Disciple-Making Fruit of the Spirit

Sharon Galloway, Chair of CCCC Women’s Ministry

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22

In John 15, Jesus explains to his disciples that he is the vine and that they are the branches. The vine draws vital nutrients and fluids from the soil, nourishing the branches and enabling them first to bud, then to blossom, then to bear fruit. The vine is the connection between branches and roots, providing structure and support, Jesus says in verse eight, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” In his letter to the Galatians, Paul implies that the evidence proving Christ’s followers are truly living in the power of the Holy Spirit is the degree to which we bear the fruit of unconditional love, a joyful heart, a peace-making and peace-keeping nature, deep and abiding patience, compassionate and merciful kindness, sacrificial and cheerful generosity, far-reaching faithfulness, a gentle disposition, and an obedient and mature self-control.

God wants healthy disciples to be fruitful. Spiritual fruit is simply the outward expression of our inner nature. Spirit-led people have these wonderful virtues of godly character as the result of God’s spirit acting from within. God’s Spirit is like a river and it will flow into us only when it is also flowing out to others. We can begin with people we know. God has placed you in a family, in a job-environment and with friends for a purpose. Spending time with the person you are disciplining is one of the best ways to influence their life with the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul said, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Paul’s godly demeanor, patient reactions, and persistent faith were a powerful example to all around him. Therefore, he could encourage others to imitate the changes that the Holy Spirit was producing in him.

Are you living in a way that points others to Jesus? Do your attitude and actions and your vocabulary naturally demonstrate the truths of the Gospel? Who do you know that you can begin to spend time with, pray with and encourage in their spiritual walk? “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit; fruit that will last” (John 15:16). The goal of whole life living, as suggested by Neil Hudson in Imagine Church: Releasing Whole Life Disciples, “is the releasing of the people of God to embrace all that God can do in and through them on their front lines.”

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