A Fruit Tree

During the Lenten season of the Christian church it is common to "give up" something as a way to resist temptation, or to deny something to yourself, and focus on Christ's sacrifice. Being a good Lutheran in high school I once gave up pop - crazy! During the Lenten service last week at North Heights Lutheran Church the pastor shared that studies have shown that people that resist temptations of sorts (avoiding foods, tv watching, etc) have poorer outcomes on tests/exams/tasks afterwards. His point was that resisiting temptation drains us of even our ability to think and function.

The pastor went on to explain that in our Christian walks resisting the temptations of our flesh, the world, and the devil is down-right exhausting. We often fail. I often fail. But He reminded us that Christ was the only MAN to resist all temptation because He had the power of God in Him. Christians, by definition, have died to their sinful nature by God's supernatural grace, and are now filled with Christ. The same power that enabled Christ to live a perfect life of obedience on earth is the same power that lives in us.




He desribed a fruit tree and said that we can't hang our arms out and grow apples, oranges, or whatever fruit. Only a fruit tree can grow those things. Likewise, a human cannot grow love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness or self-control because we do not have that nature in us. BUT, because it is Christ that actually now lives for His saved ones, HE & the Holy Spirit can actually bear that fruit in us. We have to actually step out of our human flesh and ask God's spirit to take over. This, he explained, is not a one time event. This is an every time you get angry, anxious, fearful, bitter, rude, harsh, impatient, hopeless, indulgent, jealous, or judgemental. In the actual moment you have to stop, actually die to yourself by confessing your lack of ability to bear the desired good fruit in your own flesh, and ask the Holy Spirit to do it for you. For me, a pretty rational person, it is sometimes hard to believe this "works". But, you know, it does. There is something supernatural about it, and I guess that is what faith is. Moreso, I think that is what it means to actually experience the lifechanging power of Christ in your life.

I challenge you next time you find yourself reacting in your flesh, conceeding to temptation, believing a lie about God...I challenge you to pray in the moment for the Holy Spirit to take over in a particular way. I can guarentee you that you will have to do it over and over and over again. But, God is patient, long-suffering, and He does not turn us away with a "you again?" Experience the Holy Spirit. Experience "Christ in you" and "become what you already are" - a new creation.