This study was first taught on May 28, 2013

Topic: The Essence of the Holy Spirit In Our Lives (5)

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Background
The last time we met to discuss the essence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, vis-à-vis, fruitfulness, we considered the growth process of the believer in Christ towards fruitfulness. We noted that the believer's growth process is a combination of the work of grace through the Holy Spirit, and the yieldedness of the believer to the Holy Spirit's operation in him; hence, if a believer in Christ has a rebellious spirit, growth, and therefore, fruitfulness, will be impossible.

Having redeemed the believer, with the blood of Jesus, and therefore making him a good 'seed' that can be planted by God for fruitfulness, the next major decision is where he is to be planted. This is critical because, in the natural, there are soil types that enable certain seeds to grow well, which in other soil types, will not do so well, or may even wither and die. In the case of the believer, he is planted in a specific local assembly, where he will be best nurtured and developed for fruitfulness; an action known as baptism into One Body, done by the Holy Spirit.

Every believer that God so plants must first take root downward, in order to bear fruit upward. The taking of root downward is achieved as the believer imbibes the teachings of the foundational doctrines of Christ, which then prepares him for 'strong meat'––deeper teachings of the word of God, which, when put to practice results in growth. As the Holy Spirit teaches us the word of God, either directly or through His appointed ministers of the gospel, and we employ these studies in our daily lives, we are able to grow to perfection, and can begin to bear spiritual fruit.

Thus, we saw that the Holy Spirit is not a passive bystander, but very much actively involved in the planting and growth of the believer in Christ. But for all the Holy Spirit's involvement in your growth as a believer, your own yieldedness to His dealings in your life is the most critical; for if you don't yield to Him, make yourself teachable, and allow the Holy Spirit to finish His work in you, you will not be able to bring any fruit to maturity, and will effectively be unfruitful, and unfortunately, will be cast off from the kingdom of God!

Scripture Text(s)
Proverbs 24:10; Matthew 13:20-21
Tonight, we look at another critical aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work in bringing a believer to maturity for fruitfulness. May the Holy Spirit establish us in His truth, in Jesus' name, Amen.
The teachings and operation of the Holy Spirit in our lives are done to make us strong and able to produce the kind of fruit that will endure. As we grow to maturity, we are progressively being proven through tests endorsed by the Holy Spirit. Such tests may come in the form of trials, tribulations, problems, persecution, challenges, and adversity. As we pass these tests, we are strengthened and able to release the fruit which God delights in.
Romans 5:3-4; James 1:2-4, 12; Luke 8:15; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12-19; James 1:13-16; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 8:16-18; Matthew 20:20-23; 2 Corinthians 4:8-12, 16-18; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Hebrews 5:7-9; Matthew 26:36-46; 7:24-27; Hebrews 11:24-28; 1 Peter 2:13-24.

Conclusion
As the Holy Spirit teaches us, He also prepares us to be tested for strength of character, through trials, tribulations, persecution, problems, challenges, and adversity, which we can group as, “Suffering for Christ” or “Suffering for the gospel”. These sufferings are not meant to trip us up, devastate us, or make us fall into the temptation of the devil; rather, they are there to enable us acquire endurance or perseverance, build us up in faith toward God, and develop Christian character, based on a living hope––the fruit of the Spirit.

Your suffering for Christ is very good for you because it proves the endurance of your faith through obedience to God, makes you release the kind of fruit which God delights in, and prepares you for eternity with Christ, where you shall reign in glory with Him. One very significant aspect of suffering for Christ is that it is the will of God for your life! Everyone who is a true believer in Christ is expected to release the Christ-kind of fruit in him, in times of suffering, which manifests and blossoms the most, under the pressure of such sufferings, than at any other time. If you don't suffer for Christ, the fruit of the Spirit cannot be released by you, and you will not reign with Christ in eternity. Our suffering for Christ is unpleasant to the flesh, because it kills flesh, but edifies our spirits, and causes the release of the fruit of the Spirit, which is the true nature of Christ.

During our Lord’s life and ministry, He was able to release the fruit of the Spirit, as a result of His obedience to His Father, when He was tested (His sufferings); and God, His Father, was delighted in Him, and He became the Author of eternal salvation, and was given a name above every other name (Philippians 2:5-11). Nothing less is required of us by our heavenly Father!

The fruit of your obedience to God and His word regardless of extraneous conditions or situations, guarantees your eternity with God, for this is your holiness unto God (Hebrews 12:14)! And for this very purpose the Holy Spirit is available to every one of us (believers in Christ); and He works effectually in you to will and to do of His good pleasure, as you persist and prevail in prayers, and as you persevere in patience, thus enabling you to be dependably and enduringly fruitful, to the delight of God, our heavenly Father.

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