In this exciting new series, drawing from Jesus’ words that people are ‘known by their fruit,’ Carl contrasts spiritual gifts, which are ‘given,’ with fruit, which must be ‘grown.’ He explains that lasting fruit comes from staying connected to Jesus, the vine, and allowing God’s Word to nourish our heart. Emphasis is placed on love as our most ripe fruit, guarding the heart, removing spiritual hindrances, and living by the Spirit rather than the flesh, which takes ongoing commitment. Spiritual maturity is measured by fruit, not gifting and it’s time to grow some of your own. Join Carl now…
Here is a complete transcript of the broadcast (below)…
Welcome friend to a new series live, The Fruit of the Spirit. This will probably be three parts, maybe four, we’ll see how it goes. But friend, Jesus said beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they’re ravening wolves. And the next verse in Matthew 7:16, he says, “you shall know them by their fruits. “And friend, fruit is an indicator of which God you are connected to. We should be bearing fruit, good fruit, which is described in the book of Galatians. And we need to be growing those fruits from our limbs daily, amen. So let’s join me now, as we study the gifts of the Spirit. How many were here last week? How many heard the voice of the Spirit, amen? How many were encouraged? I tell you, we had an awesome time. We let the Holy Spirit loose and said, Lord take over and move in the gifts. And friend, when you take a risk on the Holy Spirit, God shows up, amen. But some people don’t take a risk in life. Somebody said that faith is spelt R-I-S-K. And there’s gonna be a time when you’re gonna have to take a risk, okay, like starting a downtown church, amen. That’s risky. Woo, I can’t believe you did that. I mean, good heavens. But we did, amen. And we had free coffee, praise God. And all of the other blessings that come with it. You know, God told me to be on the radio. He said, you know, start on the radio. And a lot of people think I have a mega church because I started on the radio. But you know what? It’s fun, guys.
We start where we start and we have to fade this thing through. I need everybody’s faith in this room to fade it through where Jesus is gonna take us with this thing, amen. How many gonna do it? The fruit of the Spirit. That’s the topic tonight. Last week we discovered the gifts of the Spirit, the nine gifts. And there are nine fruits. What are your favorite fruits out there? Just name a few. What are your favorites? Anybody? Grapes, apples, pear, peaches, okay. All of those are gonna burn up in the day of judgment, amen. That’s of no use to anybody. But I appreciate your opinion. And no, I’m kidding. So the fruit of the Spirit, amen. That’s what we’re gonna study today. And the term fruitful is used 36 times in God’s Word and over 200 times in English translations of the Bible. Fruit is mentioned. It’s very important to God, friends. And like I said, we practiced the presence of God last week. But this week we’re gonna study the fruits. And the story is, or rather the saying goes, that gifts are given but fruit is grown, right. So we can’t do a, we can’t do a fruit activation, all right. We can, we can walk with the Spirit and we can faith things through. And there’s opportunities to have a patience test. And there’s opportunities to have a faith test. And as we overcome and pass the test that God has set us, we’re gonna advance in that fruit, amen. Oh those patience tests are wonderful, aren’t they? Sign me up. I can’t wait for the next one.
That is not the attitude, friend. That is not the attitude. We need to say, Lord, you’re making a change in me and my character. And I’m gonna be pliable, soft, and meek. And I’m gonna bend with the flow, amen. But Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him bears much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. Okay, now we can do some stuff without Jesus. But he’s talking about something of lasting significance, something that is eternal. As we abide with him, we are the branches, he is the vine, and then the nourishment comes from the Word through the branches to the fruit, and then we bear fruit, amen. So, as believers, we need to show that we really are believers. Jesus said, by their gifts you’ll know them. Did he say that? No, he said, by their fruit you will know them. And we’re gonna find out what he was talking about there in particular. But the key is to stay attached to the vine, all right? Now there’s many metaphors, there’s many analogies in Scripture, all right? So we have to understand that some of these things are literal and some of them are metaphorical. In God’s Word, for example, in Matthew and Luke particularly, it talks about every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. Notice there’s two kinds of fruit here, good and evil. And it’s who you’re connected to and draw nourishment from is going to determine what kind of fruit you bear.
So, where does fruit grow? On branches, hallelujah. The fruit you bear in this lifetime is dependent on what you’re connected to. I’m preaching it well before I even look at the slide, that’s ridiculous. Who is the vine? Jesus is the vine, John 15:5, “If you abide in my Word and my Word abides in you.” Now notice that’s two-sided. You have to abide in God’s Word and his Word has to abide in you, and that’s where we’re missing it, friend. We don’t have the Word abiding in us and that’s why many people are not bearing fruit, truth, okay? Feeding on God’s Word daily provides the nutrients, as Nacho Libre would say, the nutrients, right, that come from the vine through the branch into the fruit, all right? So if we’re not drawing the nutrients every day by reading his Word, we’re not allowing that vine to draw on the branch and we’re not allowing the fruit to receive, amen? So it comes back to that daily application of God’s Word. If you’re born again, Christ’s love is inside of you. As you apply love in this lifetime, you will grow spiritually. Love is the first fruit. We’re gonna list them shortly. That’s where we all begin. If we act out of love, we’re acting out of faith, and then we’re forfeiting future fruit. Friend, love, love, love. The agape, unconditional love that comes from the Father, we transmit laterally. You receive vertically, we transmit laterally, amen? That’s the summation of the Ten Commandments. The first four are God-driven, the remaining six are lateral. So if we love God and love people, we cover all of the law. Simple as that. Game over. Let’s go home. I enjoyed it. It was great. The consequences of an action.
Now listen to this. Metaphoric extensions of fruit. The consequences of an action are actually described as fruit, often in Scripture. And so our actions are based on what we believe. That’s why I’m in the belief-making business as a minister. I’m trying to forge belief systems in you, so that when you leave here, you’re gonna apply those beliefs. The testing will come. We already know that. It’s just how are you gonna respond to the test? Are you gonna cowardly back off from what you believe, or are you gonna step into the fray and say, Lord, help me right now. I want to minister on your behalf, and I know you’re gonna give me the anointing to do it. Oh, that sounds risky. Yeah, that’s true. It is risky. But you’re gonna pass that test, amen? So the seed is the Word of God, and the heart is soil. In the parable of the sower, for example, there’s four types of soil. And the ability to bear fruit in that soil is dependent on the quality of the soil. But guess what? It’s your job to dig up the stones, and it’s your job to get rid of the weeds, and it’s your job to get rid of the crabgrass, and everything else that is hindering your soil from being productive. And the analogy of that is the soul. We get rid of the stuff, the forgiveness, the bitterness, the resentment. As we let go of those things, now the Holy Spirit can really work through you, amen? And you’re gonna be a fruit-bearer. John the Baptist urged the fruit of repentance and warned that unfruitful trees will be cut down. Even in John 15, Jesus talked about some branches being burned up. Some believe that’s an analogy of hell, that some people who have not borne fruit will be cast, okay? This is Jesus.
I got it from his Facebook page. No, I’m kidding. This is one depiction of the Lord, amen? Sorry, Lord. So, Matthew 7, 15. Let’s read it together. If you have your Bibles, read it. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruit. Notice the context is bad in this situation. It’s able to spot ravening wolves. As we talked last week, you can be prophetically accurate. You can give words of wisdom. You can give words of knowledge, and your character could be off, okay? So, Jesus is saying, don’t judge these prophets by accuracy. Judge them by fruit. Who are they hanging around with? What is going on in their past? Do they have a train wreck following them, okay? There’s certain things we need to be cognizant of, and to be honest, Christians are not the most streetwise of people, all right? That’s the truth. Unless you came through the school of hard knocks, and you came up on the street, right? I mean, Christians are the most trusting people because they’re believers, and that’s a positive, but it’s also a negative, which means they can be deceived, all right? So, we have to be on guard, amen? We have to have the discernment and discerning of spirits. Anyway, do men gather grapes or thorns or figs or thistles? Of thistles, rather. Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. Simple as that. Give anybody time, and you’re gonna find out their character, right? It’s gonna be based on the words that come out of their mouth, and the actions that they do, and saying one thing and doing something else.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them. He’s repeating. Whenever he repeats something, it’s important. And so, the context of fruit, in this instance, from a narrative of Jesus, is spotting people who could be ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing. Notice how they’re dressed as sheep. Some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet could be the most nasty, okay? Now, that’s just a general warning, okay? Heaven forbid, not in this room. Everybody in this room’s awesome, okay? Forget that. I’m talking about life in general. Just be on guard, friend. I don’t know why I’m speaking about this. Maybe there’s some things in your lives you need to be on guard about, all right? And look at the fruit of some of the things that people are promising to you, amen? So, Luke’s account. Here’s another one. For there is no good tree that brings forth fruit, nor again a corrupt tree that brings forth good fruit. For each tree is known by its fruit. And let’s skip here. The good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good things. And the evil man, out of the evil treasure of his heart, brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Friend, is the heart important? It’s very important. Out of it come the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23, “Keep and guard your heart with all diligence.” Where do good things come from? Disney World? No, the heart. They come from the heart. Your heart has to be stewarded in this life. Your heart is soil.
That’s another analogy of Mark chapter 4. Your heart has to be stewarded. Get rid of the junk, get rid of the stones, get rid of the weeds, and allow the Lord to move through you freely, amen? And that takes courage. It really does. So we should be conduits of God’s presence, with no hindrances. And this is the way I tried to word it. We should allow God to flow up through us rather than working in the flesh, right? Everybody’s got up in the morning and they’ve said, today I’m going to be really pleasant to everybody. I’m not going to swear. I’m not going to tread on the cat’s tail. I am going to be nice. I am going to be kind, right? You’ve gone down the checklist, right? You walk out the door and it’s like your to-do list is like, oh I’m failing already. No, that’s not how it works. You lift your hands up in the air and you say, Lord, help me today to be the person you want me to be. The focus now is Him rather than your to-do list. That’s the difference. That is walking in the Spirit, not the flesh. If our focus is the flesh, we tend to fulfill what we’re focused doing.
But if we focus on the Spirit, we’ll do spiritual things, amen? Some people are like, you know, I have demonic activity. All these problems around me. I’ve had it for years. Well, what are you doing? Well, I’m talking about demons most of the time. I’m looking them up in the dictionary. I dabble with dark movies. I play really hard rock music. Well, hang on a second. Now, your atmosphere you’re developing around you is dark. So, you need to shift away from the darkness and focus on the light, amen? And whatever we’re focusing on is going to become more tangible and real to us. It’s going to become something that we can treasure, amen? We need to carry the kingdom with us rather than allowing the kingdom of evil to influence us. And it comes from our focus. So, in the morning, we need to be saying, Lord, help me today. I thank you that your presence is with me. I thank you that you are guiding me in my decision making. And just cast your care on Him and then allow all the stuff to go and then you feel empowered, amen? That’s the best way to do it, guys. Friend, let’s pick it up again tomorrow. Until tomorrow, good night, God bless, and remember to spread the good news.
https://carljosephministries.com/podcast/the-true-vine-john-chapter-15/
https://thebiblicalfoundation.com/what-are-the-9-fruits-of-the-spirit-and-their-meanings/
Title: The Fruit of the Spirit: Part 1 (LIVE)
Related keyword searches:
Fruit of the Spirit Series
Bearing Good Fruit in Christianity
Gifts of the Spirit vs Fruit of the Spirit
Abiding in Christ for Spiritual Growth
Christian Faith and Spiritual Fruit
Signs of a True Believer: Fruit vs Gifts
Overcoming Tests of Faith and Patience
Metaphors of Fruit in the Bible
Spiritual Discernment and False Prophets
Six Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What does it mean to “bear fruit” as a Christian?
To bear fruit means to live in a way that reflects the character and nature of God, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. Our fruit is the result of abiding with Jesus, the true vine, and allowing His Word to take root in our hearts. Fruit bearing demonstrates our connection to God and reflects our spiritual growth and maturity. Fruit represents the qualities we develop as we walk in the Spirit, such as love, patience, kindness, and self-control etc.
2. How can I tell if someone is a true or false prophet?
Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15-20 to be cautious of false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but are in actuality, ravening wolves. He said that we can recognize them by their fruit. This means that instead of focusing solely on their words or outward appearance, we should look at their character and actions. Are they living in alignment with the teachings of Christ? Do their lives reflect the fruit of the Spirit? True prophets bear good fruit, while false ones will bear bad fruit, such as deception or harmful behavior. Just because someone can prophecy, doesn’t mean they are a true prophet of God, as fruit must align with the gifting and calling of God.
3. How do the gifts of the Spirit differ from the fruit of the Spirit?
The gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) are supernatural abilities given to believers to serve others and build up the body of Christ. These gifts are given freely by the Holy Spirit and are activated by the unction of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit, on the other hand, is developed over time as we walk with God and allow His character to shape our lives. While gifts are ‘given,’ fruit is ‘grown,’ and is a consequence of our walking closely with Jesus Christ on a day-to-day basis.
4. What does Jesus mean when He says “you will know them by their fruit”?
In Matthew 7:16, Jesus emphasizes that true believers and true prophets are recognized by their fruit, not just their words. Fruit refers to the actions, attitudes, and character traits that are produced in our lives through our relationship with God. A person may profess faith, but their actions and the way they live will reveal whether they are truly connected to God or not. Good fruit comes from being connected to Jesus, while bad fruit reveals a lack of genuine relationship with Him. Religious people are typically focused on the veneer of outward appearance and care not for godly character or traits.
5. How can I grow in the fruit of the Spirit?
To grow in the fruit of the Spirit, we must stay connected to Jesus, the true vine (John 15:5). This means abiding in Him daily, through prayer, reading His Word, and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. As we face challenges, such as patience tests or faith tests, we have opportunities to grow in these areas. The more we surrender to God and allow Him to shape our character, the more we will bear fruit. It is a cooperative process with the Holy Spirit, who helps us grow and mature.
6. What is the role of the Word of God in bearing fruit?
The Word of God plays a crucial role in bearing fruit. Jesus said in John 15:7, “If you abide in My Word, and My Word abides in you, you will bear much fruit.” The Bible provides the nutrients (or “nourishment”) we need to grow spiritually. As we read and meditate on God’s Word, it takes root in our hearts and shapes our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. By applying the truth of Scripture to our daily lives, we allow God to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit within us, helping us to reflect His character more fully.
