HOFC Sermon Archive: Fruit of the Spirit: Part 4

Fruit of the Spirit

Part 4 – Joy

Rev Bruce A. Shields

The House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Christ set us Free

2. Walking in the Spirit

3. Love

4. Joy

INTRODUCTION

Today is Sunday. August 13th, 2023

We began looking at the Fruits of the Spirit last week, focusing on Love and its true meaning according to scripture.

Today we will look at the second Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, Joy.

Today we will Learn about the Spiritual Fruit - JOY

SCRIPTURE READING (Legacy Standard Bible)

Galatians 5:22-25 Crucify the flesh

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.”

TODAY’S MESSAGE

I. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

a. What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

i. In Galatians 5, Paul tells us what the Fruit of the Spirit is and what the “fruits,” or works of the flesh, are.

ii. Paul wanted the church in Galatia to “grow up” and stop being spiritually immature.

iii. Many claimed to belong to the Lord but lived by their flesh.

iv. To make it simple for them to understand, Paul lists the works of the flesh and Fruits of the Spirit.

v. If you were living in works of the flesh, Paul says in Galatians 5:21 “…I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

vi. Works of the flesh – Galatians 5:19-21

1. “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these…”

vii. Fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

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

b. How we receive the Fruit of the Spirit

i. When we receive the Spirit of God

ii. When do we receive the Spirit of God? Jesus says in John 7:38-39

1. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

2. When we examine the Lemma of the Greek word πιστεύω (pisteuo) that was translated into the English word “believes,” we see it means

a. I place my trust on

b. I rely on them

c. I commit my life to them

d. I believe in

e. I believe on

f. I cast myself upon them as stable and trustworthy (Souter, A. (1917). In A Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (p. 203). Clarendon Press).

3. πιστεύω (pisteuo) means far more than just believing something exists.

iii. πιστεύω (pisteuo) is also used in John 9:35-38

1. “Jesus heard that they had put him out, and after finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.”

iv. He believed…and worshiped Him.

v. His belief (put trust in) was followed by worship of the Lord.

1. He didn’t just believe Jesus was real, of God and the bible were real…

2. He put his trust in Him and worshiped the Lord

3. His FAITH was followed by ACTION

Remember James 2:17 “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.”

Works do not make you a follower of Christ Jesus, but if you follow Christ Jesus, you will have works.

True faith in Christ is followed by action.

The previous chapter, James 1:22, states, “But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

Those who hear the word and believe it, or believe Jesus is real, but do not put their trust in Him, followed by action, they deceive themselves into believing they are followers of Christ Jesus.

Jesus tells us about them on Judgment Day and how they did many things in Jesus’ name but never put their trust IN Him, and therefore, Jesus says, “I never knew you.”

c. Fruits are just one of the many blessings of being sealed in God’s Spirit

i. The following sermon series will examine the other great things that happen when we belong to the Lord.

ii. Receiving the Whole Armor of God

iii. Receiving Spiritual Fruit, which is different than Fruits of the Spirit

II. WHAT DOES THE WORLD THINK JOY IS?

a. By definition

i. A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

ii. Our modern language describes it as a feeling of great pleasure, happiness.

b. By the worlds standards

i. As usual, the world defines things by how we feel,

ii. Our feelings and emotions seem to rule in this realm.

iii. If one does not have the Spirit of God, then one relies on the things of the world to bring joy, which means acts of the flesh.

1. Satisfying the desires of the flesh may bring a moment of joy, but one will never be gratified because the desires of the flesh will always be more than you can provide, and it will enslave you.

iv. Galatians 5:24-25 “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.”

c. Why so many live joy-less lives without the Spirit of God

i. The Greek word Χαρά (chara) means joy or delight.

ii. This Spiritual Fruit (a characteristic of God) allows us to have true spiritual happiness in the Lord. More than that, gratification.

1. The Lord is enough.

iii. Many today without the Lord live joyless lives because things of the world cannot bring the joy that the Spirit of God can.

iv. There is freedom in the Spirit, bondage with the flesh, and its desires to rule you.

III. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS JOY IS

a. The Spiritual Fruit of Joy defined

i. Unlike happiness, joy is true satisfaction.

ii. The Word of God describes Joy as “full” or “complete.”

iii. The Spiritual Fruit of Joy satisfies the heart in a way nothing else can.

b. Joy in scripture

i. 1 Peter 1:8-9 “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

ii. Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

1. Many try to find their joy in eating and drinking.

a. Or other worldly things that end up enslaving you with empty promises of satisfaction and gratification.

2. But if we walk in the Spirit of God, we receive the Spiritual Fruit of Joy, which will truly bring gratification in Him.

iii. Romans 12:12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

c. Joy in our lives today

i. We can find joy in our lives today, no matter what we face.

1. Allow the Spiritual Fruit to be present in your life

a. I Thessalonians 5:19-22 “Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophecies, but examine all things; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

b. This is an instruction of “walking in the Spirit.”

2. Find your joy, satisfaction, and gratification in the Lord.

a. He is all-sufficient.

b. Remember, Galatians 5:24-25 “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.”

What have we learned about JOY?

CONCLUSION

Do not just “believe” the Lord, God, or the Bible is real. Put your trust in Christ Jesus.

Follow that with ACTION!

James 2:14-24

“What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?

Can that faith save him?

If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.

But someone will say, “You have faith; and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

So let us not just say we believe. Put our trust in and follow that with action.

Next week:

Fruit of the Spirit Part 5: Peace

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