Fruit of The Spirit Bible Study
Lesson 1:  Have You Been Marked?

Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal.  The promised Holy Spirit ~Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)

Why is it so important that we study the Fruit of the Spirit in the Bible? Because it is not the spiritual gifts we exhibit, or the financial prosperity that we possess that reveals who we really are...

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.
- Matthew 7:17-20 (AMP)

Jesus told His disciples that you can tell if someone truly belongs to Him by the kind of spiritual fruit that they produce.  What does that mean?

When you surrender your life to Jesus, your salvation is not free.  It's  bought with a very high price.  The crucifixion and death of Christ.

You may sometimes ask yourself why God thinks you're worthy of that sacrifice? Despite all of your attempts at perfection, you constantly miss the mark. Surely trading Jesus' excellence for your mediocrity could not have been the best choice.

But Your Heavenly Father has a very special kind of love towards you.  He longs for you to be able to bask in His presence.

And, once He finally gets you - You're Marked. 

Now, the changes don't happen over night. Just like natural fruit, they grow gradually, over time.  

You may not notice them over days and weeks.  Or even after several months.  But, you are God's work in progress - Not your own.

As I explain in The Spirit Controlled Life, the Fruit of the Spirit are not things that we can scrounge up on our own.  But, the more time you spend truly seeking God, the more these signs of your allegiance to Him become evident in every area of your life.  

Everything that you do.  Every thing that you say.  

You begin to look more like Jesus.

Have You Been Marked by the Spirit of God?
Here are the 9 Signs to Check For:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patient Endurance 
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faith and Faithfulness 
8. Gentleness 
9. Self-Discipline 

(Galatians 5:22-23)

These signs are called the 9 Fruits of the Spirit. They are evidence to the world that you have been paid for by the blood of Jesus, and you have the Mark to prove it!

You live for Him, and His Spirit lives inside of you.

What is the Purpose of the Fruits of the Spirit?

There are two huge things that the Fruits of the Spirit accomplish here on Earth.

• They give you the power to fulfill your destiny in Christ.  

Without the Holy Spirit bearing spiritual fruit inside of you, you would be powerless.  

You wouldn't have the endurance and faithfulness to complete the calling that God has given you.  You wouldn't even have the self-discipline to study your Bible or pray.  

Without the Fruits of the Spirit, the gifts that God has hidden inside of you, would stay locked away forever.

• They are what God uses to draw people to Himself through you. 

Do you know anyone who, no matter the situation, always radiates a godly peace - They are unshakable.  

People in this world are drawn to that kind of peace.  With all of the chaos surrounding them every day, they search their entire lives for whatever peace and joy they can get their hands on. They end up trying to fill the void with fleeting counterfeits like alcohol and illicit sex.  Things that merely numb their pain for a short while, but leave them longing once again, after the party is over.  

When they look at you in a time of crisis, and see God's unshakable  peace and joy staring back at them through your eyes, they want to know what you know.  

Then, you can introduce them to Who you know.

---

Remember, the Fruit of the Spirit is not something that you can scrounge up on your own. Each part is a piece of the character of Jesus that is grown in you as you sit at His feet. The more you plant the seed of His Word in your heart, and water it with the Living Water of His Holy Spirit, God replaces your human frailties like anger, fear and depression, with His supernatural fruit.

He wants to give you His peace for your stress and anxiety, His love for your unforgiveness, His joy for your depression, and on and on.  I explain more about how this Great Exchange takes place, as well as your vital role in the process, in The Hem's Free Video Class, The Spirit Controlled Life.

Continue Your Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study :

Lesson 1: Have You Been Marked?
Lesson 2: Love, Joy, and Peace
Lesson 3: Endurance, Kindness, and Goodness
Lesson 4: Faith, Gentleness, and Self-Control

Finished with your Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study?
Click here to Return To Your Bible Study on Holy Spirit Filled Living
OR
Return from Fruit of the Spirit Bible Study to The Hem's Bible Study Online Homepage.

Revival Starts Within!

Are you ready for your own personal revival?
Be Empowered: Listen in on my powerful class on How to truly CONNECT With God!