The Challenge - Week Four
Filling Test #2 - The Spirit's Fruit

The second test of whether or not we are filled with the Spirit - and how much we are filled by Him, is found in the writings of the Apostle Paul.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

The Fruit of the Spirit is the character of Christ reproduced in every believer by the power of the Spirit. I'm just finishing up a sermon series on this topic called, The Power to Change Your Life.

If you are truly filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit then surely His fruit will be manifest in your life! Renowned Bible Scholar Robert Haldane said this aobut the fruit of the Spirit in commentary on Romans, written in the mid 1800's, Paul designates as fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The origin of them all is the Holy Spirit - it is from Him they are derived; but in their exercise or development they properly belong to believers. If any one falsely infers from the doctrine of grace that there remains nothing for man to do, because it is the grace of God that leads him to act, he understands neither what he says, nor whereof he affirms.. (Pg. 51, taken from the Sage Digital Library)

From this we can see that the fruit of the Spirit is produced in our lives by a creative act of the Spirit, and the cooperation of the believer. It takes both of us working together to have this fruit of Christ-like character appear in our lives.

Like physical fruit this spiritual fruit doesn't appear over night and takes time to grow and mature. However it is clear from the Scriptures that if one is controlled by (filled with or baptized with - whatever!!) the Holy Spirit these fruit will begin to appear in the believers life, and do so in growing measure.

So the application of this weeks Challenge is obvious isn't it? You should spend part of this week in prayerful consideration of whether the Spirit's fruit shows His filling and working in your life.

Remember to relate this weeks filling test to last week's for a fuller understanding of the topic. And next week we've got one more test too!

But for now concentrate on the first two as you honestly answer questions:

• Do you see evidence of the Spirit's fruit in your life?

• If so is it increasing or decreasing? In which of the nine areas that Paul lists are you gaining? In which are you losing?

Continue to pray for the Spirit's filling as you continue the Challenge!