Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit

 The Works of the Flesh versus the Fruit of the Spirit 

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:19-24, NKJV)

The works of the flesh are the manifestation of the sinful nature whereas the fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the character of Jesus. The works of the flesh are opposed to the fruit of the Spirit. It is impossible to walk in the flesh and in the Spirit at the same time. The two paths are diametrically opposed to each other. 

Jesus displayed the fruit of the Spirit throughout His ministry on earth. Anyone who is not totally surrendered to God cannot manifest the fruit of the Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not fully in control, the fruit of the Spirit cannot be evident. The fruit of the Spirit does not belong to anyone but the Holy Spirit who testifies of Jesus here on earth. To bear fruit, the believer must abide in Jesus. In John 15:1-5, the Bible says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (NKJV)

No one can bear fruit without abiding in Jesus. The attributes of the fruit of the Spirit cannot be experienced by wishful thinking or by might. They will manifest only when the believer loses himself or herself in Jesus. Jesus is the Vine, believers are the branches and just as the branches must be completely rooted in the vine, so believers must be totally rooted in Jesus to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. The one who demonstrates the fruit of the Spirit has crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The Bible says that in Romans 8:6-8, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (NKJV)

Wow. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The Amplified Version of the Bible renders Romans 8:7-8 this way:

"the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God."

Hostility to God is a fulltime activity of the mind of the flesh ~ the carnal mind. No wonder the mind of the flesh (the carnal mind) cannot please God. It is just impossible. Works of the flesh tell a story of carnality whereas the fruit of the Spirit indicates true spirituality rooted in Jesus, manifestewd by the power of the Holy Spirit and glorifying God 24/7.

So the question to be asked is simply this: Are you glorifying God? Is  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control evident in your life. I watched someone on YouTube say something very profound. He asked what juice would come out of an orange when pressed, when presseure is applied to it? Noone in his or her right mind would expect coconut water from a sqeezed orange. Even without notice, the result of applying pressure to an orange or any other fruit would be the juice associated with it. Nothing more or less. 

The question we have to answer is what will come out of us when we are squeezed? when we face pressure? when things are not going well? when our expectations are not realized? You know Jesus said in Matthew 15:11

"It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him." (AMP)

So what comes out of you? What do people see or feel when they contact you? ~ the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. A thriving relationship with Jesus will put you on the right side - God's side and you will no longer be at enmity with God. I want to end this message by stating that the one who is at enmity with God cannot win. God can never be defeated. 

May the Word of God dwell in you richly and bring forth His blessings into your life as you heed His Word. God bless you.