You shall know
them by their Fruit
Matthew 12:33
This study is about the fruit of the Spirit, as opposed to the works of the flesh. Both are found in Galatians chapter 5. The first thing Paul speaks about is the works of the flesh...
Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of YHWH.
He then talks of about the fruit of the Spirit...
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are the Messiah's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
According to Paul, there are nine fruits of the Spirit. These fruits are the focus of this study. The first fruit is love.
From the the old testament...
Psalm 97:10 Ye that love YHWH, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his set-apart ones; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
Next from the the new testament. Yahushua says...
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
and from the book of First John...
1John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Yahushua is the Messiah is born of YHWH: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of YHWH, when we love YHWH, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of YHWH, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 4 For whatsoever is born of YHWH overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Yahushua is the Son of YHWH?
The next fruit of the Spirit is joy. From the book of Nehemiah in the old testament...
Nehemiah 8:9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, "This day is set-apart unto YHWH your Elohim; mourn not, nor weep." For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is set-apart unto our Sovereign: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of YHWH is your strength.
and a witness from Shaul...
1 Thessalonians 1:1-6
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the assembly of the
Thessalonians which is in YHWH the Father and in the Master
Yahushua the Messiah: favour be unto you, and peace, from YHWH
our Father, and the Master Yahushua the Messiah.
2 We give thanks to YHWH always for you all, making mention of
you in our prayers;
3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of
love, and patience of hope in our Master Yahushua the Messiah, in
the sight of YHWH and our Father;
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of Elohim.
5 For our evangel came not unto you in word only, but also in
power, and in the Set-apart Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Messiah, having
received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Set-apart
Spirit:
Yahsushua said...
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:10)
We can see above that the fruit of love and joy go hand in hand. The next fruit is peace (shalom).
John 14:23-27
23 Yahushua answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he
will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come
unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word
which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
25 "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with
you.
26 "But the Comforter, which is the Set-apart Spirit, whom the
Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and
bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.
27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid."
Yahushua said that the peace that we have (because we follow him), is different than the peace of the world. How is it different?
Psalm 34:13-19
13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking
deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good; Seek peace, and pursue
it.
15 The eyes of YHWH are on the righteous, And His ears unto their
cry.
16 The face of YHWH is against evil-doers, To cut off their
remembrance from the earth.
17 The righteous cried out, and YHWH heard, And delivered them
out of all their distresses.
18 YHWH is near to the broken-hearted, And saves those whose
spirit is crushed.
19 Many are the evils of the righteous, but YHWH delivers him out
of them all.
HalleluYah, many are the afflictions of the righteous, but YHWH delivers him out of them all!
Next is the fruit of long suffering or patience...
2Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before YHWH, and the Saviour Yahushua the Messiah, who shall judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Yes, when we are sharing the truth, whether it be with believers or unbelievers, we need to show forth the fruit of long suffering; in other words, we need to be patient. In the following, we see how YHWH is longsuffering toward his people...
Psalm 86:14 O Elohim, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. 15 But thou, O YHWH, art an El full of compassion, and showing favour, longsuffering, and abundent in kindness and truth.
And we are to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect (Mat 5:48).
The next fruit is gentleness...
2Tim 2:24 And the servant of YHWH must not quarrel; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if YHWH possibly will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
We can see here that the fruits of patience and gentleness are closely related; and it can be seen that YHWH does show forth the fruit of gentleness...
2 Sam 22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
The next fruit is righteousness or virtue, purity or goodness...
Romans 15:13 Now the Elohim of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Set-apart Spirit. 14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
and from the Psalms...
Psalm 112:5-10
5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his
affairs with discretion.
6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be
in everlasting remembrance.
7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed,
trusting in YHWH.
8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see
his desire upon his enemies.
9 He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with
his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall
perish.
Next is the fruit of faith or belief...
Acts 10:34-43
34 Then Kepha opened his mouth, and said, "Of a truth I perceive
that YHWH is no respecter of persons:
35 "But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him.
36 "The word which YHWH sent unto the children of Israel,
preaching peace by Yahushua the Messiah: (he is Sovereign of
all:)
37 "That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all
Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John
preached;
38 "How YHWH anointed Yahushua of Nazareth with the Set-apart
Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all
that were oppressed of the devil; for YHWH was with him.
39 "And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the
land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on
a tree:
40 "Him YHWH raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
41 "Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of
YHWH, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose
from the dead.
42 "And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify
that it is he which was ordained of YHWH to be the Judge of quick
and dead.
43 "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive forgiveness of
sins."
In other words, we must believe, in order for the truth to profit us.
The next fruit of the Spirit is meekness, or being humble...
Matthew 18:1-4
1 At the same time came the disciples unto Yahushua, saying, "Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
2 And Yahushua called a little child unto him, and set him in the
midst of them,
3 And said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven."
One of the traits of a child, is the fact that they have a tendency to be humble; and we are told what YHWH requires of us...
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth YHWH require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy Elohim.
The next fruit is temperance...
1Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race indeed all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes controls himself in every way. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we for an incorruptible crown.
To control ourselves is to have the fruit of temperance. We do need to pray to our Father that we can show forth the fruits of his Spirit. Yahushua said...
John
15:1-8
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the
vinedresser.
2 "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring
forth more fruit.
3 "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto
you.
4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me.
5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and
I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye
can do nothing.
6 "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned.
7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 "Herein is my Father honoured, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples.
Now to Luke...
Luke 13:6-9
6 And He spoke this parable, “A certain man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and
found none.
7 “And he said to the gardener, ‘Look, for three
years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.
Cut it down, why does it even make the ground useless?’
8 “And he answering, said to him, ‘Master, leave it
this year too, until I dig around it and throw manure.
9 ‘And if indeed it bears fruit, good. But if not so, you
shall cut it down.’ ”
We will close in Philippians...
Philippians 4:4-8
4 Rejoice in YHWH always, again I say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Saviour is
near.
6 Do not worry at all, but in every matter, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
Elohim.
7 And the peace of Elohim, which surpasses all understanding,
shall guard your hearts and minds through Messiah Yahushua.
8 For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is righteous, whatever is clean, whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good report, if there is any uprightness and if
there is any praise – think on
these.
We all need to pray for a leading of the Ruach ha Kodesh (the Set-apart Spirit), that we will show forth fruits of righteousness and not the works of the flesh. Please Father, in Yahushua's name, help us!
Study by YermeYah