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August 18, 2020
Today’s Promise
I Bear Spiritual Fruit
John 15:8
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
Fruitful Christians
God desires every Christian to be fruitful. When you are a fruitful Christian, you bring glory and honor to Christ.
But what is a fruitful Christian?
In this chapter, Jesus uses the branch and the vine to describe our relationship with Him. We are the branches, and He is the vine.
Just as a branch receives everything it needs to survive and flourish from the vine, we receive everything we need from Christ. Jesus calls this abiding in Him. The natural result of our abiding in Christ is fruitfulness. As we live in intimate fellowship with Christ, spiritual fruit begins to grow in our lives.
Fruit of the Spirit
The Apostle Paul lists nine spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. These fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are evidence of the intimate relationship you have with Christ.
Sometimes I hear of people trying to develop the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. They say they are really working on their patience, or they are trying to be more joyful. You can’t work on developing the fruit. They are the natural result of your abiding in Christ.
Healthy, Mature Christians
A healthy, mature apple tree produces apples. The tree doesn’t have to work to create apples; it does so by its nature. Apples come from apple trees, and spiritual fruit comes from growing Christians. You can’t hang a bunch of apples on an oak tree, and it suddenly becomes an apple tree. The fruit is the evidence of the nature of the tree.
Growing, mature Christians who are walking in fellowship with Christ will naturally produce spiritual fruit.
Abiding in Christ
The secret to growing spiritual fruit is abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ is resting in an active relationship with Jesus. It is living a life of submission to and fellowship with Him.
You don’t have to work at producing spiritual fruit. All you need do is stay connected and submissive to the life of Christ in you.
- Do you need more peace? Draw closer to Christ.
- Do you need more joy? Grow in your fellowship with Christ.
- Do you need more patience? (Don’t we all) Abide in Christ and trust in His plan for your life.
- Do you need to be more loving? Allow Christ’s love to flow through you.
God is working in your life to produce spiritual fruit. All you have to do is allow Him to work in you.
Look at that promise again.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. – John 15:8
Make these confessions after me.
- God desires for me to bear spiritual fruit.
- As I abide in Christ, spiritual fruit grow in my life.
- Spiritual fruit is the natural result of my abiding in Christ.
- As I am fruitful, I bring glory to God.
- I am a fruitful Christian
In Jesus Name,
Amen
Like the vinedresser, God desires His children to bear spiritual fruit. He is glorified when spiritual fruit begin growing in your life.
Just a quick reminder. Now more than ever, your child or grandchild needs your prayer covering. You can still learn to pray effectively for your student by signing up by Clicking Here.
How are you allowing spiritual fruit to grow in your life? Share your thoughts in the comment below.
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful message.
Thank you!
Thank you for reminding us of the need to produce good fruit. I grew up on a farm that had an apple orchard. I watched my father work in this orchard year after year pruning the old and caring for the new. His life also exemplified what the fruit of the spirit of God is. He lived it and by his example his children also learned the importance of commitment to Christ and sharing the fruits of the spirit with others. Thank you for your daily reminders of Linda Garrettthe love our God has for us. He is an aawesome God.
Thanks so much for sharing your story. What a great picture of God working in our lives. You were blessed to have a godly father. – Billy