God is Good.
If you ask Him a question, He will answer you. Even if you forgot the question, the answer will still come, and if you pursue the question, the answer will be, in God’s character,… just when you need it most.
I was listening to a pastor today that said, “…no-one has your best interest at heart more than Jesus Christ…”
For a few weeks, maybe months, I have been asking God the Father about what makes a Christian, a good Christian? What makes a good follower of Christ. The question has many facets, and comes in different forms, with sometimes complicated answers… but each one softly and gently answered.
Annie Downs reminded me that no sin is out of reach for a Christian, and like Kai Reuning taught, it only takes small yesses. Saying yes to small things we should be saying no to. So heeding these warnings and the teaching of the Lost Son (son number 2, that is… ) I had this thing in my head…:
Levi Lusko teaches about the Fruit of the Spirit. The fruits come, we can’t make them come. You can’t stand next to the pear tree and hear it groaning and aching as it tries to push out another pear. The aches and screams of the vineyard is oddly missing as walk through them… the grapes in the vineyard just naturally and effortlessly show up… it’s kinda how fruit works. No complicated recipe.
So when Paul echoes Jesus and says that all the law can be summarised in one grand statement:
”Demonstrate love to your neighbour, even as you care for and love yourself”(Galatians 5:14b TPT)
So, at some point, the question will arise:
Am I a “good” Christian?
What is the measure? My works, my attitude, my giving? My knowledge of the bible, my prayer life, my teaching?
Paul says no… those are all valuable and important things, but not the measure. He says if the Holy Spirit is in you, these fruits will be on your tree:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22–23 NIV)
“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions:
joy that overflows,
peace that subdues,
patience that endures,
kindness in action,
a life full of virtue,
faith that prevails,
gentleness of heart,
and strength of spirit…
… for they are meant to be limitless.”
(Galatians 5:22-23 TPT)
The “Fruits” are all borne from one “Fruit” and that is Love.
So this is what became clear to me:
You cannot cultivate the fruits, by focussing on the Fruits… They occur by themselves.
You can work as much as you like on your patience, for instance, but your joy will be lacking as you suppress everything that is trying to steal your peace.
No… they must simply appear without the pressures and striving.
So How then?
Paul says that the Holy Spirit is the only way. If you yield fully and completely to the Holy Spirit, then the fruits will come.
But… Craving the worldly from your previous life will directly hinder this process. So if I want to be able to grow my fruits, I need to actively remove and oppose the things that hinders the Holy Spirit from growing in me…?
Makes sense …
Paul makes a list of two or three things we absolutely _must_ abandon. He lists the obvious ones (I know its the obvious ones because he says so 😉)
“The behavior of the self-life is obvious:
Sexual immorality,
lustful thoughts,
pornography,
chasing after things instead of God,
manipulating others,
hatred of those who get in your way,
senseless arguments,
resentment when others are favored,
temper tantrums,
angry quarrels,
only thinking of yourself,
being in love with your own opinions,
being envious of the blessings of others, murder,
uncontrolled addictions,
wild parties [orgies],
and all other similar behavior. [etc, etc…]
(Galatians 5:19–21 TPT)
Do you also see the connection that God was showing me?
You don’t grow your “fruit” of Patience, by focussing on being patient, you grow it by not having senseless arguments
You grow your Joy by focussing on being joyful for others and not envious of their blessings.
And as I am sitting looking at this list, The Holy Spirit says to me:
“If you want more fruit, just prune the tree…”
Simple…
Cut off anger… cut off greed, cut off lust. Remove the branches from your orchard. If you want more fruit, make space on your tree.
Here’s the other thing I realised. Allowing just one of those things that oppose the Holy Spirit in your life, is too much.
You can be saved, redeemed and forgiven, but the consequences of leaving the branches, even the small ones, will remain.