How Does your Garden Grow?

Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,  goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Each month I receive a newsletter from the “Thru the Bible” ministry with a inspiring Christian message from the Founder Dr. J. Vernon McGee. This month they ask the very important question: How long have you known and walked with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Have you heard the old saying: “It’s not the years your life that mater; it’s the life in your years that truly matter. Existential secular humanists  might take this old adage means live the finest, radical, exciting and self-gratifying life possible for as long as you can; never grow up and never grow old. But, Almighty God makes it clear in His holy Word that it’s not the years that matter, but the growth in “godliness that is the fruit of those years. God’s redemption mission is about holiness in life bringing glory and honor to God, not the egocentric hedonism of idolatry. Who do you love? Who is your Lord?

The article challenges us to ask ourselves: “Because I know and love the lord, what difference has it made in my character, my life – even my personality?” Like the Bible verse above states, the change comes when we allow the Holy Spirit to take control, increasingly changing us to be more like Jesus Christ from the inside out. This transformation is the fruit of walking with God, obedient to His sacred Word, Will and Way.  

Dr. McGee points out that if you were not raised in the country, you may not know that in every fruit orchard, there is always something else that tries to overcome the fruit. In nature, slugs and bugs and weeds all attempt to crowd out the fruit. And in the life of the born again Believer, there are always things that will attempt to crowd out the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, it’s quite possible that the weeds grow and the fruit will not be produced. The Apostle Paul spoke of that very thing in Galatians 5:17 – “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

The sinful flesh wants to have its way and is actually in competition against the Holy Spirit. So, there is a danger of producing something besides good fruit. The word “sin” is and archery term meaning to “miss the mark” of the high calling of God. But, you have to remember that when you arrow misses the target, it hits something else. And that which the sinful desires of the flesh produces is not something that God can use; it’s not fruit at all.

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery (substance abuse), hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

McGee states that you can be a child of God and be producing works of the flesh in your life, and if you are, you are not living by the Spirit of God. And I can tell you, if the works of the flesh are appearing in your life, you are a discontented and troublemaking child of God. The Apostle Paul was speaking to believing disciples when he said in Galatians 6:7-9 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” My friend, as a believing follower of Jesus Christ, if you are sowing to the flesh, you “will of the flesh reap corruption”.  There is no way around it.

Ephesians 5:8-10 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”

Now, the child of God can produce the fruit of the Spirit. But, you cannot produce this lovely fruit on your own. We are totally incapable; it can only be produced by the Holy Spirit. You can know whether you are living by the sinful flesh or living in the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit by seeing if He is producing these fruits in your life.

Blessings