November 23, 2025

CULTIVATE: KILL THE FLESH, FEEL THE POWER

November 23, 2025

 Pastor Jonathan Falwell

Today, we are finishing the series “Cultivate,” where we have studied the Fruit of the Spirit found in Gal. 5:22ff. We have learned that only the Holy Spirit produces spiritual fruit in our lives—in the flesh, we can’t do it. Of the nine graces that are evidence of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in us, we have studied the first six. Today, we will focus on the last three: Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control. We need all nine in our lives, especially as we minister in love to the world and lost people. Not only do the attributes show we are walking daily with the Spirit, but they also indicate we are crucifying the flesh—an intentional act—to bear fruit produced by a godly life. The only way to have the joy and peace of the Spirit is to have these virtues active.

Focal Passages: Galatians 5:22-25.

The Fruit of Faithfulness:

  • Read Gal. 5:22-25. How would you describe faithfulness? What are some situations in life where faithfulness is essential?
  • Does God act in faithfulness to us? Will you share a time you were encouraged by God’s faithfulness to you? How can we be faithful to God? Can we be unfaithful to Him? Does anyone recall how Israel’s unfaithfulness to God caused deep grief?
  • Why does faithfulness take intentionality? What are some deliberate steps we can take to be faithful in our thought life, as well as our actions?
  • If we have these attributes in our lives, is it because we have gotten ‘good’? Will they ever become so ingrained that we won’t have to strive to keep them active? Why?

The Fruit of Gentleness:

  • Last week, we studied goodness; do goodness and gentleness differ? What does gentleness mean? Can you give an example of someone you’ve known who had a spirit of gentleness? What word would describe you as you deal with others?
  • Read Col. 3:12. Which word means gentleness? Gentleness and meekness are words that are interchangeable. The old assumption that gentleness—meekness—is weakness is very wrong; do you know why it is not true? Read Zephaniah 2:3. What have the meek done in that verse? Put yourself there: if we do those things today, would we be ‘weak’?
  • Why does Scripture say we ‘put on’ gentleness? Is this an intentional action? How often do we have to put it on? Why does our old nature never give up?
  • If we act in meekness when dealing with others, will the world recognize we are different, but not weak? The classic definition is “strength (or power), under control.” In your life, whose control reigns over your reactions—yours or God’s?

The Fruit of Self-Control:

  • What is self-control? On any given day, which do you usually see in people—no self-control or self-control? Where does a lack of self-control lead us? How can we learn self-discipline?
  • If we are struggling with temptation, how are we going to get what we need to resist? Read 1 Cor. 10:13. Is this a promise? How do we take hold of it? Does anyone remember the short quote by John Calvin, “Nothing is more powerful to overcome temptation than _____________?” Why would the fear of God create the willpower for us to resist temptation?

ACTION STEPS:

  • Let your words and actions define you… reflect the presence of the Holy Spirit. Let your reputation be that of someone who deals with others in ways that reflect all the fruit of the Spirit.
  • When anger or disappointment are possible, slow down and let His Spirit take over. Count to ten, or wait a day to respond. Have Scripture verses memorized, like “A soft answer turns away anger” (Pro. 15:1); “Anger does not achieve the righteousness of God,” (Jas. 1:20).
  • You will be tempted to sin in the coming days; stand firm against giving in to what the flesh desires. Say to yourself, I will be self-controlled, under the Holy Spirit’s leading; ‘I will hide Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psa. 119:11).

Close:

Struggles against the flesh are going to last until we die—but that is no excuse to give up. This is why Paul told us to ‘put on’ these virtues: we have to be intentional about preparing our spirit to stand for Christ and His commands each day, never letting them slide, never hoping that, in a confrontation with sin, they will instinctively come to the forefront. That would be like a runner who never practices his running entering a marathon expecting to have the endurance to run the whole race. Only by practice of giving our lives over to the leading of the Holy Spirit will we have on the armor of protection, and the fruit of the Spirit will be visible in our lives. Don’t assume holiness has grandchildren.

If we have the opposite of any of these virtues, we will be in sin. Are we harsh in our relationships? Unfaithful, lacking self-control, unkind, impatient, unloving? The absence of any of these needs to be taken seriously, just as a fever in the body means something needs to be corrected. Daily let even the most minor sin break your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and immediately offer to God the sacrifice of a ‘broken and a contrite heart—[for] these, O God, You will not despise.’ (Psa. 51:17).

By Sandy Day

November 23, 2025                                                                                           

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