Spiritual fruitfulness of the Holy Spirit in the individual
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)
"Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit." (Matthew 12:33 NKJV)
2. What kind of fruit is evident in your life? What reputation of displaying the fruit of the Spirit, characteristics of Jesus, do you have?
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Consider Jesus' parable of the Seed and the Four Soils briefly
The Seed and the four soils
(Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23; Mark 4:1-9; 13-20 Luke 8:4-8; 11-15)
Seed: Word of God, Word of the kingdom (remember all Scriptures point us to Jesus. John 5:39) Like Philip did with the Ethiopian Eunuch
Soils: Different Heart conditions
Wayside path: devil steals the Word (blinds the eyes); that person does not understand it.
"whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV)
Rocky soil: the person believe with joy – but no roots – They will fall away after tribulation or persecution because of the Word.
"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: (27) "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matthew 7:26-27 NKJV)
Thorny soil: these people are choked with the cares, riches, and pleasures of life – they produce no fruit, they are unfruitful.
"for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica--." (2 Timothy 4:10 NKJV)
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world." (1 John 2:15-16 NKJV)
(Luke 12:15, 21; Luke 18:24; 1 Timothy 6:9-10)
Good soil: these people heard and believed – they bear much fruit—some hundred, sixty, thirty.
"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (12) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:11-13 NKJV)
"being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:11 NKJV)
"that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)
"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18 NKJV)
(Romans 6:22; 7:4; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; Colossians 1:10)
Each person is some type of soil. There are only four options.
3. Which soil type would you consider yourself - Wayside path, rocky, thorny, or good? How would you categorize your fruitfulness? Why?
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