October 1 Morning

“Pleasant fruits, All manner, new and old, Which I have laid up for you, my beloved” (Song of Solomon 7:13)

Many ministers rightly point out that fruit comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit, but unfortunately, many stop short of what the Apostle Paul is saying:
“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish … But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16–25). Saints are not powerless…they must cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to walk in the Spirit.

If you’re saved, this is how you started out:

You had a clean slate, with no guilt. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). But now you must “reckon yourself to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:11).

You had a pure heart and clean hands. “He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). But now you must, “cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

You were zealous for good works. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). But now you must “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

“Do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17–18).

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