26 October 2003                                                  1                                              Keys to Producing Fruit #1

Keys to Producing Fruit #1

1. Introduction:

Luke 19:13 -  He called His 10 servants & delivered to them 10 pounds and said unto them:

                             “Occupy till I come”

· Every believer is a full time servant  of the Lord entrusted with gifts/reserves.

·   (v 13) “Occupy” = 4231 = To trade, to busy oneself, to repeatedly perform action.

·   Christ's clear commandment is  that each believer is productive in extending His Kingdom.

·   (v 15)  “How much every man had gained by trading”.

·   “Trading” implies  * Initiative   * Effort   * Risk   * Perseverance.

·   Every believer is expected to be fruitful, productive and will be rewarded for it.

· John 15:16 – “Chosen you ...... go and bring forth fruit & that fruit should remain”.

                         It is part of God's design & purpose that each believer be fruitful/productive.

                         When a fruit tree does not bear fruit – something is wrong!

2. Fruit is the expression of Health and Life:

a)  The Fruit reveals the Root – Matthew 12:33  “....a tree is known by his fruit”:

·   People tend to blame others or circumstances for what is happening in their life.

·   You bring forth of what is within you:

   Eg:    Rejection;    Bitterness;    Hate;    Contention;    Strife

   If these are continually present around you they probably reflect what is operating      

within you ie.  a fruit!

·   (v 35)  Treasure   =  accumulation of things you value, hold onto.

                              =  thoughts, beliefs, attitudes you draw from as you face life.

·   Circumstances do not control you – what is in you heart does.

·   Heart of man => soul, spirit.

·   Change what is happening within you, then what is happening around you will change  

  also!

·   God's way of changing people is to change the heart of man.

· John 3:3  - You must be born again – born by the Spirit of God.

·   It is the Spirit of God within a man that enables change to occur.

b)  Two Kinds of Fruit God looks for:

i)  Internal – Development of a Godly Character.  Ephesians 2:10 – “His workmanship”

· Galatians 5:22 “Now the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering,

                                                  gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

·   These are fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

·   These are expressions of His life and native.

·   These have a internal source – they come of yielding to obey the Holy Spirit.

26 October 2003                                                   2                                              Keys to Producing Fruit #1

ii)  External – Good Works.  Ephesians 2:10

· Titus 3:14  “And let ours also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent

                                            needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

· Galatians 6:10 “As we have opportunity let us do good to all men, especially

                                                  unto them who are of the household of faith.

·   Believers who are not active in serving are unfruitful/unproductive.

·   Good works  =>  (a)  Acts of Kindness

                             (b)  Generosity – giving

                             (c)  Serving people

                             (d)  Sharing the Gospel

                             (e)  Meeting needs

·   These are the overflow of an abundant inner life.

3. The Word of God is essential to Fruit bearing:

Mark 4: Parable of the sower and the Seed.

·   Everything that is a seed has potential  to bring forth fruit.

·   Everything God does is by sowing seed – word of God.

·   (v 14)  The Seed  =  Word of God.

             The Soil    =  The heart of man (soul & spirit).

·   100 Fold harvest  =  the best possible harvest that could be obtained in those circumstances.

· 3 Keys to bringing forth fruit:

(1)Recognize opposition and overcome it:

                                   a) Satan          - demonic spirits come immediately to take away the seed.

                                                           - write down what God has said so that you don't forget it.

                                   b) World          - pressures arise eg. Affliction, persecution on you. 

                                                             Obey the word of God.

                                                           - Meditate on the word and hold onto it in your heart.

                                   c)  Flesh          - distractions enter in, cares, financial concern, lusts.

                                                           - keep life focused and single minded.

(2)Be filled and led by the Holy Spirit:

·   (v21) Candle – Jesus talks about the candle – this is not another teaching      

   but part of the same teaching on being fruitful.

· Proverbs 20:27   'The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.

·   To harvest you must have a spirit filled, spirit directed life.

·   Your spirit life must not be hidden but in a place of leadership.

·   Candlestick is an elevated place, not concealed and gives light.

·   Strong prayer life – respond to promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit.                                       

                        (3)Use what you have:

·   (v 23-25)  How you apply what God has entrusted determines if you going 

            to get more.

·   eg. Exodus 4:2  “What is that you have your hand?”  eg. 2 Kings 4:2                                                                                           eg. John 6:9

· Apply what you have and expect more.