Living by the Spirit, Bearing Fruit That Lasts

A gardener once planted a small seed in his backyard. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Day after day, he would glance at the soil. Weeks passed, and the ground still looked the same—plain, dry, unremarkable. But beneath the surface, something invisible was happening. The seed was at work. It split open in the darkness. Tiny roots began pushing downward, unseen, searching for water. Then, one morning, almost unnoticed, a fragile green shoot broke through the soil, stretching upward toward the sun.

It was a miracle, really. The gardener could prepare the ground, water faithfully, and wait patiently. But he could not command life. He could not make the seed sprout. Life itself had to come from beyond him.

That picture helps us understand life in the Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 5:25:

We live by the Spirit—it is He who plants the seed of new life in us. He causes it to sprout when we could not. He nurtures growth through both sunshine and storm, through encouragement and hardship. And He produces fruit that no human effort alone could ever generate.

Our part is not to force life but to walk in rhythm with Him—to keep in step, not rushing ahead with our own plans or lagging behind in fear. Step by step, day by day, we learn to trust His pace.

Let us now explore three truths from this verse:

1. The Spirit Plants the Seed of Life

2. The Spirit Grows Us Through Struggle

3. The Spirit Bears Fruit That Blesses Others

Seeds are mysterious things. We cannot create one. We cannot command life to appear out of dust. Scientists can study them, modify them, and even preserve them, but the miracle of life itself is beyond human invention. The spark that turns a lifeless seed into a living plant comes from God alone.

The same is true spiritually. No one can plant the seed of the Spirit in their own heart. We cannot manufacture it through effort, intelligence, philosophy, or religion. The Spirit is not something we can purchase, design, or discover through human striving. He is a gift.

Jesus explained this to Nicodemus, a religious leader who thought his knowledge and works could earn him a place with God. In John 3:5–6, Jesus said:

That means human effort can produce human results, but only the Spirit of God can produce spiritual life. Religion can give rituals, but not rebirth. Morality can improve behavior, but it cannot transform the heart. The first miracle of our faith is that the Spirit comes to us and awakens what we could never awaken.

Paul echoes this truth in Ephesians 2:4–5:

Notice the contrast: dead in transgressions—utterly unable to move toward God—and yet made alive with Christ. Dead people cannot revive themselves; only God can breathe life into dry bones (Ezekiel 37:5–6).

Think of the impossibility of planting the Spirit’s seed by yourself. The Spirit is invisible, intangible. How would you even search for Him? How would you know what you are missing if He had not revealed it? This is why Paul insists in Romans 3:23–24:

It is grace. The Spirit comes not because we earned Him, but because God loved us first.

When that seed is planted, a miracle begins. It may not appear dramatic at first. It often starts quietly, almost unnoticed—like the first stirring of conscience, a new desire to pray, a sudden openness to God’s Word, or a conviction that life must have more meaning. Those are not accidents. That is not simply human thought. That is the Spirit breaking ground in your heart.

And just like a gardener marvels when the first shoot pierces the soil, so we marvel when God awakens new life within us. A heart once cold now beats with warmth. A mind once closed to God now seeks Him. A life once self-centered begins to hunger for something eternal.

So we live by the Spirit because He alone planted life where there was none. We did not find Him—He found us. We did not generate Him—He gave Himself to us. And this miracle is the foundation for everything that follows in walking with Him.

Sprouting is another miracle. Every gardener knows that not all seeds take root. But when one does, it must push upward through resistance—the weight of the soil, the pressure of rocks, the threat of drought, pests, and storms. Growth is never effortless. Life is always born through struggle.

The same is true spiritually. Once the Spirit has planted life within us, He begins to grow us. But growth is not easy. We often imagine that walking with God means constant joy, peace, and answered prayers. And indeed, these blessings are real. But the path of growth also leads through seasons of disappointment, hardship, and even pain.

Paul reminds us in Romans 5:3–4:

Hardship is not proof that God has abandoned us—it is proof that He is at work. Just as trees in a forest need storms and strong winds to deepen their roots, so our souls need trials to strengthen faith. Without resistance, growth would remain shallow.

Think about sweetness. For centuries, people could only taste it in fruit—limited and seasonal. Today, processed sugar is cheap and abundant, but with it came disease and weakness. What was once rare and strengthening has, in excess, become destructive. Likewise, if our spiritual lives were only sweet—if we experienced nothing but constant ease—we would rot into weakness. Struggle is the Spirit’s way of training us, shaping us, and deepening our trust.

Jesus Himself told His disciples in John 16:33:

Notice He did not promise escape from trouble, but victory in it. Troubles are part of the journey. They are the “weight of soil” pressing against the fragile shoot, forcing its roots to strengthen as it grows upward.

Every moment of difficulty is a crossroads: will we quit, or will we continue walking in step with the Spirit? Many turn away when God does not meet their expectations, feeling that unanswered prayers or hardships mean He is distant. Yet those who remain discover a deeper joy—the realization that God is present even in the pain, guiding every step.

James also writes in James 1:2–4:

Growth comes through testing. The Spirit uses both blessings and burdens, both sunshine and storm, to bring us to maturity. And when we look back, we realize a humbling truth: it was not our strength that carried us, but the Spirit who sustained us all along.

So when the soil presses down, when storms rage, when disappointments come—remember: these are not signs of abandonment. They are signs of growth. The Spirit is growing roots deep within you, preparing you to bear fruit that lasts.

Growth always has a purpose: fruit. A tree that sprouts, grows tall, and spreads its branches but never bears fruit may look alive, but it has failed in its mission. Jesus Himself said in John 15:8:

Fruit is the proof of life. Likewise, the Spirit grows us not just to look strong, not just to seem spiritual, but to bear fruit that blesses others and glorifies God.

Paul lists this fruit in Galatians 5:22–23:

Notice that Paul says “fruit,” not “fruits.” This is not a grocery list from which we pick and choose. It is one Spirit producing a unified character in us, expressed in many dimensions. Love holds the list together, joy flows from love, peace rests on joy, patience grows out of peace, and so on. It is one beautiful cluster of life.

And the purpose is not inward pride but outward blessing. Fruit is never for the tree itself. Apple trees don’t eat their own apples. Fruit exists to nourish others. In the same way, the Spirit’s fruit in us is meant for the world around us—for our families, our neighbors, our coworkers, even strangers.

Think of a puzzle. A single piece may look strange, insignificant, or even unattractive on its own. But when placed with the others, it becomes part of a masterpiece. In the same way, our struggles—patience learned in hardship, peace cultivated in storms, kindness practiced in small acts—become pieces of the Spirit’s greater picture in us. They complete a testimony that points others to Jesus.

This is exactly what happened with Christ Himself. Matthew 9:36 tells us:

Jesus saw people not as interruptions but as souls in need. His compassion was fruit in action—love expressed, peace offered, kindness extended. Then He turned to His disciples and said:

To “keep in step with the Spirit” means to share that same heart of compassion. The Spirit does not grow His fruit in us so we can admire our progress or polish our reputation. He grows it so we can serve the harvest—feeding the hungry with love, comforting the broken with peace, showing kindness to the lonely, standing faithfully in a world of compromise, exercising gentleness in conflict, and practicing self-control in a culture of excess.

As Jesus said in Matthew 7:16:

The world does not need more empty religion or shallow appearances. It needs living proof of God’s Spirit at work. And that proof is fruit. When people taste the love, joy, and peace flowing from our lives, they are really tasting the goodness of God Himself.

Imagine again the seed. It is planted by a miracle, sprouts by another miracle, and then grows into a tree that bears fruit. That is the story of the Christian life. Every stage—planting, sprouting, and fruit-bearing—is the work of God’s Spirit.

We do not plant ourselves—the Spirit does. Jesus said in John 6:44: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” New life begins with His initiative. We cannot sustain ourselves through trials—the Spirit strengthens us. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” And we do not bear fruit for our own consumption—the Spirit produces fruit in us to nourish and bless others.

Paul’s invitation in Galatians 5:25 is both simple and profound: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Walking in step with the Spirit means aligning our pace with His—neither rushing ahead with our own ambitions nor lagging behind in fear or doubt. It is the steady rhythm of daily surrender, trust, and obedience.

When we stumble, the Spirit lifts us. When we wander, He calls us back. When we surrender, He produces in us what we never could on our own. Over time, the miracle unfolds—a life that reflects Jesus Christ Himself. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

This is the Spirit’s work: to plant, to grow, and to bear fruit through us. Our part is simply to walk in step—trusting His timing, receiving His strength, and sharing His fruit with the world.

Let’s pray together.

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for planting the seed of life in us through Your Spirit. We confess that too often we try to grow on our own strength or measure our worth by human standards. Forgive us, Lord.

Teach us to crucify the flesh and to trust the Spirit’s work within us. Help us endure hardships with faith, knowing You are growing us through every struggle. And let the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—be evident in our lives, not for our glory, but for Yours.

Lord, make us workers in Your harvest, filled with compassion for those around us, walking in step with Your Spirit every day until we see You face to face.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.