This study was first taught on August 27, 2013

Topic: The Essence of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives (7.3): The Basics of External Fruit-Bearing (2)

(use the audio to study)

---

Background
We began last week, to look at the fundamentals (the basics, the root, the skin and bones, etc.) of external fruit-bearing. We noted that if we get it right at the fundamentals, we would get it right with methodology and technicalities. Using John 15:1-5 as our scripture text, we noted three principals—the True Vine (the Lord Jesus Christ), the Vinedresser (God, the Father), and the branch (the believer in Christ).

We noted that the basics of external fruit-bearing is that there must be a vital union of Christ and the believer in Christ; that is, the believer must be united with Christ; and Christ with him! We said that this vital union is the friendship and fellowship which is based on the pursuit of the same purpose and the sharing of the same suffering, respectively, by Christ and the believer; resulting in the bringing forth of new believers in Christ and giving worthy service to God!

We said that the Holy Spirit is the bond of this vital union, bringing the believer into Christ, and causing the flow of the necessary ingredients needed for the bonding of the believer and Christ. We noted that for the union of Christ and the believer to be truly vital, it must be ongoing or continuous. Whilst the Holy Spirit’s role is to ensure that the union between the believer and Christ is ongoing, it is the believer’s responsibility through his yieldedness to the Holy Spirit, to ensure that he remains in the vital union, otherwise he will not be fruitful; be it internally or externally! Therefore, the believer’s life must be marked by; total submission to Christ; an unreserved acceptance of the nourishment and care of Christ; leaving everything to follow Christ; an unpretentious love for Christ, evidenced by obedience to the teachings or doctrines of Christ; a clear demonstration of love for other believers and non-believers alike; the Lordship of Jesus Christ over his life and affairs; and, the unimpeded involvement of the Holy Spirit in his life and affairs. Also critical to the fruitfulness of the believer is that nothing should be allowed to bring a separation between him and Christ—whether good or evil!

If we, those of us who say that we are believers in Christ or Christians, are to be fruitful in our service and sacrifice unto God, in soul-winning and disciple-weaning, and in ministry and doing the work of God in general, we must be consistent and constant in the following:
(a) The study of the word of God;
(b) Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ; and,
(c) Yielding to and cooperating with the Holy Spirit.

Scripture Text(s)
John 15:1-8; 5:16-19, 30
Tonight, we shall build on what we have already studied regarding our vital union with Christ, as we see how the Lord’s own earthly life and ministry was fruitful. May the Holy Spirit help us to develop the same attributes which saw the Lord exhibit a fruitful ministry while He was here on earth, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
From our second scripture text, we see the fundamentals of how the Lord fulfilled His earthly ministry. It was the result of His abiding in the Father, and replicating what He had seen the Father doing, on a day-to-day basis. If we are going to be likewise fruitful in ministry, we must also have this day-to-day communion and fellowship with the Lord, the True Vine!
Matthew 4:12-17; 3:13-17; John 1:29-34; Matthew 8:16-17; 12:14-21; 13:34-35; 21:1-11; Isaiah 11:1-5; Acts 10:38; Luke 4:18-21; Mark 1:35-38; John 6:5-6; 8:28-29; 6:38; 12:49-50; 11:1-15, 39-44; Hebrews 10:5-9; Mark 3:14-15; Ephesians 3:20; Micah 3:8; Zechariah 4:6; Acts 13:1-4; 16:6-40.

Conclusion
What is clear from our study tonight, is that the Lord Jesus, while He was here on earth, was able to achieve so much (bear much fruit) because He did not detach Himself from the Father. And even though He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power to do His work, He did not allow the pressure of ministry to overtake His fellowship with His Father, neither did He allow the persuasion of men to overwhelm His delight to do the will of His Father (even when that will was not pleasant to the flesh); nor did He allow the power of money to overshadow His primary purpose of glorifying the Father. Everything that the Lord Jesus did in His earthly ministry was indeed by the “Book”—it was to fulfill what was written of Him; regardless of whether or not it was pleasing to Him!

If we, those of us who say that we are believers in Christ, are to fulfill our own mandate of bearing fruit, we must likewise remain in the “Vine”, be in constant fellowship with our Master, know (not intellectually, but intimately) what is written in the word of God, and, take our instructions and directions from the Holy Spirit, even if it will land us in jail! We must understand that the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit is not for personal aggrandizement, but for the fulfillment of the purpose of God. We must, therefore, also not allow the pressure of ministry, the persuasion of men, and, the power (enticement) of money to overtake, overwhelm, and overshadow, our fellowship with the Lord; our delight to do His will; and, our primary purpose of bringing glory to the Father, and to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!

---

Back to all Bible Study Outline List