Many of us love fruit. We like oranges, grapefruit, bananas, kiwi, apples or pears. Fruits provide a great source of nutritious value for our bodies. For example, an apple has 14% of Vitamin C. An avocado provides 2.9 grams of protein. A pineapple enriches our bodies with Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin B-6, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium and Vitamin C. For our bodies to function properly, God provided us with wonderful fruits to enjoy. By way of the Holy Spirit, God arranged for us to be partakers in spiritual fruit. On today, I want you to take a self examination. This exam is called, “What Does Your Fruit Say About You? This test will allow you to look in the mirror to see your fruit.
“What Does Your Fruit Say About You?” Jesus said in Matthew 7:16-20, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Even though Jesus was specifically talking about false teachers in this passage, we must be fruit inspectors with anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus.
“What Does Your Fruit Say About You?” John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Are you bearing fruit in your life? I’m not just talking about earthly things but more importantly spiritual things. Is your faith increasing? Are you more patient today than last year? Do you read and study the Bible more today than you did 3 months ago? Are you forgiving and praying for those who mistreat you? Are you honest or are you deceiving? Are you mean or loving? See, this is what fruit examination is all about.
“What Does Your Fruit Say About You?” I can not have a thought that talks about fruit without mentioning the Fruit of the Spirit. Paul lets us know in Galatians 5:22-25, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” What does your love fruit say about you? Are you exhibiting the fruit of self control in your life? Do you walk in peace even when there is chaos?
If we are all honest, none of us bear spiritual fruit all of the time. Some of us have less challenges in some areas than others. Nevertheless, in order to be all that Christ desires for us to be, we must allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. If you want the Holy Spirit to produce and grow fruit in your life, we must constantly deny our flesh and our desires. Galatians 5:25 said something very powerful: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Allow the Spirit to live and rule in your life because at the end of the day, your fruit will say everything about you.
Search myself and go deeper: I will take each Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and ask myself if my life exhibits that fruit. If not, I will repent, pray, read scriptures on that fruit and ask the Holy Spirit to help me in this area. If I do see a particular fruit in my life, I will not think I have arrived. I will pray, read, and ask the Holy Spirit to continue to grow this fruit in me.