I Want Fruit!

Erroneously we believe we must contrive the fruit of the Spirit by force of our human will. When we are told we must exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, we diligently work to manufacture the formula for accomplishing that task. When we recognize that we cannot produce His fruit through our own ability, we realize it is only as we experience Christ as relevant that His fruit comes alive within us with transforming power. It is by the process of divine intervention as we submit to His Spirit that we are enabled to be more than we are. At our best we cannot be more than what we are apart from Him. Only as we depend on the Holy Spirit can we experience the fruit He has to offer. Therefore, all of our life endeavors should be fostering our connection to Him as we conform to His image.

BIBLE TRUTH
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
      and desperately wicked.
      Who really knows how bad it is?
But I, the LORD, search all hearts
      and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
      according to what their actions deserve” (Jer. 17:9–10 NLT).

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
Some will continue to hold on to self-effort while lamenting their inability to achieve His promised fruit. “There must be some way to be spiritual my way. There must be a way I can access the riches of God through human means. Certainly God will allow me to govern my life while utilizing His power.” We want the resource of grace apart from dependence on God. The problem of most spiritual struggles is not “I can’t” but “I don’t want to.” Do you want to allow God to completely govern your life?

PRAYER
Father, I submit to your royal Son, Jesus. I don’t want You to become angry and destroy me in the midst of all my activities—for Your anger flares up in an instant. I desire the joy that comes from taking refuge in You! (Ps. 2:12)


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)


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