Jn 15:8 YOU SHALL BEAR MUCH FRUIT
We’ve seen that in Christ we are holy. Today we will look holiness being worked out in our lives which is called the process of sanctification. Sanctification is a verb and means to make holy.
What we must always keep in mind is that if holiness is from within, it can only be accessed by faith. Faith releases the power of God to to change us from within and release the fruit of the Spirit (character of God) into and through our lives; and that faith is released through God’s Word. Rom 10:17 Faith comes through hearing God’s Word.
Example: We hear a rumour at work that there will soon be redundancies. We now have 2 options: we can either worry, fret and stress or we can trust God who is our provider and sustainer.
A) Worrying and fretting about anything is a ‘ work of the flesh’ (Gal 5:19-21) because we are seeking to resolve the situation by what we can do. It is putting our trust in our own abilities and strength and is unbelief; and when we work, He rests.
B) Trusting in God through His Word means we are looking to God to do the work on our behalf, therefore, “Father, according to your word of Phil 4:6, I will not be anxious, fret or worry about anything. Instead I give this situation to you and trust you to provide and sustain me. I will rest while you work”.
As we let go of the situation into God’s keeping, He works on our behalf and provides what we need. It may be we retain our job or are made redundant and have a period of inactivity before we find another one; but as we steadfastly trust God by holding to and confessing His Word, He will provide for us.
Heb 10:23-24 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (NKJV)
Trusting God through His Word now releases within us and through us peace, joy and self control, the particular fruit of the Spirit that we need for this situation (Gal 5:22,23). Instead of exhibiting the work of the flesh, we are now bearing the fruit of God’s Spirit in our life.
This is the holiness that reveals God’s glory in our lives and is generated from within by the power of the Holy Spirit. John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. (NKJV)
Meditation Point: I must not exhibit the work of the flesh through struggle in my own strength but bear the fruit of the Spirit through trust and rest in God’s Word.
No tags
