Disconnecting the Fruit of the Spirit (CASM 65)

We’re disconnecting the Fruit of the Spirit whenever we allow people or circumstances to change us from who we are. I am not speaking about Biblical change or circumstances. This is about worldliness: someone’s negative attitude or view, unnecessary/unwarranted whining and complaining. Individuals who look to find fault, create division, and thrive in it—those who do not want resolution. There’s a total lack of accountability.

If you entertain it, eventually, you will start to withdraw and isolate. It will stifle your progress and personality. You stop being bubbly, engaging, and interacting. You think you are preserving peace. In reality, you’re putting peace and the rest of the Fruit of the Spirit on hold. Understand that the Fruit of the Spirit is one. It’s not plural. You need all of it to get the best results. If one part is out of sync, there’s a deficiency.

There’s a difference between someone having a bad moment and someone being defiant. Someone who is defiant has an I don’t care attitude (click link). By the power of the Holy Spirit, we must use discernment and compassion to assess someone’s motive properly. Usually, the one having a bad moment recognizes it and wants to make it right. They are willing to listen and consider another person’s perspective. They place themselves in the other person’s shoes and allow themselves to feel the Lord’s conviction. The one with the I don’t care attitude justifies it and becomes defensive, arrogant, and self-righteous. The power of people’s influence is real. We can build up or squash a person’s spirit in a blink of an eye.

All nine attributes

Think about a past circumstance that shook up your life. It was challenging to have self-control when you didn’t have peace. It was difficult to have joy when you didn’t have faith. Did you find it hard to be long-suffering when you weren’t operating in love? We must exercise all nine attributes in unison to conquer and be victorious in the name of Jesus. I have watched and heard stories of Christians going through major storms in life. I was in awe because they took it like a true soldier. How did they do it? They recognized their help was in the resurrected one. They knew the importance of not disconnecting from the Fruit of the Spirit.

It is not always someone else making the Fruit of the Spirit less effective. It’s us sabotaging and sinking our ship. Getting involved in things God didn’t ask us to be a part of. Trying to be the hero and swoop in and save the day. Driven to make impulsive and emotional decisions. We want people to call on us instead of pointing them to Jesus. Doing this can cost more than what we want to pay. Not only have we minimized the power of the Fruit of the Spirit. We have disobeyed and sinned against the Lord.

Pray and ask

God said, if you are lacking ask him. Bow the knee and ask the Lord to cleanse the inward parts of your heart. Acknowledge the parts of the Fruit of the Spirit that you are challenged with and call on Jesus. This is a lifetime prayer as our deficiency can change based on what we face. The song that comes to my mind is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

In conclusion

Disconnecting the Fruit of the Spirit is detrimental to our walk with Christ. The power that flows within us from Jesus is decreased because we become distracted by unhealthy and unhelpful noise. We need all nine attributes firing on all cylinders for optimal results. Take a moment to analyze and survey your heart. Are you taking on things God didn’t ask you to? Are you causing a disconnection of the Fruit of the Spirit in someone’s life?

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