Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control | Greg Halloway

It's been just awesome to to be able to be here.

And be a product. Of of Weinberg School.

And also grew up in spiritually was fed.

With the word of God and at Hoffield right which?

Is done that way. Right.

So Assemblies of God, Hoffield. Right.

Started in in in Sunday. School, at that time, they used

to call it Sunday School, and I just grew up in the church and

that's where I got to. To know the Lord.

To meet this. Wonderful and glorious Savior

that we've been singing. About this this.

Morning and worshipping him. And so that's where.

I spent my my. Church.

Church Life. And and then really my wife is.

Here with me this morning. She's the better off.

Of of me and. We've been married.

For 34 years. And this.

Is this year's 35th. And we come from, as I said.

From the West Coast, we're part of the body.

They're. Part of an advanced.

Church. By the name of Nibba Liba.

OK, so it's. New life in English OK New life

church. It's just been.

God has just been. Gracious to us and we had the

privilege of having Eric and and Zucchia's were ministering to us

last. May Can you believe it?

Just before the Advance Africa conference.

Lord God, we just thank you for this, this opportunity of just

being in your presence, Lord, and.

And what a joy it is just to be with the Saints.

Lord, we just thank you for your.

Word Lord, we, we. Just want to take our eyes.

Off of ourselves. This morning and just put our

eyes on to you, Lord, we we acknowledge Lord.

That we need your grace, Lord. We need your love.

And Father, we just thank you that you pour that out into our

lives. Lord that.

You. You really as we've just felt.

This morning your your. Love, Lord is, is, is so.

Tangible and so present here and your presence, Lord and we just

want to thank you for. That so Lord, I just pray your

your your. Blessing upon this word.

And Lord, may the. Words of my mouth and the

meditation of my heart. Lord be.

Pleasing in your sight, in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Right. So I've been, I've been given

the the daunting. Task of of.

Speaking about self-control. You guys are busy with the

series. By the name of the fruit of the

Spirit, and and one of the one of.

Those characteristics is. Self-control and it sounds so

simple and and straightforward and.

If I had to give her. A simple definition it would be

being. Able or the ability?

To control yourself. But as we all know, it's not

that easy. It's not an easy thing to do,

you know. We try to.

To master our own domains and we've got.

This this. Incredible task of being able to

control our sinful passions which at most times are

uncontrollable and you know. We we called by by the word to,

to, to. Control ourselves in, in, in

that, in that respect all these sinful passions.

That that that affect us, affect our.

Lives and our daily walk with Christ on a daily basis.

Can you hear me? All right, you got me.

OK. And so, so you know, we, we've,

we've. Got this practice?

Of of of giving over our sinful tendencies every single day and

every moment of our lives. To.

To God's control. So it's it's it's.

Tough and. So.

We we need. The grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ, and we're going to speak a lot about that.

This morning, but basically self-control.

Is easier said than. Done you all agree.

Is there anybody that's? Mastered self-control.

In your life, thank you for those hands.

Not easy and if you're like me, I rely heavily.

On the grace of our Lord Jesus. Christ, when it comes to to

self-control, my daily walk, just like you, I'm a fellow

Pilgrim of of sanctification. Big word, but what it?

Means is that God is changing us from the inside out and He's.

He's he's, he's. Forming us in the likeness.

Of Jesus, he, he's. We're becoming more like Jesus,

and so he's changing us all the time.

And even though I've spent many years in ministry, you know I've

got this tag under construction. That God is.

Still still working in in my life and it's.

Just a case of of God having to qualify.

The unqualified and so. It's just a as I was what I did.

As well as. I went through your your series.

And I listened to all the the sermons and Ryan, I just managed

to. Get a little part of yours and

then my grand grandson distracted.

Me when I will finish it? But I got up.

To Ryan. You did a gentleness.

Right. Yeah, and, and Stefan actually

prayed in his prayer when he. He spoke about joy.

He said that. You know, thank you, Lord, that

you use imperfect people. And so we're not in Christ.

We we are made perfect. But as I said.

We are under construction. So let's let's get to the text.

And you know what I love? About the Holy Spirit, is that

he? Doesn't just command us to do

things, he also imparts his power and enables.

Us to be able to do what he desires isn't that great and so

when. You've been talking about the

law and Galatians 5 talks much about the law, but when we walk.

By the Spirit as Eric. Eric.

Said is that we we do more than keep.

The law we we. Fulfill it.

And how do we do that? Well, you know, for example, the

law will. Say that you mustn't covet your

neighbor's wife, or you mustn't. Covet his his property.

But God imparts his power and his love, and he enables us.

To, to, to, to love. That person he imparts.

His love so that. We can love them so that we

won't need to covet. Somebody else's property.

Or to do any harm to them and so.

The Spirit calls us. To a higher way and he.

Calls us to to love. And so.

We're able to to share a broader.

Love with one another. So he doesn't just say obey the

law, He gives us the power to be able to do that.

He imparts his. Grace and His love.

To help us. And so we.

Actually exceed the. Requirements of the law.

Because of his love saying. Imparts his ability to us and

he. Gives us his love.

And so Paul turns our attention to to Galatians 5/22/23 and, and

these are the. Beautiful characteristics and

the character traits that reflect.

The nature of Christ and and which?

The Holy. Spirit imparts to us and that He

desires to to spontaneously produce in US and our head.

I brought a little. USB.

To but I I copied. It in the wrong format, sorry.

We do things differently in the West Coast.

So if you will just bear with me, I will.

I will read the scripture. And then just highlight some of

the points. That I I.

Had on on the board. So.

The Spirit of. God wants to produce these.

Fruits in our lives spontaneously and Galatians. 5

is you should. Know it by now 22 to 23 that

the. Fruit of the Spirit is.

Lovejoy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

and gentleness and self-control. And the Bible says that Paul

says that. Against these things there is no

law and if I can just just reflect on the fruit at the at

the moment is that you've been you've been addressing the

individual fruits Lovejoy peace, patience.

But the actual scripture says that the fruit of the Spirit.

So it's not the fruits of the Spirit, but the fruit of the

Spirit. And so it's in the singular

fruit, not in just individual. Fruits of the Spirit it's.

Not. Plural.

It's singular. It's. 1.

Package that Paul puts. It into and.

So we don't grow. In in in some areas and then not

in the other. Areas so we don't grow in.

In love and joy and and and then we we, we miss out on

gentleness. See these things come.

Together, they grow together because.

Patience needs self-control, am I right?

And self-control needs patience. Other.

Fruits require self-control as much as self-control needs to be

applied. To the other fruits.

They're not. Individual.

Fruits in a believer's life, we need to know that it's.

It's it's the fruit of the spirit, it's package.

It comes together. And so one way of telling that

you've. You you have.

Fruit in your life. That you have the fruit of the.

Spirit in your life. Is that?

For example, your love will be accompanied.

By all the other. Fruits and it's very important

that we we. Know that and I'm.

Sure, you guys mentioned it somewhere during.

The the preachers and. So I want to close out the the.

Series. Are we closing it out this

morning or is there still another no on #9 #9 the 9th?

Fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is.

Self-control, all right, and and self-control is a slice of the

of the. Fruit that the Spirit produces.

In our in our lives. So on the one.

Hand it's, it's it's. When it comes to self-control,

there's there's work to do and what what is very important, we

need to develop and exercise and and grow self-control in our

lives. But on the other hand, it's a

work that we cannot do. So it's work that.

We, we, we, we encourage to do, and it's work that we cannot

drill. And try as you may, it doesn't

matter. How tall, How smart?

How? Who you are, it doesn't matter

at all. It is.

It depends simply on. The lack of self-control that

we. Apply in our lives.

That we're required to work is that we fall short of the worthy

of the. Calling.

The the. Worthiness of Our Calling that

Paul talks about in Ephesians. 4 verse one we.

Simply lack. Self-control as the word

exhorts. Us and encourages us.

To do. And so I think it's important at

this juncture as well to make a distinction between between

self-control in the flesh, which is, which is in which is our

human nature and which relies on, on human willpower and

effort, and then on self-control which comes from the indwelling

presence. Of the Holy Spirit so when you.

When you put your faith in Christ, the.

Spirit of. God comes and he dwells in US,

and so, so self-control. Largely with the self.

Control that we're talking about here, biblical self-control,

depends on the Spirit of God that's dwelling in us.

He's the one that that imparts. This control to us, so as we

discussed. The.

The. Fruit of self-control we need.

To. Be aware and and and know that

of the empowering. Spirit of.

God in our life, that His presence, His provision, and His

power dwells in US and enables. Us to produce all these

beautiful fruits. Which reflect the nature.

Of God and so. Willpower is, that is.

Also a gift that's. Given.

To us by God, but it also helps us to show self restraint and

there's a. There's a word in the in the in

the in the New Testament called temperance, which means

restraint. And and so we we we show

restraint by not touching handling.

Or. Eating because.

So you stand in front of a cookie jar and you don't eat it.

OK, that's restraint and so willpower.

Is is is a. Version of self-control, and

it's easily it's easily seen and measured.

Because you. See a cake and in my case we'll

go and eat it. But in you see a cake, but you

don't eat. It OK you show self.

Restraint so it's easily seen and measured, but what we don't

know is the motivation. Of your heart.

What drives this self-control that you don't partake of that,

of that cake, you know, maybe you, you, you don't want to eat

it because you, you're jamming, you're exercising hard and, and

the reason that you, you're not eating right and, and.

Exercising hard is that? You want to be in great shape,

which is nothing wrong with that, but what is the

motivation? Is it pride?

Is. It conceit.

Is it arrogance? Why?

Why are you? Doing that, are you somebody

that loves attention? You seek attention.

You know you. Walk on the.

Beach, unfortunately. You know, I use the mic to to to

support my or my tummy uses the mic to support my the mic.

But yeah, so my, my, we say in Afrikaans that my, my chest has

become a cupboard. OK, so that six pack is I'm

working on that. But yeah, maybe you want to, you

know, that's that's the idea. Is that yourself?

Seeking and you want people to wow and you know, oh, he's a

great guy and oh, he looks good and and and So what is the

motivation for the reason that you you're not eating maybe.

You you show self. Control by by being.

Frugal. By by by saving your money, but

it doesn't necessarily mean that you you want to to to be that

you want to be a generous person, that you want to support

your family, your friends, your church.

It it it might not mean that you know it it mean it might mean

that you you're saving your money to buy a a.

Beautiful car. You, you, you.

You saving your money to buy a stylish house so that people can

notice you. OK.

So did you see the motivation in terms of of willpower?

But Eric guarantees and says that it's not like that yet.

Common ground in Weinberg. OK, so these are these are all.

Semblances versions of self-control, willpower and this

is not exhibiting biblical spirit LED control because

there's a motivation, a negative motivation may be behind.

That so willpower. Alone is not enough, and that's

what we're trying to say. It's not enough, you see.

Willpower your. Faith in God, your faith in the.

Word has to be. Mixed.

With willpower so that. Biblical control doesn't become

a thing where we will be bending our walls.

To suit our desires. But biblical self-control is.

God through his Spirit. Teaching us to bend our walls

and to submit our. Walls to suit his desires for

us. It's not making the choices that

we think are right, but it's making or having the ability to

to make choices that we think. God is or.

That we think, or that God thinks?

Are best for us. So self-control is not simply

being able to control our own worlds, but ultimately

self-control. Is the ability to submit.

Ourselves under the will. Of God and this.

Is the key distinction between self-control of the?

Flesh which is. Fueled by pride and and

arrogance and self conceit and by the self-control which the

Holy Spirit imparts. To us.

Which is is. Love for God.

And for our neighbor. Which he gives us through his

Spirit. And so here comes the hard part.

If we belong to Christ. We have ultimately crucified our

desires. And passions Galatians 5 you've

read it on numerous occasions. Verse 20 forces and those who

belong to Jesus Christ have. Crucified the flesh.

And its passions and its desires.

Amen. So we still have the.

Capacity to sin. But the great.

News is and we've we've heard it over and over how Jesus died for

us and, and, and he set us. Free he set us.

Free from the power of sin. And so we're able.

To to live in freedom and and and the great.

Thing is, is that the the the power?

Of sin no longer has. Power over us, and so we don't

have to. Give in to sin anymore.

But why? Because we have the.

Indoor indwelling spirit. Which helps us to.

Overcome. So when we're.

Repentant and when we confess our sin and we go to, we run to

to the mercy throne of God the Spirit.

Gives us. Power to to overcome.

And so this is what it this is what?

Self-control comes down to it's our controlling our souls is

about being controlled by Christ.

Our controlling our souls is about being controlled by

Christ, and so Jesus. Was the the perfect?

Example of of soul control. Because he lived a.

Sinless life and. And he was.

Full. Full of.

The fruits of the Spirit, and he was sent to earth.

To carry out the father's wool. And he had to live a perfect

life and, and he did live a perfect life in order to set an

example for us so that we can go to him in our time of need.

And in the end, we know that He died for our sins, and he he

procured eternal life. For us through.

Him we have eternal life and say Jesus knew and this.

Is where the the. Aspect of self-control comes is

that he knew that he had to come.

To, to he was. Sent on a mission by his father

and he knew that, despite his own fears.

He had to submit. And and and demonstrate

self-control in his life by submitting.

To the will of the father, he said just before.

When he was praying in in the Garden of Gethsemane, he.

Said to his disciples. Do you think I cannot call on my

Father and he will at once at my disposal send more than 12

legions of angels? Then you remember that that that

the mission that he had was to come and save the world.

And how then would? The scriptures be fulfilled, he

says that say. It must happen this way.

And if Jesus didn't apply that self-control and and submit to

the. Will of the Father we would all

have had to face. Death and punishment for our own

sins, and an eternity away from God and he was in great anguish

over his his his approaching physical pain, his separation

from the Father and his and his death for the.

Sins of the world. But the divine.

Course was set. And he in his human nature, he

struggled and he said my. Soul is very sorrowful.

Even to death, speaking to the disciples, he says, remain here

and watch with me and going a little.

Farther, farther he fell. On his face and he prayed,

saying my. Father, if it be possible, let

this cup pass. From me, nevertheless, not as I.

Will but as you will. See, he wasn't rebelling

against. The Father's will.

When he asked. The father to remove.

The cup of suffering and separation from him.

He. Reaffirmed his desires.

We've just read now. That to do.

God's will by saying, Nevertheless, Father, not my

will. But your will.

So self-control is not self mastery.

But it is spirit mastery, the spirit.

Mastering us and and so demonstrating self-control is

not about us. We can easily drum up some.

Willpower to say. No, but instead of it, instead,

self-control is announcing that Christ is in control of my life.

Paul says further. He says we live by the Spirit.

We live by the Spirit. Let us.

Also keep in. Step with the Spirit.

In other words, we we now live being part of God's Kingdom and,

and and being being his children, we now.

Live by the Spirit, by the Holy Spirit's.

Power in our lives, Philippians says.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me, and in our

struggles and in our battles for self-control, there's a lot of

things that that we're not. Able to do because.

We try and do it in our own strength and our own willpower,

not in the spirits. Power and so.

That we can't do all things in the flesh.

We can't. Do all.

Things through him who strengthens us.

And so I don't want to I don't want to disappoint you as we

come to to the close. I don't want to disappoint you

this morning. By by by by.

Giving you 5 or 6 steps. To be able to to help you with

your self. Control.

And and and the. Discipline in your life we know

what we need to do we need to read his word.

We need to get stuck into his word.

We need to. Ramp up our, our.

Prayer life, we need to to renew our mind according to the word.

We need to bridle our our tongue.

You know, these are all things that disciplines that, that,

that. The Word calls us to we.

We need to God our heart. Praying about that this morning.

You need to do your. Push ups OK physically to to.

Get your body into shape. We need to do these things, but

all these things are extremely important.

But I want to. I want to this morning.

I want to take our eyes away from from ourselves and what,

what, what we need to to do and I want us.

To to focus. And and to put our faith and

trust in the sanctifying. Work of the Holy.

Spirit in our lives. You see, because the.

Power of the gospel and the freedom that we have in Christ

becomes distorted when we we start concentrating on the

things that. We have to do.

That needs to be accomplished in in our lives and, and you know,

preachers put a lot of emphasis and place a lot of emphasis on

what we should be doing for God and not on what God is doing in

us through Christ on our behalf. Romans 80 says.

He who did not. Paul says he who?

Did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us.

All. How will he not also with him

graciously? Give us all.

Things see God wants to he wants to give us he wants to supply

our needs he wants to to work in our in our lives and give us the

things the spiritual things that we need.

Paul says in Ephesians one that he he.

Blesses us with every. Spiritual blessing in Christ

Jesus and He wants to give us that so that we can live a life

which glorifies His name. Let me ask you a question.

Do you have an out of control appetite this morning?

When it comes to money, when it comes to food, nicotine, when it

comes to drugs, when it comes to sex, you fill in the blank.

Do you have an out of control appetite?

You know we. Get so we get so upset.

Sometimes and and I fall in this hole and that our reasoning

skills go out the window because we're so angry, you know, and

that happens when we yell at. The kids, ladies.

And we allow anger to to rule our lives, you see, and we also

succumb to to to jealousy and to envy and to hatred and to

unforgiveness, all these things that are uncontrollable, sinful

passions. That we spoke about Paul lists.

The out of control life in verses 19 to 21 and I actually

had it. I didn't want to I'm not going

to read it, but it was on the IT was on my my slide, but just.

Two or three scriptures before we get to the foot of the Spirit

Paul talks about. This out of control life where,

you know, envy and jealousy and drunkenness and that that whole

long list. And he says at the end that that

you won't inherit the Kingdom of God.

Do you remember that scripture? And so the problem is is that.

We, we, we feel. That we can't measure up.

To all these these. Requirements that God has set in

his Word and, and, and so we feel a kind of a sense of shame

and failure and, and we feel. Hopeless, you know we.

Fall into the same sins over and over and and and we.

Ask ourselves but. When we'll you know, when is it

going to? Stop.

Lord help me. When is it ever going to stop?

You know, we come to when we're reading Galatians chapter 5,

Galatians 5:22

verse 22, and we come to the. Fruit of the Spirit.

We kind of, you know, just. Go to the next page because.

We we feel that that because of our struggle.

You know, Lord, I'm not. I'm not able to do all these

things. I'm not able to love.

To be joyful, to be peaceful. I'm not able to be gentle.

I struggle with these things and, you know, and, and I don't

want to read. This because because I don't.

Understand and and I'm really bad.

At all this? You know.

This, this the fruit of the spirit stuff.

That's in the Bible, so it. Takes a lot of effort to grow

these fruits. Takes a lot of.

Effort, but it's not. Your effort.

It's not your effort. It's not the fruit.

Of your life. It's the fruit of the Spirit's.

Life in US, it's not reliance on how to manufacture.

All these beautiful fruits, but it's.

Reliance on our. God, because God's spirit lives.

Within you, it doesn't guarantee and it's very important to know

this. His spirit.

Lives in US, but it doesn't guarantee that His power is at

work within us. You see, we got to connect.

We got to plug. Into.

The power and that's. Why we Paul?

Says that you need to continue continuously walk in the.

Spirit, it's. A present continuous tense.

Keep. Keep on walking in the spirit.

Keep on being. Filled with his power so that

you're able. To use that power to overcome

sin in our lives. So we can't bear fruit.

John 15 I love the scripture. We can't the chapter.

We can't bear fruit unless we are not connected.

With Jesus, he says. Remain in me.

As I also. Remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit itself, It must remain in the vine.

Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me, you

see. We have to bear fruit before we

can share fruit with others. We need to.

Partake of Jesus. We not to partake.

Of his. Of his.

Of his. Love.

We need to to. Befalled with his, with his joy.

We need to enjoy him. We need to.

Eat of his peace. Of his patience, of his, of his

goodness, his kindness, his faithfulness.

We need to to consume our loving Saviours grace in our lives.

And so the secret. Of walking in victory in in in

terms of self-control is to realize these two things is that

self-control is not something. You do for God.

It's something God does. For you.

Number one and number. 2 is that self.

Control. It's not a one time.

Work, but it's a daily walk. How?

Long does it take? For fruit to grow.

Takes a while, doesn't it? Doesn't it?

Do you even plant a seed and the next morning the tree is bearing

fruit? No, it takes a while.

And this is where the the sanctifying work of the Holy

Spirit comes in. And so in our daily walk.

With the Lord we. Have to say no.

To. Self and yes to.

God. His spirit will then come and He

will aid us and help us and empower us to make.

The right choices. And to.

Choose to obey God. Instead of our own impulses.

And that's how. You activate the power that the

Spirit of God gives you so that you can walk.

In victory, you see, he empowers us to overcome our our mind, our

emotions, our will. And there's so much to.

Talk about self. Control when it comes to the

mind the. Seat of our of our.

Our learning and and and. So we, we it's.

There's so much to. Say about that, but what I want

to. Say this morning is that?

That he's able to. To help you.

To take your thoughts captive, he's able to to.

Help you to control. Your walls, your.

Emotions and your minds and so it's it's basically saying when

when we when we say no to to self and we submit.

Ourselves to God it's. It's saying that that my soul,

my mind and my emotions, and my world is not for sale to my

senses, my impulses, experiences and to my offenses anymore.

You see, you have to bear fruit before you share fruit.

See, I can't show love. I can't show.

Biblical love if. I don't experience the intimacy.

Of the love of. Christ, it's not possible.

To to share it. So I want to ask you 2 questions

this morning. As we close.

Or you're relying on your own willpower to change?

Or are you walking in the? Power of the Holy Spirit to be

able to produce this fruit. So maybe we should.

Just take a. Half a second or a minute just

to think about that. Are you?

Are you? Relying on your own willpower?

Or are you relying on the empowering?

Work of the Holy. Spirit in your life.

To produce fruit. It's just let's just think

about. That you see, because it's a,

it's a. Question that's rooted in the

grace and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ because it shifts

the attention away from from raw human effort to yielding.

To to God's. Strength and power in our lives.

Let's just think about that. Are you relying on your own

willpower to change, or are you walking in the?

Power of the Holy Spirit. So while we're in meditation.

Is there is. There one area?

Second question, is there one area of your life currently

lacking self-control where I need to invite the Holy Spirit

to intervene? Is there an area of your life

currently where you lack self-control?

Could be anything, could be all those vices.

That that Paul listed with jealousy, anger, fear, hatred,

whatever the the situation is. If you're currently lacking

self-control in that area, then I encourage you to invite the.

Spirit of God to. Come and to help you to overcome

and to intervene. By his.

Grace and His love in our lives. So why do we bear fruit?

Why is it necessary? For us to bear fruit.

Why is it necessary? For us to bear.

Love and joy and peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Why is it? Necessary.

See. It's because it glorifies our

Father. Jesus said in John 15 By this my

Father is glorified, that you bear much.

Fruit, you see. See.

God wants. Us to bear loads, truckloads of

fruits. In our lives.

Because we we glorify. Him and it also says in the

second. Part of that scripture so that

you will prove. To be my disciples.

See. We bear fruit, people look.

At us and say. That person is different.

He's a follower of Jesus and so as I finish off that does 3.

Things we glorify God. When we bear fruit.

We point. People to Jesus.

When we bear fruit and we nurture the body of Christ.

When we bear fruit, so we're able to share the love.

And and the fruit that he. Gives us.

With with one another. So, Father, I just thank you,

Lord. For your word this.

Morning, Lord. And we just know, Father, how

inadequate and how are. Short we fall, Lord of your.

Expectations and your requirements, but we thank you

Jesus, that you died. For us that you.

You made a way. For us, Lord, to be able.

To be empowered by your holy. Spirit.

That we can overcome and walk in victory in this life.

And so, Lord, I just pray Lord, for for those that are.

Struggling and battling Lord with any of these these.

Beautiful characteristics. That we've been talking.

About for the last few weeks. Lord Jesus, that you would.

Intervene and Lord, come and and and and shape and change our

hearts and soften our. Hearts, Lord, so that.

We can understand and have a better.

Grasp of of what? You, Lord, want to.

Produce through us. So that Lord, we can be

influenced. And I pray for for influences,

Lord, in our community and I pray for, for common ground

Weinberg, Lord, and thank you, Lord, for them.

Thank you. For this this this beautiful.

Friends that we're able. To to share with.

This morning, Lord, and I just pray your blessing upon them.

And I pray, Lord. That there would.

Be a beacon, Lord, in Weinberg, Lord.

That there'd be influences in this community, Lord, and that

you would produce much fruit through them, Lord, to be able.

To, to, to be witnesses. Lord, for your Kingdom and for

the advancement of your Kingdom in this in this area.

And so, Lord. I pray that you'd.

You'd supply Lord. All the the gracious gifts of

the of of the the fruit. In their lives, Lord, that you

would apply that in abundance in their lives, Lord, so that they

can truly live a life that that you've called them to, that they

can enjoy and delight themselves in our in our wonderful.

Saviour, but at the. Same Time Lord, that they will.

Be able to. Delight in them amongst

themselves and enjoy Lord. The gracious love that you

spread abroad through. Them to one another and so we

just thank you, Lord, that we can commit them to you, Lord, I

pray. The Paul of the The Prayer of

Paul. In Ephesians.

Lord, that there will. Be known in Weinberg and the

surrounding areas. Lord for their faith.

In the Lord Jesus and then also that they would be known.

For their love. For one another.

Lord, that people would. Be drawn to this community

because of their. Faith, their steadfast faith.

In you, Lord and. Because of the love that they

have for. One another and the fruit that

they bear and share through the importation of the Holy Spirit

in their lives. And so I just thank you and I

pray your blessing, Lord, upon this church community.

Lord, add to the body, add to those that.

That are being saved and that need.

To be saved, Lord. And that this community.

Would truly be a. Beacon of light in in this area.

We thank you, We praise you in Jesus name, Amen.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

Greg feels like a double edged sword word and challenging and

encouraging at the same time. So we thank the Lord for you.

May the Spirit help us to apply this truth.

Thank you so much. Thanks so much for you.