Fruit
Have you ever asked these questions?
How in the world does God expect me to make it in this life? How am I supposed to live? Why don’t I have more victory? If God is for me, then why is my life not looking that way? I have heard about God’s power, but maybe He just forgot me when He was passing out the power pills. James 2:5 says, “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (Definition of poor: destitute of wealth, influence, position, honor, helpless, powerless to accomplish an end, reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms.)
All of us have real needs. The big three are, love, security and significance. Within these, we all have “felt” needs. Some need food and clothing, some need children to come to know God, some need healing in their bodies, and the list goes on.
Our provisions are in His presence.
Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” If God is going to supply all of your need in “glory,” then you are going to have to find out where glory is, and get there; otherwise you could be waiting in the wrong place for God to move. If I am waiting at the train station for the bus, I will never catch the bus. I have to find out where the bus station is! Well, we have to find out where glory is. The word “glory,” when it applies to God is simply His presence.
We need to get into His presence and hear Him speak His Word to us. His Word becomes a promise and a seed planted in our heart and eventually will bear fruit if we take care of the seed properly.
Bearing fruit is what is important to God.
“This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
We need to re-direct our efforts from whatever we have been doing and concentrate on bearing fruit.
Adam was created for bearing fruit, what about us?
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food’” (Genesis 1:28-29).
Jesus was telling us to change, repent from struggling to get our needs met, and to become fruit bearers. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’” (Matthew 4:17). That is to turn and change directions. When you do, you will find the Kingdom of God so close that you can take hold of it.
You may ask, what did He mean? Turn from what? What is the Kingdom of God? I believe that we are to turn from the world’s way of living life to the Kingdom’s way of living life. I believe that this applies to our entire life. I also believe that Jesus was not simply saying to these people, “Stop sinning and repent from your immoral ways.” No, Jesus was giving us the plan for living life.
Humans use all the methods of the world system and of their own self sufficiency to get their unmet needs met. Our basic needs are love, security and impact (significance).
Didn’t Peter write that the promises of God provide us with everything we need for life and Godliness? Read 2 Peter 1:3-4.
When they do not get their needs met, people do not want to accept the fact that the world will never provide their needs. They attempt to close the gap by trying to improve themselves, hoping that things will get better. They think there must be something wrong with them. Guilt comes, they misjudge God’s character, Satan promotes lies, and they buy these lies. They doubt the truth of God’s Word.
So what is the answer?
How do we get the Kingdom of God by turning? Jesus said in Mark 4:11 that the mystery of the Kingdom of God is revealed in the parable of sowing and reaping. Sowing and reaping what? Sowing and reaping the Word of God!
The end result of farming is fruit.
Jesus said in Mark 4 that the entire Kingdom of God worked on this principle. He said that this is the mystery of the Kingdom. What is the mystery? That life is sustained by the Word of God planted in a human heart. The process of growth then takes place. Along with the growth is pain. The pain that results from Satan attempting to steal the Word while you are waiting for the “Lord to return” with the fruit.
He is saying that we need to become Word-dependent people and neither self-dependent, nor world dependent. The way to depend upon God is to depend upon the supernatural power of the Word of God!
We do not need to become so skillful in handling life, as we need to become skillful in handling the Word of God.
Another way to put it is; repent (i.e. take a shift in what you ultimately trust in and depend upon for your most critical need, shift from depending upon yourself and the world system) because the Kingdom of God (i.e., God’s system described in Mark 4 of planting the seed of the Word of God in your heart, and allowing it to grow to produce everything you need for life and Godliness, for bearing fruit for God’s glory) is now within your reach.
Allow God’s grace to take over your life.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the things you need will be added to you, they will overtake you like fruit overtakes the branch on the vine (Matthew 6:33).
Acts 26:18 says that when we turn, or repent, we take ourselves out of the power of Satan and put ourselves under the power of God.
There are three kinds of fruit, one for everything we need and everything God needs.
1. Fruit of the Spirit. Interior fruit. This is godly character. This is the fruit that makes you like Jesus. Read Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
2. Fruit for our lives. This includes our social, family, health and body, financial, etc. This goes along with 3 John 1:2 that says, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” I have experienced more of my needs cared for as my character changed. Read 1 Corinthians 9:7. Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? John 4:36 says, “Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.”
A personal testimony.
There was a time in our lives back in 1983 when our income was not sufficient to meet our projected expenses. I got alone with the Lord in a local park, just walking and kicking rocks, telling Him about my problem.
He spoke so clearly and said, "Larry, if you will believe 2 Corinthians 9:8, put it on your lips and in your heart, and if you will speak it out as many times during the day as you can, I will provide for your needs. By the way, please tell me what your budget is." So I told the Lord the minimum that I needed to care for my family. In less than five months our income increased to just what I had told the Lord I needed! However, reflecting on this time in my life, I must admit that for years prior to this time I had been giving sacrificially, even large amounts out of my very need.
3. Missionary fruit. Fruit for others or ministry. “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8). Our work for the Lord will not count for much, unless it is fruit and not the work of our flesh.
All fruit has seed inside of it for reproduction. Genesis 1:11 says, “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.” Once the interior fruit grows inside of us, it spills out seeds that produce exterior fruit, or ministry to others.
A personal testimony.
I had never really planned to have a ministry such as ISOB. I always had a heart to serve God, however. In 1995 The Lord spoke to me in two ways. He spoke Psalm 68:11, which says, “The Lord gave the word; Great was the company of those who proclaimed it” (Psalms 68:11). He told me that if I wrote and published the Word, that He would see to it that a great host would proclaim it, or re-publish it. He also spoke to me from Mark chapter 14 where it tells the story of a woman who broke her alabaster flask to pour out its costly oil of spikenard on Jesus. The Lord spoke to me and said, "Larry, will you take your substance and pour it out on My Body, just because it feels good to Me?"
These Words or rhemas from the Lord became seeds in my heart, and they are now bearing their fruit! The interesting thing is, that the seeds continually multiply with each piece of fruit, which causes the fruit to grow exponentially! It has and still is, and the nice thing is I really had very little to do with it. Sure I worked hard, but only in obedience to what I heard God speak to my heart. I attempt to avoid "my plans."
How does the seed, or Word, process work?
Mark chapter 4:1-21 tells us the parable of the sower. The entire Kingdom works on this mystery. “He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables. Without this parable you cannot understand any other parable’” (Mark 4:11).
In this parable Jesus gave us a simple system to use in order to walk in His kingdom with fruitfulness and to be pleasing to Him.
There is no discrimination on race, education, age, sex, intellect, social status or family background. None!
Read Mark 4:1-21. Mark 4:11 says, “He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.’” Mark 4:14 says, “The farmer sows the word.”
Not only does it work like a seed, but like a mustard seed. Mark 4:30-32 says, “Again he said, ‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch (abide, live) in its shade.’”
A mustard seed is the smallest seed known. All other vegetable seeds grow into plants, but the mustard seed actually grows into a tree! It is very unusual to have something that looks so insignificant produce something so large! It is also out of character for an herb to become a tree. So it is with the seeds of the Word of God and the Kingdom of God. It does not look like much, but it will provide for all of your needs and for those in your realm of influence, just as the mustard seed does for the birds. Read Luke 17:5 about mustard seed faith.
Every person must choose one of these ways to live their life.
But watch out! Satan and his demons are determined to steal your seed. He will not ignore you and allow your seed to grow without a challenge!
There is a process for the fruit to grow. If the process is not followed, the fruit will die. We only have two choices, Grow or Die!
Here is the theme of “Grow or Die.” It is God’s system for bearing fruit.
1) We need to turn to the Word for fruit.
2) We need to know how to be intimate with God - which is covered in the Flowing River chapter.
3) We need to know how to get out and stay out of being Prisoners in the Promise Land.
4) We need to know more about God’s character - Who God is.
5) We need to know our true identity in Jesus - SIT. [1]
6) We need to take up our cross and walk in obedience to the Word - WALK.
7) We need to know about our enemy Satan and how he comes to steal the Word; and how to STAND until victory and fruit comes.
These will be the lessons in the Grow or Die series. They are Scriptural, they work, they are what the Word teaches, and I can testify that God has never failed to use this process in my life.
In John 15:18-27 Jesus warns us that part of the fruit bearing process will be persecution and suffering, but that the Holy Spirit will be there as our comforter.
“Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also” (John 15:20). Many people never get their needs met because Satan or his assistants come and steal the Word before it can bear fruit. We need to know that the persecution, trials, and sufferings that we go through do not mean that the fruit is not growing; on the contrary, they are signs that the fruit is growing. We need to be wise!
Seeds need nourishment.
They need certain water and minerals. We need to add to the seed sown. There is a process within which a believer in Jesus Christ grows. To understand that process and path, and to cooperate with God in it, will ensure that the believer will Grow. We believe that this Grow or Die course has the water, vitamins and minerals needed for growth.
To be ignorant and/or to refuse to cooperate with God will certainly render the believer a “Prisoner in the Promise Land.” The Israelites made it to the Promise Land. In the Book of Judges, the people of God, even though they were in covenant with God, were prisoners to their enemies. Gideon and his people are our examples of prisoners getting free.
In the same way, even today, God’s people can be prisoners to fear, guilt, addictions, condemnation, low self-esteem, pride and many other spiritual enemies.
The way to avoid staying in prison is to Grow! The end of the growth process is fruit. Fruit is a result of abiding in the vine that will develop the “missionary” within each believer. Look at the Book of Revelation. The end result after all the battles is fruit, as described in Revelation chapters 20-22.
There are 7 main categories in the Grow or Die process:
Bearing Fruit (The goal of bearing fruit)
The Flowing River (Intimacy with God)
Prisoners in the Promise Land (Our potential condition)
Who God is (His character)
Sit (Our position in Christ)
Walk (Our responsibility)
Stand (Our victory in warfare)
These are the “seven lead lessons” that make up Section 1 Seminar 1.
Section 2 Seminar 2, consists of 4 additional lessons having to do with Running The Race, The Cross, Demons and Deliverance and Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Each of the above categories has several individual lessons that may be studied by the student in order to complete the extended course. For the extended course, you will begin with the lessons listed above, and then proceed to the many lessons included in the above main categories. For instance, Who God is has 18 lessons, Sit has 13 lessons, Walk has 41 lessons, and Stand has 11 lessons (there are more in Course 3). You may choose to stop after reading and studying the 11 lessons in this book, or you may continue to complete the course, consisting of over 100 lessons.
It is important for us to know how we learn and how we operate spiritually.
We do not learn spiritual things as we learn secular things, through information processed in our minds. Surely our minds are a part of the process. However, with God we receive revelation, something that is unveiled that was previously veiled to us. Satan puts a veil over our spiritual eyes so that we cannot see (2 Corinthians 4:4). The most important thing to know, however, is that when we receive this revelation, we receive it as a seed, not as fruit. So with each nugget of truth that the Lord reveals to us, we must take it through the process of Who God is, Sit, Walk and Stand. God reveals to us something about Himself, He then applies it to our life (Sit), then we need to obey and Walk it out. For sure, Satan comes to steal the Word, so we must Stand. When we get through this we will bear fruit. See Mark chapter 4 for this Scripture reference.
So this discipleship process is not one big event in our life. No, it is a continual process that we go through, time and time again for each season of our life. It is never ending. We may be standing for one issue and in the sitting process for another issue in our lives.
Following is an outline of the Grow or Die curriculum.
Fruit (This lesson). Trusting the Kingdom of God; the Word of God.
Flowing River. Keeping the branch and the vine connected through fellowship. We need the presence of God in our daily lives. This is a Scriptural and simple map for doing just that in your private devotion time. Ezekiel 47 tells about the River flowing from God’s Temple into the lost sea of humanity. We are God’s Temple. Intimacy precedes true service!
Prisoners in the Promise Land. Getting free so we are not branches cast into the fire of fruitlessness. Gideon is our example as an Israelite who had a covenant with God living in his God given promise land, yet he was a prisoner to his enemies. What kinds of enemies keep us in bondage? How do we get free?
Who God is. We need constant reminders of Who He is, and that without Him we can do nothing. We will get a quick snapshot of God’s character. We will touch on aspects like the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We will touch on the Word of God, the Virgin Birth and on who God is now.
Sit, Walk, Stand. As a disciple of Jesus Christ it is valuable to know and understand what and how you are learning. There may seem to be so many different things that you feel you need to learn. So often teachings and doctrines will appear to be controversial and in conflict with each other.
For instance, we need to press in to lead a holy life. On the other hand, grace is always there for our failures. So what do we do? Perform and act right, or live any old way and wait for God’s grace?
The idea of Sit, Walk, Stand will resolve this apparent conflict. In the book of Ephesians, all three of these issues are addressed. Great credit is given to Watchman Nee and his book, Sit, Walk, and Stand. (1)
SIT: Ephesians 2:6 says, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” God wants us to know that Jesus finished all the necessary work for our salvation at the Cross. The finished work of the Cross and the resurrection of Jesus has made a new creation out of us. The old person died, and we were born again. We need to know that God did the work, we did nothing but receive what He accomplished. No matter how many mistakes we may make, forgiveness is there, we are no longer under the law.
Walk: Ephesians 4:1 says, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Now that you know who you are in Jesus, you are asked to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, not a law, but a living person in the form of the Holy Spirit. You are called to walk and live in holiness and righteousness. This is not in any way to earn salvation or favor, but to conform your exterior life to the life of God that is on the inside of you. This is always your choice. A bird must act like a bird, it has no choice, but a Christian may choose to act like a sinner. This is dangerous, because if sin is carried for a long time without confession and repentance, backsliding is imminent. We are not promoting some sort of system of works or legalism. We must always keep in mind that the grace of God is what always takes us to victory.
We are in blood covenant with God now, and a blood covenant requires two deaths. Jesus already did His work, now we are called to do our part.
Luke 9:23-24 says, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’”
Stand: Our attitude towards the enemy. There is power over the enemy when the two crosses connect. Ephesians 6:10 tells us to Stand against the wiles of the devil as God leads us into his territory. There will be warfare and trouble, but the Holy Spirit will give us comfort. Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.” We need to know that there is an active and alive Satan, the devil, who wishes to kill, steal and destroy you and your family. He is very real! He will lie and make you believe that you have no sitting position. He will tempt you to walk the way of the world and your old flesh nature. The devil has been defeated by Jesus, however, he is allowed to lie to us and tempt us. We have some overcoming to do. The victorious Christian life is not easy, our emotions and circumstances tend to lie to us about sitting, walking and standing. But if we stand against the devil, after we know who we are in Jesus, and after we are walking in the Spirit and in repentance, then we can stand until victory comes.
Until we go to heaven we will be involved in a major war with the kingdom of Satan. Victory will come every time if we take sit, walk and stand in their proper place.
“May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us” (Psalms 67:5,6).
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