Genesis1:28a NLT “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it”
From the beginning, God desired that we live in dominion. His heart towards us is that we will be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and live in dominion. It is in living out this mandate in our everyday lives that we find fulfilment and completeness. All of creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of God’s children.
Unfortunately, many believers have not discovered their innate God-given ability to live a productive/fruitful life and enjoy a life of dominion; the God-life; The Zoe life!
In John 15:4-8 MSG, Jesus gives us an illustration that explains the dynamics of this fruitfulness.
4 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
5-8 “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.”.
If we are going to be fruitful, we need to remain anchored to our source – Christ, just as the branches and leaves are anchored to the tree. Outside of God, we are deadwood!
The key to fruitfulness and fulfilment is abiding in God. Here are 3 practical steps we can take this year to achieve this:
- Taking out time to Deliberately Study the Word:
Prov 4: 2 2 MSG “Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they’re bursting with health.”
The miracle of fruitfulness in any area of life is tied to the revelation of truth from God’s word that you discover in that area. Until you discover it, you can’t experience it. Determine in your heart to search out the hidden treasures in the Word this year.
Joshua 1:8 AMP;“ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.”
We can chart our path to success, prosperity (fruitfulness) as we deliberately immerse ourselves in God’s word as a vital necessity for life.
- Prioritizing the Kingdom:
Matthew 6:31-33 “31 Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’ 32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also”
Invest yourself and resources in things of eternal value this year, and watch God throw the weight of heaven behind your endeavours.
- Perfecting our craft:
Proverbs 22:29 NLT “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people”
God is not calling us to mediocrity. As we trust Him for fruitfulness, put in the required work and be deliberate about it. Invest in your walk with God. Invest in your personal development. Invest in your relationships, in your family, in your health, in your finances. In closing, God desires that we live in dominion and we manifest His goodness. It’s up to us to take him up on this offer and live up to it.
Jeremiah 29:11 NLT “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”
PRAYER POINTS:
• That we will seek God’s kingdom first above all else
Matthew 6:33
• For a fresh hunger for God’s word; that we will meditate on
the word of God day and night and be careful to obey ALL that is in it. Joshua 1:8
• That the Lord will cause us to know Him intimately. Philippians 3:10
• The Lord will show us the path that is right for our individual lives and that we walk in His perfect will for us Jeremiah 29:11
• That we will not listen to the voice of strangers. We will not take short cuts but we will trust God’s process to divine fruitfulness. John 10:5
• Pray that as we become fruitful and successful, we always remember that it is in God that we are fruitful and find fulfilment.
Deut 8: 18 MSG “ If you start thinking to yourselves, “I did all this. And all by myself. I’m rich. It’s all mine!”—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.”
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