Galatians 5:22–25 (NLT) — 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Ways we will never have the right fruit

• Trying to obey the law (all the rules)
  • Finding the form of religion and keeping up
  • Getting the rules down 
• Following the flesh
  • Trusting in your instincts
  • Trusting in your emotions
• There is actually a permanent war between the Spirit and the flesh
  • Galatians 5:17 (NLT) — 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

Three Ways To Produce True Spiritual Fruit

1. Live Surrendered
   1. The Spirit has desires
      1. Verses
      2. They go against what you want 
   2. Surrender is a CHOICE
      1. Choose to let Him lead
      2. Your part to play is a CHOICE. You’re going to choose His way. 
   3. What surrender looks like
      1. Waiting when you want to go. 
      2. Leaving when you want to stay. 
      3. Speaking when you want to be quiet. 
      4. Like a bridle in a horse’s mouth. You must let the bit go in. 
      5. Seeing a girl getting pulled around the neighborhood by a huge dog. 
   4. Visuals
      1. Driving in my car, kids wanting to go somewhere, but me going somewhere else. They are speaking but I’m in charge. I must choose to yield. 
         1. Scene one - we agree and I look like the hero 
         2. Scene two - we disagree and I look like the hero because I yield. 
         3. Scene three - we disagree and I do what I wanted all along.
   5. Acknowledge that SOMETHING is driving you
      1. Desire
      2. Fear
      3. Wounds
      4. Approval
      5. Habit
2. Live Sensitive
   1. His leading
      1. The Holy Spirit said
         1. All throughout acts
         2. In different Epistles
      2. Yes and No’s
      3. Witness, restraint, conviction, prompting
   2. Follow the Spirit’s leading
      1. Galatians 5:25 (NLT) — 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
      2. Listen
      3. Pay attention
      4. Live with a yes
   3. Conviction
      1. Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's conviction.
         1. When I was still single or without children, things may come on the TV that I didn’t think anything of, but when I had children, my senses were heightened greatly because of a child’s innocence. I would hear the word "stupid" on a channel and quickly change it.
      2. When you really begin to pay attention to the Holy Spirit, some things that used to be okay for you will be challenged.
      3. You have to respond to His conviction; there is another person living with you now.
   4. Direction
      1. Galatians 5:18"But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law"
      2. “When Paul says ‘led by the Spirit,’ he uses a word that means to be guided or carried along, not driven by rules or forced by fear. It’s the language of relationship, not regulation.”
      3. He’s taking you somewhere, leading.
         1. Practically
            1. Decision making, choices, career.
         2. Relationally
            1. Friendships, relationships, partnership.
         3. Spiritually
            1. Burden to pray, share your faith, pray for someone, etc.
3. Live Serving 
   1. Fruit is evidence, not effort! 
      1. Fruit is diagnostic, not aspirational.. we don’t aspire to have the fruit of the spirit, we examine our fruit and it indicates who we’ve been following. 
   2. Fruit is enjoyed by you, experienced by others - FOR OTHERS
      1. Enjoyed by you
         1. Joy - everyone wants to be happy
         2. Peace - everyone wants to feel peace in their hearts
         3. Self-Control - everyone wants to have this
      2. Experienced by others
         1. Love
         2. Patience
         3. Kindness
         4. Goodness
         5. Gentleness
         6. Faithfulness
   3. Fruit shows up relationally
      1. Fruit is relational before it is religious
      2. It shows up under pressure, in conflict, in proximity
      3. Most of this fruit can’t be experienced alone.. Must be with others
      4. This brings the credit back to Christianity 
   4. If the Spirit leads your life, people benefit!