Living For Jesus (Part 3)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

A. The Fruit is a Collective

i. This list gives nine collective {elements} of the one fruit of the Spirit.

{karpo.j is Sg; When we’re filled with the Spirit this fruit cluster is produced in us}

B. The Fruit is a Result of Filling

iii. These godly characteristics are {produced} through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. {they’re not produced by our self-efforts; but by faith & reliance on God; Do people see the fruit of the Spirit in you?} We cannot will ourselves to love more or find more joy. We cannot make ourselves be peaceful (calm, non-anxious). We cannot produce patience in times of crisis. All of these are the result of one thing: the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion: We believe that the Christians life is manifested by exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit.

C. We Are Responsible for the Filling

ii. We are {responsible} to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Eph. 5:18-21

Ephesians 5:18–21 NASB95

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

{‘be filled’ = impv; the result is singing, thanksgiving, submission, and the ‘fruit’ elements}

The filling of the Spirit is not “blast” that comes out of nowhere. It is more like a valve that is controlled by the faith we have in God through the Scriptures. You cannot have the faith without God’s word. No filling without doctrine.

There are definite signs that Christians are struggling in the battle against such temptations. Studies by several different organizations suggest that about half of men attending church are involved in pornography (Genung, 2005). A significant minority of self- identified born-again Christians, particularly those under 35, has cohabited, and divorce rates are just as high among born-again Christians as among other groups (Barna Research Group, 2001). An estimated 8 out of 10 youth from evangelical Christian homes walk away from their faith by age 23 (Brown 2006). All of these disturbing trends stem from one common source. Many Christians are losing the day spiritually because they are not connecting with God through His Word regularly. For several years now the Center for Bible Engagement (CBE) has researched why so many Copyright © 1996-2010 The Good News Broadcasting Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Someone who engages the Bible 4 or more times a week is: 228% more likely to share faith with others 407% more likely to memorize scripture 59% less likely to view pornography 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness

Not just reading your Bible with your mind disengaged, but focussing on what you are reading for the purpose of knowing Jesus more intimately and actively putting His word into practice.

Americans own Bibles, but never read them. Along the way, we’ve also revealed major differences in the moral behavior and spiritual maturity of believers based on their level of scriptural engagement. Specifically, we have discovered through our research large behavioral differences between Christians who read or listen to the Bible at least four days a week and those who engage with scripture less often. These differences include both moral behavior as well as how prepared the individual is to serve God and impact the world. The data collected by the Center for Biblical Engagement (CCB) attest to many of these effects. For example, statistical analyses reveal that, controlling for other factors, such as age, gender, church attendance, and prayer, Christians who are engaged in scripture most days of the week have lower odds of participating in these behaviors: Getting drunk = 57% lower odds Sex outside marriage = 68% lower odds  Pornography = 61% lower odds Gambling = 74% lower odds What are the consequences of disengagement from God’s Word? The individual believer is weakened & the Christian community as a whole is weakened. Copyright © 1996-2010 The Good News Broadcasting Association, Inc. All rights reserved.

Any of these habits = 57% lower odds The “power of 4” is evident when we consider that for some of these behaviors (getting drunk and sex outside marriage) examined there is no statistical difference between Christians who read or listen to the Bible two to three days a week and those who do not engage scripture at all or only once a week. For those behaviors where there is an effect for engaging scripture two to three days a week, the effect is much smaller than for four or more days a week. More scripture engagement also produces a Christian who is more involved in spreading the Good News. Controlling for other factors, those who read or listen to the Bible at least four days a week have higher odds of participating in these behaviors:

Sharing faith with others = 228% higher odds

Discipling others = 231% higher odds

Memorizing scripture = 407% higher odds

6. The Practice of Prayer

A. Prayer Is Essential

The Christian life is to be characterized by continued {prayer} and dependance upon Christ. Faithful prayer is {vital} to the separated life. {our communication w/God}

1. Pray All the Time

(1) Eph. 6:18 {How often should we pray? ‘Always’ (1 Th 5:17 ‘without ceasing’); How should we pray? ‘In the spirit’ & with spiritual alertness, i.e. according to & in harmony with God’s will (1 Jn 5:14-15); For what should we pray? ‘All the saints’} Ephesians 6 18

Ephesians 6:18 NASB95

18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NASB95

17 pray without ceasing;

2. Pray According to God’s Word

1 John 5:14–15 NASB95

14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Praying Scripture back to God

Psalm 1:1 NASB95

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

Help me Lord to not walk in the counsel of the wicked.

Help me to not stand in the path of sinners.

Lord Never let me sit in the seat of scoffers!

How do I do this Lord?

Psalm 1:2 NASB95

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Lord Jesus, may I delight in Your law.

Help me to meditate in it day and night.

Psalm 1:3 NASB95

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Lord Jesus I want to be like that tree. I determine today to plant myself in your Word so that I can draw the water of life from you continually.

3. Pray for Everything

(2) Phil. 4:6 {Don’t worry: Why worry when you can pray! Everything is worthy of prayer; pray with a grateful attitude and a joyful heart (v4-5)} Philippians 4:6

Philippians 4:6 NASB95

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

(3) What is God’s {promise} to us in response to a consistent prayer life?

Philippians 4:7 NASB95

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

4. Pray In Faith

ii. The prayer of faith is {central} to the Anointing Service. James 5:13-18

James 5:13–18 NASB95

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

James 5:13–14 NASB95

(1) Who initiates the Anointing Service? {the one who is sick (v14)}

James 5:14–16 NASB95

14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

(2) What do the Elders do for the sick person? {listen to confessed sins; and confess their own (v16); they pray, anoint, and believe (v14)}

(3) What activates God’s healing? {confession of sin together w/ the prayer of faith (v15-16)

James 5:17–18 NASB95

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

example is the prayer life of Elijah: he believed God’s word (v17-18)} (

4) Why should an Anointing Service take place? {If a sickness is the direct result of a specific sin, then no medical treatment will work. Through the anointing service, God has graciously provided a means to deal with a physical sickness that has been caused by unconfessed (unrepentant sin.}

Conclusion: We believe that the Christians life is manifested by maintaining a life of prayer (Eph 6:18; Phil 4:6), including the privilege, when sick, of calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:13-18).

3. In what specific areas of your life do you need to grow more in holiness of character?

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