3. Rather than spending our time this entire year passively wishing for “things to be different,” we can actively seek the Lord to help US be different in 2014!

5. Galatians 5: 22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

6. The Holy Spirit’s main roles on Earth are to glorify Jesus Christ and to clarify His work. * John 16: 13-14

7. Part of the way The Holy Spirit reveals and clarifies Christ to a believer is through “the fruit of the Spirit.” These traits are some of the godly qualities Jesus exhibited on Earth and we can learn from Him by the Spirit.

8. “Fruit Facts” 1.) The Fruit of the Spirit is Singular. 2.) The Fruit of the Spirit is seen, in some degree, in every believer. 3.) Fruit is Formational & Relational. 4.) Fruit will effect all areas of life.

9. “The fruit of the Spirit are garments of grace that we actively put on. We are responsible for acts of obedience by which the fruit is preserved, increased, strengthened, and improved.” - Jerry Bridges

10. We learn from Ephesians 4:22-24 and other passages about the importance for Christians to “put off” sinful and hindering behaviors/lifestyles so that they can “put on” new attitudes given by the Spirit that honor Jesus.

11. Christians too often can go astray in 1 of 2 ways with this command: 1.) They put off, without putting on.  “The Legalistic Error” 2.) They put on, without putting off.  “The Paganistic Error”

12. We must learn to embrace these truths: 1.) We don’t produce the fruit of the Spirit. 2.) We are commanded by God throughout Scripture to cooperate with The Holy Spirit so the fruit can grow well and impact God’s Kingdom.

13. When we claim that some of our “quirks” and personality traits can never change, we are not simply being realistic. We are faithlessly doubting the One that can raise the dead to life.

14. While some of these qualities may come more naturally to you than others, trust God and pray big… asking for His full harvest of holiness!

15. The Lord’s Supper reminds us of the communion we have with God and with one another, only through Jesus.

16. The Fruit of the Spirit Prayer

17. O Holy Spirit, I ask You to bring forth in my life Your fruit that mirrors the heart of my Lord Jesus Christ:

18. The fruit of love, so I may love You above all things and all others for Your sake. The fruit of joy, that I may find my delight in the grace I have in Christ. The fruit of peace, that I may have a clean heart before You and healing hands toward my neighbor.

19. The fruit of patience so that I may bear with all people, as You have so often been lovingly patient with me. The fruit of kindness, that I may forgive freely all who have hurt me and endure with grace all burdens that are laid upon me.

20. The fruit of goodness, that my heart may truly long to carry the holy attitude of Jesus Christ. The fruit of faithfulness that I may rest deeply in Your ability to provide for my every need; as well as in faithfully serving You in integrity and in truth before all people.

21. The fruit of gentleness, that I may strive to slow my life down and keep a warm heart in a cold world. The fruit of self-control that I may restrain all my desires and bring them under the Lordship of the God who made me, saved me, and loves me. Amen.