The Supernatural Power of Love and Joy: Walking in the Spirit's Fruit
The Supernatural Power of Love and Joy: Walking in the Spirit's Fruit
Based off the Inhabited Sermon Series: Part 5: Love + Joy
There's something profoundly transformative about understanding that Christianity is far more than cerebral knowledge or faithful church attendance. It's about becoming a living temple where the Holy Spirit dwells, operates, and produces supernatural fruit that changes everything about how we live.
The fruit of the Spirit isn't just a nice list to memorize or put on decorative wall art. It represents the very essence of what God is doing in us—transforming us from the inside out to become more like Jesus with every passing day.
The Journey Never Ends
Here's a truth that might surprise you: even at 80 years old, you won't have "arrived." Philippians 1:6 promises that He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion upon Christ's return. This means every single day of your life, you're a work in progress. You're being fine-tuned, chiseled, and yes, sometimes broken down so God can rebuild you stronger.
Second Corinthians 3:18 paints a beautiful picture: we're being transformed into Christ's image from one degree of glory to another. The Spirit is constantly molding us to become more like Jesus. And when you think about it, all nine fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are simply the embodiment of Jesus himself.
These aren't separate gifts where you pick one to work on. They're holistic, interconnected fruits that grow together as we walk in the Spirit. When God works on your love, He's simultaneously developing your patience, your kindness, your self-control.
The Magnitude of Agape Love
When Scripture talks about the fruit of the Spirit being love, it's referring to something far beyond our typical understanding. We've watered down the word "love" in our culture, using it for everything from tacos to cars to vacation spots. But biblical love—agape love—is in an entirely different category.
Agape is divine, selfless love without expectation of anything in return. It's God's love. And here's the challenging part: this love is not emotionally driven or earned. It's not the world's definition of love at all.
Matthew 22:36-40 reveals that loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the greatest commandment, followed closely by loving your neighbor as yourself. But here's the catch—how can anyone love God without God's help? How can those who don't know Jesus, who aren't filled with the Holy Spirit, love God this way? They can't. The only way to love God back is to first receive His love.
First Corinthians 13 drives this home powerfully: you could speak in tongues, have prophetic powers, understand all mysteries, have mountain-moving faith, give away everything you own, even sacrifice your body—but without love, it's all worthless. If you don't operate from a heart of love, you're missing the entire point.
The Cross: Love's Ultimate Expression
Romans 5:8 declares that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Notice the tense—it's not just past. This living truth exists now. Every wicked thought, every sinful action, every moment of rebellion—Jesus died for all of it. His love is unconditional.
And Romans 8:35-39 asks the question: Who can separate us from the love of Christ? The answer is emphatic—nothing. Not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, danger, death, life, angels, rulers, things present or to come, powers, height, depth, or anything else in creation can separate us from God's love.
It's permanent. Inseparable. You cannot lose it.
The Witness of Love
When we walk in the Spirit's love, the church becomes a supernatural place where people tangibly feel and see God's love. If everything about church is focused on our individual needs and wants, what kind of lovers does that make us? The church thrives when we carry one another's burdens, rejoice together, and weep together—all because of God's love flowing through us.
And to the world? We are the representation of God's love to the lost. The way we love each other shows how committed and devoted we are to Jesus. That should make us think carefully about when and how we share our opinions, especially in public forums.
Walking in Supernatural Love
So how do we actually walk in this supernatural love?
First, embrace and know the love of God. Some believers are so unaware of the Father's heart for them that it's killing their spiritual walk. Before you can give abundant Spirit-led love, you must receive it. You're not the black sheep—the whole family consists of redeemed sinners welcomed at God's table.
Second, believe that through the Spirit, you can give God's love to others. Even if you've never been good at loving people, God is changing you. Walk by faith that He's working this transformation in you.
Third, abide. John 15:5 says apart from Christ, you can do nothing that matters. Prayer, reading Scripture, worship—these aren't religious duties but intimate encounters where God's love pours into you so you can pour it out to others.
Fourth, remove obstacles. If fictitious versions of love exist in your life, get rid of them. No diagnosis, no past trauma, no excuse should keep you from God's love. We live in an era with unprecedented access to Scripture in multiple formats—there's no legitimate excuse.
Finally, repent quickly when you mess up. The sweetest place to experience God's love is often at His feet in repentance. Don't let the enemy convince you to hold onto shame for years. Come back immediately.
The Joy That Defies Circumstances
The second fruit—joy—is equally critical. This isn't happiness dependent on circumstances. It's a deep, abiding inner rejoicing given to those who abide in Jesus. It's a joy whose foundation is God Himself.
Consider this: we're among the most blessed, financially stable, free people in human history with unprecedented access to everything we could want. Yet we're miserable. Why? Because God is exposing that earthly things aren't enough. That God-shaped hole in your heart can only be filled by Him.
First Peter 1:8-9 says though we haven't seen Jesus, we love Him and believe in Him, rejoicing with inexpressible joy because we're obtaining the salvation of our souls. Our very longing for Jesus is our joy.
And remarkably, Hebrews 12:2 reveals that Jesus endured the cross "for the joy set before him." What was that joy? You were. Your redemption was His joy.
Joy in Trials
James 1:2-4 contains one of Scripture's most countercultural commands: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds." This isn't psychotic optimism—it's recognizing that God uses everything for your good. In the middle of suffering, you can have joy because you know He's there with you every step of the way.
Even if nothing goes right from now until your last breath, you have this: you're going to see Him. Imagine the capacity of joy when you first open your eyes in glory and see the King of Kings face to face, all your brokenness gone forever.
The Choice Before Us
Every day presents the same choice: walk by the Spirit or gratify the flesh. The works of the flesh produce death, but the fruit of the Spirit produces life abundant.
These fruits aren't things you manufacture through willpower. They're supernatural results of surrendering to the Holy Spirit's transforming work in your life. Get out of the way and let Him make you into a person who loves well and lives joyfully.
The result of the Spirit's sanctifying ministry is simply this: you're enabled to love others with the same love God has given you, and to walk in supernatural joy that comes from God alone.
You have full access to it. No one can steal it from you. He wants to fill you with it and pour it out through you onto others.
If you focused on just these two fruits—love and joy—from now until the day you die, imagine the life you would live in submission to the Holy Spirit.
That's not just existing. That's truly living.
The fruit of the Spirit isn't just a nice list to memorize or put on decorative wall art. It represents the very essence of what God is doing in us—transforming us from the inside out to become more like Jesus with every passing day.
The Journey Never Ends
Here's a truth that might surprise you: even at 80 years old, you won't have "arrived." Philippians 1:6 promises that He who began a good work in you will see it through to completion upon Christ's return. This means every single day of your life, you're a work in progress. You're being fine-tuned, chiseled, and yes, sometimes broken down so God can rebuild you stronger.
Second Corinthians 3:18 paints a beautiful picture: we're being transformed into Christ's image from one degree of glory to another. The Spirit is constantly molding us to become more like Jesus. And when you think about it, all nine fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are simply the embodiment of Jesus himself.
These aren't separate gifts where you pick one to work on. They're holistic, interconnected fruits that grow together as we walk in the Spirit. When God works on your love, He's simultaneously developing your patience, your kindness, your self-control.
The Magnitude of Agape Love
When Scripture talks about the fruit of the Spirit being love, it's referring to something far beyond our typical understanding. We've watered down the word "love" in our culture, using it for everything from tacos to cars to vacation spots. But biblical love—agape love—is in an entirely different category.
Agape is divine, selfless love without expectation of anything in return. It's God's love. And here's the challenging part: this love is not emotionally driven or earned. It's not the world's definition of love at all.
Matthew 22:36-40 reveals that loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind is the greatest commandment, followed closely by loving your neighbor as yourself. But here's the catch—how can anyone love God without God's help? How can those who don't know Jesus, who aren't filled with the Holy Spirit, love God this way? They can't. The only way to love God back is to first receive His love.
First Corinthians 13 drives this home powerfully: you could speak in tongues, have prophetic powers, understand all mysteries, have mountain-moving faith, give away everything you own, even sacrifice your body—but without love, it's all worthless. If you don't operate from a heart of love, you're missing the entire point.
The Cross: Love's Ultimate Expression
Romans 5:8 declares that God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Notice the tense—it's not just past. This living truth exists now. Every wicked thought, every sinful action, every moment of rebellion—Jesus died for all of it. His love is unconditional.
And Romans 8:35-39 asks the question: Who can separate us from the love of Christ? The answer is emphatic—nothing. Not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, danger, death, life, angels, rulers, things present or to come, powers, height, depth, or anything else in creation can separate us from God's love.
It's permanent. Inseparable. You cannot lose it.
The Witness of Love
When we walk in the Spirit's love, the church becomes a supernatural place where people tangibly feel and see God's love. If everything about church is focused on our individual needs and wants, what kind of lovers does that make us? The church thrives when we carry one another's burdens, rejoice together, and weep together—all because of God's love flowing through us.
And to the world? We are the representation of God's love to the lost. The way we love each other shows how committed and devoted we are to Jesus. That should make us think carefully about when and how we share our opinions, especially in public forums.
Walking in Supernatural Love
So how do we actually walk in this supernatural love?
First, embrace and know the love of God. Some believers are so unaware of the Father's heart for them that it's killing their spiritual walk. Before you can give abundant Spirit-led love, you must receive it. You're not the black sheep—the whole family consists of redeemed sinners welcomed at God's table.
Second, believe that through the Spirit, you can give God's love to others. Even if you've never been good at loving people, God is changing you. Walk by faith that He's working this transformation in you.
Third, abide. John 15:5 says apart from Christ, you can do nothing that matters. Prayer, reading Scripture, worship—these aren't religious duties but intimate encounters where God's love pours into you so you can pour it out to others.
Fourth, remove obstacles. If fictitious versions of love exist in your life, get rid of them. No diagnosis, no past trauma, no excuse should keep you from God's love. We live in an era with unprecedented access to Scripture in multiple formats—there's no legitimate excuse.
Finally, repent quickly when you mess up. The sweetest place to experience God's love is often at His feet in repentance. Don't let the enemy convince you to hold onto shame for years. Come back immediately.
The Joy That Defies Circumstances
The second fruit—joy—is equally critical. This isn't happiness dependent on circumstances. It's a deep, abiding inner rejoicing given to those who abide in Jesus. It's a joy whose foundation is God Himself.
Consider this: we're among the most blessed, financially stable, free people in human history with unprecedented access to everything we could want. Yet we're miserable. Why? Because God is exposing that earthly things aren't enough. That God-shaped hole in your heart can only be filled by Him.
First Peter 1:8-9 says though we haven't seen Jesus, we love Him and believe in Him, rejoicing with inexpressible joy because we're obtaining the salvation of our souls. Our very longing for Jesus is our joy.
And remarkably, Hebrews 12:2 reveals that Jesus endured the cross "for the joy set before him." What was that joy? You were. Your redemption was His joy.
Joy in Trials
James 1:2-4 contains one of Scripture's most countercultural commands: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds." This isn't psychotic optimism—it's recognizing that God uses everything for your good. In the middle of suffering, you can have joy because you know He's there with you every step of the way.
Even if nothing goes right from now until your last breath, you have this: you're going to see Him. Imagine the capacity of joy when you first open your eyes in glory and see the King of Kings face to face, all your brokenness gone forever.
The Choice Before Us
Every day presents the same choice: walk by the Spirit or gratify the flesh. The works of the flesh produce death, but the fruit of the Spirit produces life abundant.
These fruits aren't things you manufacture through willpower. They're supernatural results of surrendering to the Holy Spirit's transforming work in your life. Get out of the way and let Him make you into a person who loves well and lives joyfully.
The result of the Spirit's sanctifying ministry is simply this: you're enabled to love others with the same love God has given you, and to walk in supernatural joy that comes from God alone.
You have full access to it. No one can steal it from you. He wants to fill you with it and pour it out through you onto others.
If you focused on just these two fruits—love and joy—from now until the day you die, imagine the life you would live in submission to the Holy Spirit.
That's not just existing. That's truly living.
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