BEARING FRUITS

The gardener

One of the chapters that has completely changed my life and one I continuously keep going back to is John Chapter 15. We could do a series of articles based on that chapter alone, but we will not do it daily, as every article comes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. However, do not be surprised whenever we come back to it from time to time until we exhaust everything that the Holy Spirit wants us to talk about. For the sake of today's article, let us talk about John 15:1-5 (NIV). Jesus is talking about Himself as the true vine, the Father as the gardener, and the branch as you and me today. Christ is urging us to remain in Him as He remains in us, just as He remains in the Father and the Father remains in Him, so that we may bear much fruit. As it is written in John 15:5, "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."

One of the profound lessons I have learned from the scriptures above is that our progress and success in everything we do comes from the Father's perfect unity with the Son. It is the unity between us and the Son that draws the blessings and love of the Father into our lives, creating the fruits that God, in His perfect unity with the Son, intends for His children. Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30), and His presence in our lives brings the Father and his glory to dwell in us as well. Technically, if you remain in Christ, you have both the Father and the Son living in you. Jesus prayed in John 14:23, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them." Imagine what you could do and achieve with that perfect union! That is why Jesus said if you ask Him for whatever (meaning there is no limit to what you can ask from Him) you wish (imagine or dream of), He will do it for the glory of the Father who is in you because of that oneness with our Lord Jesus Christ. "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13).

Wherever Jesus is, the glory of God is also present with Him. And where the glory of God is present, things supernaturally happen. Look at the earth before creation; the glory of God was present by the Spirit of the Lord, and the next thing you know, through Jesus (the Word of God), something happened—the earth was created. As John 1:3 tells us, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." That is the kind of fruit Jesus is talking about! Right now, the Father's glorious presence by the Spirit of God is present inside you through Jesus, and He wants to see something happen in your life. However, It is amazing how we Christians do not want to take advantage of this. That is why Jesus was talking to His disciples, saying, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name" (John 16:24). In other words, you are not taking advantage of the Father's presence in Me yet, and you are taking too long! Ask so that your joy may be complete. God is looking forward to joyous and abundant fruit for your life. We have got to do something and cash in on His presence in our lives through Christ. Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NIV) says, "Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap." The time is now! Ask, ask, and ask now. God wants to see the fruits—the kind the world is not ready for—to come out and be manifested in your life, flowing from His glorious presence through Christ who lives in you. He wants to see some movement. He wants to see some progress. His presence is not in you for nothing. we have got to capitalize on it because it is what Father through Jesus wants for his children He wants to see your life filled with joy and abundance, for "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).

I do not know about you, but right now I feel like raining down petitions upon the throne of God with all kinds of requests! I want to be whole, I want to be happy, and I want a life full of joy.

May you also receive it now in Jesus' mighty name!