This study was first taught on September 10, 2013

Topic: The Essence of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives (7.5): The Progression in Fruit-Bearing (2)

(use the audio to study)

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Background
Last week, we began to look at progression in fruit-bearing in the life of a believer in Christ. We saw that there is a progression in fruit-bearing, which is occasioned by the occurrence of certain things in the life of the believer. We noted that the progression in fruit-bearing is some fruit; then, more fruit; then, much fruit; and finally, abiding fruit.

We noted that every believer who is truly in Christ will bear some fruit, no matter how little. Some fruit can be seen in every ‘new creature’ because, the old things of the unfruitful works of darkness are passed away, and all things have become new. Hence, the believer in Christ cannot and does not knowingly commit sin, nor does he continue to live in sin, but quickly confesses and forsakes sin when he does find himself in it, usually by accident or unintentionally. Some fruit is also discernible, as the believer ceases to be conformed to the pattern of this world, and begins to be transformed into the image of Christ, as he manifests the fruit of the Spirit to some extent, by his character and conduct. We also see some fruit in a believer’s life as he prays and receives answers to his prayers; as he goes about telling people about the Lord Jesus, who died to save them from sin, sinful living, and its consequences; as he reads the bible regularly, and memorizes and recites scriptures; and, as he finds the joy of the Lord in being a part of worship services, bible study meetings, and other relevant gatherings of God’s children. The believer in Christ also manifests some fruit in the early stages of his walk with Christ, when he readily receives the word of God without debate, and immediately puts it to practice.

When a believer in Christ has been sometime in Christ, and is not manifesting any of the above signs of fruit, it must mean that he is hard-hearted or has an unbroken spirit; or he is a hypocrite, who is merely pretending to be who he is not; or he is still very much carnal or worldly in his spirit, and has not allowed any transformation by the renewing of his mind to take place in him. Such a person is really one who continues to gratify the desire of the old Adamic nature, which leads to sinful living, and has refused to yield to the dealings of the Holy Spirit in his life. There are one of two ways of handling this kind of situation—either the person repents and crucifies the flesh and its affections and desires, or he is taken away completely from the ‘Vine’! We saw that the Holy Spirit, was given to every believer in Christ, to be with him, and in him, for the very purpose of ensuring that he is fruitful, so that he is not destroyed in hell. It is therefore to the advantage of every believer in Christ, to be yielded to Him for his own good!

We saw how Samson, by refusing to yield to the Holy Spirit, had become an unfruitful “branch”, who was almost destroyed by the Philistines, but for God’s intervention. For every believer in Christ, it is either you are bearing some fruit, and thus ready to progress to bearing more fruit; or, you remain recalcitrant and unfruitful, and therefore, a candidate for destruction in hell.

Scripture Text(s)
John 15:1-3
Tonight, we shall be looking at the input that brings a believer in Christ from the level of bearing some fruit, to the place of bearing more fruit. May the Holy Spirit help us to attain to this next level, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
From our scripture text, we see the role of the Father, the Husbandman and Vinedresser, as it applies to the next progression in fruit-bearing. Indeed, it is the Father Who is responsible for the believer who is already bearing some fruit, to bear more fruit, using an operation which the bible refers to as, purging or pruning. So what does purging or pruning entail?
Luke 19:12-26; John 17:17; Ephesians 5:25-27; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Matthew 13:19-22; Mark 4:19; 1 Timothy 6:6-11, 17-19; Proverbs 23:4-5; 24:3-4; Luke 21:34; James 1:21-25; Hebrews 12:4-11; Ecclesiastes 7:2-5; Job 33:14-30; 2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1.

Conclusion
Purging or pruning is an activity which a vinedresser engages in to make an already fruitful branch become more fruitful. In pruning, the vinedresser takes away from the already fruitful branch, the things that hinder it from being more fruitful. The vine dresser also takes away the unfruitful branch, thus allowing the branches that are already fruitful to have more sap from the vine and thus be more fruitful.

In like manner, our Father, God Almighty, is the One Who ensures that those believers who are already manifesting some fruit are pruned for more fruitfulness, by using the word of God as the pruning tool in concert with the Holy Spirit. This divine pruning takes the form of teachings from the word of God, that seek to deepen our relationship and devotion to the Father and to the Son, removal of excesses or superfluities from our lives, and, chastening or discipline through the word of God. For instance, we are constantly being pruned by the Father, as He removes our imperfections, our wrong motives, and, those unnecessary qualities (knowledge, wealth, earthly wisdom, etc.) that do not allow us to do good works. Our Father uses His word to teach us to leave superficiality and deepen our knowledge of Him. He uses His word to cut away our love, affection, and desire for wealth, worldliness, and pleasures. He also corrects and disciplines or trains us to live like His very own children, and ensures that excesses like zeal without knowledge is corrected, and knowledge that puffs up is dealt with. Divine pruning is what happens when we are made to be sober, moderate, and temperate in every area of our lives. This is when we can truly portray the nature and essence of Christ, and not leave the world wondering whether we are of Christ, or one of them!

In essence, pruning is about removal, revival, and renewal; all with the aim of making those who are already bearing some fruit, to bear more fruit, and it is done by the agency of the word of God, and the Holy Spirit, all orchestrated by the Father!

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