fruit

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I want my ministry to be fruitful! Don't you? It's something I wish for and desire with every act of service I do in the house of God - and it would be hard to wish otherwise. I imagine there's not a single person serving God who doesn't want to see their ministry bear great fruit, in fact. So why is it, then, that some ministries are wildly fruitful, some less so, and some bear no fruit at all?

As is the common theme on my articles, I don't have all the answers to that - but it's been something on my heart these past few weeks, so I've delved a little into God's Word (a good place to start, as it happens!), and I want to propose three principles to you that I think are not just helpful, but crucial, to a fruitful ministry. At the end I would very much appreciate further suggestions and revelations, please!


1. PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS

PSALM 1:1-3
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

God's pretty clear about this one. A wicked servant cannot produce a fruitful ministry. And although, certainly, there have been countless men of God whose ministry continued to produce good fruit for years after some covert sinful downfall within, it has to be attributed to the gifts of the spirit still lingering over them - for God brings about each of their downfalls eventually, and the fruit ends.

Well, all that sounds a bit dire - and we know that God doesn't require us to be sinless, because that's not possible. By my reckoning, this inaugural psalm (and many corresponding verses throughout the Bible) are saying that as long as you pursue righteousness, earnestly and continually, then God will give you fruit. So whatever you do for the Kingdom, be sure that you are doing it alongside an active pursuit of personal righteousness.

ISAIAH 3:10
Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.

2. REMEMBER WHERE THE FRUIT COMES FROM

EZEKIEL 36:30
I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine.

My last article hear was about zealously serving the Lord. I still hold true to that (it's biblical after all), but I think we need to be careful in assuming that zealous serving means great fruit. The Word here says something different - it is never we who create the fruit, but God - "I will increase the fruit of the trees". All that we can do is lead people to the church and to a dialogue about salvation, and let God do the rest. In one sense this takes the burden off our shoulders somewhat, as it's not our burden to make salvations happen, that's the work of God. And certainly, we shouldn't be overly disheartened when our ministry doesn't bear as much fruit as we'd like - God's got it all under control.

But at the same time we need to be mindful that since God is the source of all fruit, to produce it we need to be sure we're dwelling in Him. Place God at the centre of everything you do in life, dwell in his presence at all times, and you will see his fruit.

JOHN 15:4-5
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

3. SUBMIT TO HIS WILL

MATTHEW 7:17-23
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

The last pattern I noticed in these verses is to do with God's will. Again, he tells us his edict in very plain speech. If you are not submitting yourself entirely to His will, you will not see the full fruit of God. What I find interesting about this is the implication that you can be carrying out the most Biblically-sound ministry in the world, you can be feeding the poor and preaching to the masses, you can be working for the Kingdom in whatever way you feel your heart lead you to, and yet if you have not submitted to the will of God, there'll be no fruit.

For me, that means more time in prayer, more time in the Word, and more time just listening, listening to what God has to say for me. If one word from Him will be enough to steer my ministry in the right direction and make it bear fruit, then it's worth it.

COLOSSIANS 1:9-10
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work.

God bless. Dan.