What Is Your Spiritual Fruit? by Brother Duke Hansen

         Matthew chapter 7 is the concluding chapter of Jesus sermon on the mount which began in chapter 5. The entirety of the sermon and what all Jesus explains to the multitudes is filled with things that still apply to a Christians walk today. Before we settle into the actual scripture of the message, we are going to hit some highlights quickly in chapter 7. We are going to get in a proper mindset of what the Holy Spirit wants to show us.

        Now, the very first verse is something even non-believers love to quote in conversation or post on social media accounts like John 3:16. A sign that they may not go to a church because of excuses, BUT they are spiritual or enlightened. Judge not, that ye be not judged. Now, when you are a new believer in Christ, you are coming in from a beaten down and exhausted state. You are in no position to judge anyone. Even if you do, there are stories in this bible demonstrating what goes around comes around. Jesus is not telling you to make judgements on everything, he wants you to judge yourself far more than he wants you judging others. Why is that? Well, our flesh reaction to others or the world is always to keep things hidden away. We will lie to ourselves quicker than we will lie to someone else.

        Let us look a little further down to verse 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. It is one of the biggest stumbling blocks believers have in their walk. When they share the gospel, or their testimony to people and they don't get that instant conversion. The believer gets discouraged and down heartened. Jesus says you have to be aware of who you are talking to, read the room. There are those who have been witnessed to many times over and never accepted him as savior. 

        Onto verse 7; Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be open unto you: When you are born into this world, you are born into sin and evil. Many pentecostals will say it is the devil at work for their corrupt and evil flesh having them in sinful habits. Here's a news flash; The devil is not omnipresent! The reason why there is so much wickedness and sin it is because of man's fallen nature. Seek and ye shall find. A good example of that is Hannah in the Old Testament. 

        Verse 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. This is what we commonly call the Golden Rule for man. The verse meaning is that in all things, we should forgive. Forgiveness is the golden rule no matter what situation caused the pain. With no forgiveness, your nature begins to grow anger and resentment.

        Why do you need to forgive? Let us look at verses 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leaders to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leaders unto life, and few there be that find it. The thing God wants most is for you to kill your flesh. Most people who get on the path are there to receive help or strand themselves in a ditch with a helping of pity soup. If you don't kill your flesh, your flesh will kill you.

        The wide and broad gate is what the majority of believers think they have mistaken as the strait and narrow. They are lazy, undisciplined in study, susceptible in believing false teaching. If they quote a scripture about holiness, yet their life resembles hell, they are on that wide path. Well, gee Brother Duke! That seems a bit harsh! you may be saying. I say, verse 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Jesus is saying, yeah you should judge them as a person. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. God is not really all in on what you know today, he's more concerned in what you learn tomorrow and how you will practice that. 

        I recently had a revelation regarding my own life. Born into sin and fighting for everything I had, I thought it was the devil that I was fighting. Fight in the truck, at work, in the church, prayer closet. I thought this devil was going down and leaving for a season. The reality is I have always been fighting my flesh. The devil is not all powerful! He is lazy! He is an evicted tenant from Heaven! When you get older and obtain some wisdom, you can see where you came from. How your bloodline may have generational curses or evil abounding. Now, you could stay and remain a victim, with that victim mindset in your life, or you ask, seek, and knock for God who can help you break those curses and move from your past! In the walk, you can be of three separate mindsets. Good, bad, or mediocre. We all should strive for good, but a lot of times we settle for mediocre. Being mediocre has been elevated and rewarded in the world, so why not feel good about just doing the bare minimum daily in your walk. You should reject that and realize God has called you into greatness!

        Jesus spoke on how to judge yourself and others. He touched on how to share his gospel and recognizing who will be receptive and who will not. Now, to develop a deeper walk with Jesus, I am asked what step do I need to take? Afflicting your flesh through fasting and prayer! This will draw you closer to God, whether you are spiritually prepared or not. There will be things you have hidden from other men and lie to yourself that will be revealed to you. Doing things you hate in the flesh will draw you closer to God.

        Let us look at verse 22.  Many will say to me in that day , Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? There is only one denomination that does that list. If you do those things listed, and yet still have sin in your life, those things will not matter to Jesus. as he calls you out in the next verse depart from me, ye that work iniquity. There are believers who will complain and whine about this walk is hard and complicated. It's that way when you hear the word, truly hear it and don't put it to work. 

        In Matthew 16:15-19 Jesus asks his disciples whom do people say I am. What Peter says Jesus true identity he is told how the Holy Spirit revealed that to Peter. This rock is where he will build his church. That rock is the truth and knowledge of God's true nature. It is the very foundation of faith. You cannot go around claiming how much you trust in the LORD when you place your faith far quicker in man because he has a designated title behind his last name. Many places have spoke about the falling away of the church. Your news outlets will speak about attendance being down and no one knows why? Today's church falling away isn't attendance! It's because the church fell away from the truth! When it quit judging sin for sin, revised the truth to incorporate all different types of belief, and deceived many in believing that it's okay if you're a drunkard on the weekend, sleep around out of wedlock! Jesus knows you've fallen short and he is okay with it because he loves you! You can't judge a book by it's cover. 

        A parting question in conclusion. What are you going to do with what you know today? How will you use it in the coming days? Search the word. Get closer to God.