The frustration of trying to live a godly life through willpower alone leaves many believers feeling exhausted and defeated. Dr. Stanley reveals how the Holy Spirit produces authentic spiritual fruit from within, creating lasting character transformation. Start allowing the Spirit to transform you from the inside out by developing godly qualities that draw others to Christ.
Sermon Outline
Being Christlike is something none of us can do on our own—it’s the work of the indwelling Spirit. In this week’s message, Dr. Stanley explains the Holy Spirit’s role in producing beautiful fruit in and through the believer’s life.
Key Passage: John 15:1-8
Supporting Passages: Matthew 7:15-16; Matthew 7:20-22; Matthew 12:33; Luke 15:16; Luke 24:49; John 14:16-19; John 16:7; Romans 8:38-39; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 5:16-23; Colossians 2:6-7
Are there things in your life that make you stand out as a believer, or do you blend in with the world?
► “Why would the vinedresser plant a vineyard if He wasn’t looking to produce fruit?”
The fruit we bear as Christians …
Is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).
Is important to God (John 15:1-8).
Is empowered by the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).
Means the Holy Spirit is essential to the life and work Jesus calls us to.
Is evidence that we are followers of Jesus when we walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-21).
Cannot be achieved on our own.
The fruit of the Spirit …
Is reproduced in us as we trust and rely on the Holy Spirit.
Is God’s goal for our life (John 15:1).
Requires pruning (v. 2).
Glorifies God (v. 8).
► “Jesus Christ is living within us and we in Him. And the result of that is fruitfulness.”
Fruit is produced by …
Abiding in the vine (John 15:4-5).
Letting the Spirit flow (14:16-19).
Trusting God and yielding to the Spirit.
Having a relationship promised and secured by the Lord (Rom. 8:38-39).
► “Any man who has a vineyard is going to have a pruning knife if he wants fruit.”
Dependence on the Spirit in adverse situations means we should …
Allow His power to respond through us, just as Jesus did.
Pray for God to express the life of Jesus through us in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Realize our joy and peace are dependent on Christ and nothing else.
Trust that He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
When we allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us …
We become an expression of Christ in the world.
We will be at peace.
God’s strength—not our own—comes into effect.
Unbelievers will recognize us as true Christians.
The appealing, irresistible fruit in us will cause others to seek Christ.
After Watching
Read the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. Which ones do you hope will become more evident in you? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to do the work only He can in order to help you mature in these areas.
Consider a situation that is challenging you today. How can you begin to view it from God’s perspective—that is, as a way to prune you for greater growth? Does this change your attitude toward struggles?
