How many present would say, “I want to live a more Christ-like life on a daily basis?” So, I will ask: What is your spiritual potential? Do you know? With reference to Christian service, I believe each of us has a different potential. It will vary according to: 1) The abilities God has given each of us; 2) What we do with those abilities; and 3) The opportunities that come to us to use them. However, in Christian character we each have the same potential. It is the potential for Christ-likeness. It is the potential of producing a full harvest of the “fruit of the Spirit” - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. As we think of each of these qualities in detail, one may say, “That is beyond me.” Not so! That is your spiritual potential. You are a potentially fruitful child of God. Let’s do a little personal assessment and ask ourselves (and be honest with ourselves and attentive to the answer of the Spirit). What percentage of my spiritual potential am I now reaching? How would I measure my fruitfulness? Can I honestly look at my life and see signs that I am moving toward Christ-likeness? Have I seen spiritual growth that would encourage me to believe I am moving toward my potential? These are important considerations, for growth in the Christian life is growth in these very areas. With this potential for fruitfulness in mind, Paul comes to our text verses. Our fruitfulness is dependent upon the truths stated in these two verses. To the degree that these are applied in our lives, we will be moving toward our potential. We're not going to make a giant leap and suddenly change our spiritual potential, but we need to be moving toward it. If we are going to live up to our spiritual potential, we must:

I. REALIZE THAT THE FLESH HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED - VS. 24.

II. RELY UPON THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT - VS. 25.