Look for Fruit
Matthew 7:16 (NLT) “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”
Jesus was warning His disciples of the many types of false prophets who will come disguised as harmless, but their motives are the opposite. There are many people who wear the title “Christian”. Yet, they continue to do things that compromise what is written in the Bible. The mistake we make is taking them at their word. So Jesus gives them an analogy of fruit on a tree to help them distinguish a false prophet from someone who is true.
The indicator of a true Christian is based on the fruit (product) that is produced by the Holy Spirit. An apple tree produces apples because you see the apples. A lemon tree produces lemons because you see the lemons. So, a Christian has fruit that should be visible to others. And here is a list of Spiritual Fruit:
Galatians 5:22,23 (NLT) “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.”
The funny part about spiritual fruit is that you recognize it in the presence of the opposite environment. For example,
- You see Love when you are around someone who is unlovable.
- You see Joy in the middle of a situation that isn’t enjoyable.
- You see Peace while there is a storm surrounding you.
- You see Patience when the environment forces you to wait.
- You see Kindness when others are cruel towards you.
- You see Goodness when there is a lack of moral values.
- You see Faithfulness when others have given up and all that you have is God’s Word.
- You see Gentleness when others are harsh towards you.
- You see Self-Control when your environment is out of hand, nothing is going right, and you are ready to explode.
The Holy Spirit causes these attributes to grow and reign in your life. Without these attributes, there is a red flag on those who claim to follow Jesus. If you pretend to have these fruits, I promise you won’t last long. You can’t maintain showing Kindness, Love, and Patience to those who are cruel to you. Maybe for a short time, but not forever. The fruit grows because you’re not trying to make it grow from your own works. The more you stay connected to the Vine (Jesus Christ) and read the Bible, the Holy Spirit will do the rest. God will give you Peace that surpasses your own understanding. You will begin to have compassion and love for others, and it is from the sincerity of your heart.
Be Blessed!
Ron
Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright June 17th, 2026, All Rights Reserved