In the 1990’s, Chicago had the privilege of witnessing one of the greatest decades for any team in the history of sports. I wasn’t a true basketball fan before that but I admit to getting caught up in what was going on. The Chicago Bulls won 6 NBA championships in the 90’s. They dominated their competition and in the 95-96 season won a record 72 games and that is a record that stood until just a couple years ago.

 

So why were they so good?

One name should come to mind, Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was the engine that drove that team. He had the ability to take over games. It’s hard to forget the last second shot that beat Cleveland in the playoffs. Or the time he literally had the flu and still found a way to win. He would put the rest of the team on his back and carry them on to victory. Many would say that heis the greatest player to ever lace up the shoes. You could argue that Kobe, LeBron, or Wilt Chamberlain should be considered in that discussion as well, but one thing is true. Michael Jordan was a game changer.

 

Today I would like to look briefly at some other game changers that we find recorded in Galatians 5:16-26. This is where Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit. I want us to consider how the Holy Spirit produces the fruits that Paul talks about and how they can be game changers in our lives. They can make all the difference in our lives, in our relationship with God, our relationships with others and even within ourselves.

 

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

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.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

 

Think for a minute about a fruit tree. Does fruit just suddenly appear? No, Fruit grows over time and ripens when certain conditions are met and the same is true for us as Christians. The fruit of the spirit grows in our lives and ripens over years if by faith we “…walk by the Spirit…” (vs. 16). There are two parts to walking by the Spirit. First, we seek wisdom and discernment from the Holy Spirit. We seek guidance when making decisions or choices and we face decisions and choices every day. We need the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit to make the right choices. Second, we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to act on that discernment. It is the Holy Spirit that supplies the power we need to act in a manner that aligns with the wisdom of the Spirit. This is the way we as Christians should live our lives.

 

The fruit also grows and ripens if we are “…led by the Spirit…” (vs. 18) The Holy Spirit takes an active role in leading us and this is an ongoing process. This process is known as sanctification. John Grudem defines it in his book Systematic Theology, as “…a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.” Sanctification begins at our conversion, when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Christ for our salvation and this progressive work continues throughout our lives. We progressively become more and more like Christ. Unfortunately, the process of sanctification is never completed in this life. It is only in the hereafter that we become perfectly holy. But, during our lives, through the process of sanctification, we become more and more like Christ. So, it is by faith in Christ that we are sanctified but it is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that works in our lives to allow us to grow and produce fruit.

 

There are three things I want us all to remember about this process of sanctification and the fruit of the Spirit that grows in our lives. The first is; By faith we bear fruit because the Spirit is the real deal. The Holy Spirit is real! This is the same Spirit that is a part of the triune God. It is the same Spirit that was poured out on the disciples at Pentecost. Luke recorded this in the book of Acts, the power of the Holy Spirit as it came upon the disciples as they spoke in tongues. People witnessed this and Luke wrote about it because he saw with his own eyes! He wrote all of Acts as well as the Gospel of Luke, as he says in Luke 1:4 “…so that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” Luke was there and he wants us to know the truth!

 

In Galatians 5:16-26, Paul references the Spirit 7 times. He too wants us to know that the Spirit is real! Now I know that there are times that we don’t “feel” Spirit and that is why biblical faith so important. Walking by faith honors Christ who releases the power of the Holy Spirit, and that Spirit is the real deal

 

The second thing I want us all to remember is; By faith we bear fruit even though our battle is the real deal. Friends, there is a real battle going on and it’s intense. Paul describes the inner battle all Christians face until death. “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (vs. 17) There is a battle raging between our flesh and the Spirit. Our flesh, our fallen, sinful nature opposes the Spirit. It is the desire to still satisfy sin urges. You might think, “Wait, I thought once became a Christian battle stopped and I stopped sinning.” Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. This inner spiritual warfare is the nature of the Christian life. It is the experience of all those who live by the Spirit. There is no better example than an addict and it doesn’t matter whether it is alcohol or drugs or pornography or whatever. The desire to drink or do drugs or view pornography doesn’t leave the addict even when they become a Christian. BUT, verse 16 tells us if we “…walk by the Spirit we will not gratify the desires of the flesh”. The power of the Spirit helps us to overcome those desires. What a great verse! It is one that every Christian should memorize and use when fighting the battle because the battle is the real deal.

 

Lastly, By faith we bear fruit because this fruit is the real deal. Have you ever felt like you just can’t change or grow? You can because this fruit is not imaginary! God wants us to walk by the Spirit in true faith because this fruit is real! In John 15:5, Jesus says “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” What Jesus is saying here is that the fruit of the Spirit is real and it is evidence of salvation, evidence of real faith, evidence of sanctification and growth. It enhances our relationships and blesses others. It deepens our humility and decreases our pride. The fruit increases our assurance that we belong to the Lord and it is the real deal.

 

Michael Jordan fought his battles on the basketball court and he won more than he lost. He once said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” See, Michael Jordan never gave up. If he did lose, he would come back the next time and battle even harder. He was a game changer.

 

Well friends, we fight our battles on this court we call the world and we know the battles are the real deal and intense. Unfortunately, we too will have occasion to stumble and fall. But the good news is that we have the Holy Spirit and we know that the spirit is the real deal. Remember Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Friends it is my prayer for us that we would be a community that walks by faith in the Spirit and bears the fruit of the spirit that we know is the real deal. And as we grow in the Spirit and the fruit in us matures and becomes more and more evident, we will see that those fruits are truly game changers.