As followers of Christ we are called to bear fruit. The fruit we bear is a direct result of being firmly attached to the vine, thereby able to receive nourishment. In our walk with Christ, if we wish to produce good fruit we must stay firmly attached to Jesus, our true vine and continue to receive the nourishment of the Holy Spirit. Both are necessary for us to produce fruit that is pleasing to God. Acts 2:38,39 NIV “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Without the Spirit of God within us we are unable to produce fruit that will please our Father. Regardless of what good works we do, they will be done in the flesh and will have no spiritual benefit whatsoever. However, when the Spirit of God lives within us we have the ability to produce fruit that will have long lasting spiritual affects! He has equipped us to produce good fruit that will draw others to Him and enable us to fulfill the purposes He has for our lives. Galatians 5:16-26 NIV 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
Jesus told us that we will be known by our fruit. Matthew 12:33-37 NIV 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
The good fruit we produce is a direct result of being led by the Spirit of God and not by good deeds done in the flesh. Our flesh is incapable of doing anything that will please God. Our flesh, no matter how well intended it may be, will never be able to please God. It is only those things done as we abide in Christ and are led by the Spirit that please God as we see in the book of John. John 15:1-17 NIV 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
In order to produce good fruit for the Kingdom of God we MUST remain close to the true vine (Jesus) and the gardener (God the Father). This can only be done by spending time with them in prayer, after all how is it possible to maintain a close relationship with someone when you refuse to spend time with them? It is also vital that we spend time in the Word of God. Our Bible is God’s Word to us! It is God breathed and essential for our growth as we see in 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NIV 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Just as any fruit that has been cut off the vine will eventually wither, so will we wither spiritually when we are apart our true vine, Jesus! Without our attachment to the vine, our fruit will not only wither but eventually rot! Jesus warned us of the importance of producing good fruit. One day each of us will have to give an account for the fruit that we did or didn’t bear. It is a stern warning that each of us should take very seriously!
Matthew 7:16-23 NIV 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
If you find yourself drifting from your intimacy with Christ, our true vine, ask Him to forgive you and get back into spending time with Him in prayer and in studying His Word. He longs for you to spend time with Him. He longs for you to produce good fruit for the Kingdom! He has called you and equipped you to do just that! Don’t allow anything or anyone to sever your branch from the vine!
Blessings!
There are periods that we forget that in the pursuit of fruit, that if we just abide in Him, then fruitfulness is a guarantee.~Francis Chan
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