Producing fruit

 

4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

John‬ ‭15‬‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ 

This morning I read this verse and when I saw it, I envisioned a large orange tree full of fruit. What does it mean to “bear fruit”? Let’s look at Galatians first. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

Galatians 5:22-23

The Greek word translated as “fruit” refers to the natural product of a living thing. Paul used “fruit” to help us understand the product of the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every believer. The fruit of the Spirit is produced by the Spirit, not by the Christian. 

Like fruit that you eat, the fruit of the spirit need time to grow and ripen. This doesn’t happen over night.  As you grow in Christ, the fruit of the spirit will develop and start to show in your life and manifest. We must rid our lives of “weeds,” or sinful nature, just as a gardener does. The Bible says that God will “circumcise our hearts.” He will prune that sinful nature away. When he does you will manifest love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. The fruit of the spirit. 

To produce these fruits you must be connect to God and developing and growing in him. When you surrender to him, you will see the fruit start to produce! Be watchful of the weeds, or the old sinful nature, and flourish!