light.

One candle can drive out the darkness of an entire room.

The same is true in the work of the Holy Spirit.

The dark shadows of fear, anger and grief can be change and develop in the most difficult times.

Our natural reaction in bad times is to fight back in anger or fear.

But as we submit to the Holy Spirit, God’s love grows strong in our lives.

We become better Christians and more like Jesus in our character.

His glory rests upon our lives, and we become a blessing to God and to others.

3. Our good for God’s glory.

Rom 5:3-5

3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.  5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

God allows a certain amount of pain, suffering and trouble in our lives.

But the purpose that all be worked together for our good and for His glory.

That good and that glory is the character of Christ the fruit of the spirit in our lives.

Lack of Christian character is the main reason for failure in the ministry and the life of the church.

May be your are highly gifted and even successful for the main time.

But it will not last long because of your Christian character is not seen in your lifestyle.

The fruit of the spirit is the foundation for a strong, steady, solid ministry for God.

Let the fruit of the spirit grow in your life.

If you do, you will be fruitful in your life, and you will be a blessing to your church and to others.