Walk In The Spirit – February 22, 2026 (61/365) – JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter

2026 is where we bear much fruit. We’ve clarified that this doesn’t necessarily mean ‘fruit’ as in better circumstances (more money, more health, more positive experiences); This is more fruit of the Holy Spirit.

We’ve also clarified that we BEAR fruit, in contrast to what we once pushed (literally) – that we’re the ones to make fruit. No, in our situations, Christ creates the fruit, and we merely bear them.

So far this quarter, we’re talking about how the fruit we bear is fresh, it’s tasty, and it’s organic.

Last month we talked about how this fruit we bear is fresh – because it comes from our being new creations. Two things I want to point out here is that

We’re made new creations – which includes new mindsets, new behaviors, new priorities; So we naturally think different today versus how we used to.
- Once we were sinners separated from God, so we acted as we were separated from God, and we thought as we were trying to reach Him or get His attention.
- Through Christ we have been made righteous and reconciled to our Father, so now our mindset is aware of being present with God, and our actions are done knowing that He is always with us.

Christ is the Vine, and we are the branches. Through Christ, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God.
- Once we were sinners, and we were disconnected from God. All we COULD do is to try in vain to create ‘fruit’ and all of it was works as filthy rags before God. I like to say that God is thrice holy, and we’re nowhere near being even once holy.
- Through Christ’s finished work we are now connected to the Vine, and we are actively being cleansed and moved by God, who is our Father, and our Vinedresser.

Now, so far this month we’ve been talking about how the fruit we bear is tasty – because Christ is our Source, and the Holy Spirit is our Power.

We bear fruit that is alive, because the Vine is alive.
- Here we emphasized that Christ is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Beginning and the End, First and the Last, Alpha and Omega – But He is also the Word who was at the beginning and is with God, He is also the Word made flesh (John 1); Furthermore, the Word He speaks to us is Spirit and it is Life (John 6:63).
  - Therefore, we thought it was necessary to push for us to know Christ in the Word, and the Word through Christ, that the Word would come alive in the situations we are brought to, and that we would find Life when we bring ourselves to read the Word.

This is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
- Sin no longer has dominion over us, because Christ is now our Lord, and the Holy Spirit is now our Life.
  - Through recent experiences we have seen how God, as our Father and Vinedresser, has moved us, and has pruned us to bear more fruit.

Today, our Scripture comes from Galatians 5:16-26:

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

We’ve been made new creations, and not only do we have a new mindset, a new way of thinking; Not only do we have new priorities, but as we see here, because we have the Holy Spirit, we also have new desires – the desires of the Holy Spirit.

And it comes together. If we continue to take in the truth that we are new creations in Christ, we will walk as we have been made new – we will walk by the Spirit, and we will find it more natural, more aligned with who we are.

Because of the Holy Spirit, what we really want now was different to what we really want when we were sinners. In fact, it says it there – what we want now is not only different but opposed to what we used to want when we were sinners.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Here we see that once, our desires had their basis in our being under the law.

Here we also see the need for us to see the context of why Paul wrote to the Galatians in the first place: They were being hassled by ‘those who want to make a good showing in the flesh‘ (Galatians 6:12); saying that they needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. If you read later in the chapter you’ll see that these people had themselves and their own reputation as their priority, while Paul made it very clear that our only boast should be ‘in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ‘ (Galatians 6:14)

We are new creations, and we have a new leading – We are led by the Holy Spirit, that glorifies Christ (John 17). We are no longer slaves to sin. We are no longer under the law. We no longer glorify ourselves, more than we magnify Christ.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Two things I want us to focus on here:

We as sinners used to produce the works of the flesh. And take note, those were ‘works’, meaning ‘deeds’, or more to the point, ‘labors’. We wanted to do that wonderful list of things. We practiced those things… all because sin separated us from God.
1. Now, it is more important for us to emphasize Colossians 1:13: God has delivered us ‘from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of (God’s) beloved Son.‘ Let’s not focus on the list of the works of the flesh. Whenever we are tempted, let us remember that we are already in the Kingdom of God, and already in His presence – and if we insist on doing these works of the flesh, or what we think is pleasurable for us, may the Holy Spirit convict us of our righteousness.

The salvation we have through Christ implies that we are not only out of the darkness, but also that flesh has been crucified, and that we have also died to the power and authority of sin. The salvation we have through Christ is that we have been delivered into the Kingdom of Christ, we have been declared righteous and reconciled to God our Father, and we naturally bear fruit by the power of the Holy Spirit.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brothers and sisters, we’ve been delivered from darkness into the Kingdom of the Son, our old flesh crucified, our stony hearts removed, and the Holy Spirit planted within us as new life.

We are no longer slaves to sin’s works, we now bear the Spirit’s fruit—not by striving, but by abiding in Christ the Vine and keeping in step with His Spirit.

Let’s live from our true desires: the desires of the Spirit that glorify Jesus and make much fruit for His glory. Walk by the Spirit today—and watch the fruit grow. Amen!

After the service and while doing my ’rounds’ I spoke with a sister who I knew was going to have whole lot of visitors in these coming days. I thought to declare that she had the mind of Christ to handle all of that, but then she told me that they were her ‘joy‘.

I found that refreshing. I was reminded of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, where he mentioned that in choosing between being with Christ and being with the brethren, he chose the latter. Through this sister’s choice of words I was reminded that there was not just service, but joy to be had in being with other people – it was the lesser of two joys, so to speak.

And it leads me back to why I share. I could go ahead and just say that this is for me, for proper release and clarification, defragmenting my mind… But I’m reminded, I’m doing this for the joy of sharing with you guys… not really sure what you guys get from all of it but, well, I pray that you are blessed.

Again, let’s walk by the Spirit, and abide with Christ. Let’s continue in giving thanks and praising the Lord, always.

Have a glorious, productive, blessed and fulfilling week ahead.

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