THE FATHER’S PRUNING AND PURGING FOR MINISTERIAL FRUITFULNESS

Text: John 15:1-8, 16.

Fruitfulness in Christ!​ | RCCG Mount Zion Parish Regina SK

Christ wants to prune and purge us so that we can bring forth much fruit. The essence of listening to the word of God and praying is so that we will not be barren but bear much fruit.

1. THE CONVERSION OF TRUE FRUIT-BEARING BELIEVERS

John 15:1-5.

i. The Impossibility of Being a Branch on Two Different Trees – John 15:1-2; Romans 11:17-21; John 8:41,44; Matthew 6:24.

And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;” (Romans 11:17). You must be cut off from the tree of sin you were born into before you can be grafted into Christ. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24).  You cannot serve God and idols at the same time because idol worship and serving Satan cuts you off from God.

ii. The Integration of the Believer-Branch into the True Divine Tree – Romans 11:24; Deuteronomy 6:23; 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; Acts 2:40-42.

For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?” (Romans 11:24). When you are cut off from the wild tree, it is not for you to be thrown away but to be grafted into Christ who is the True Vine. The sinner is wild in character and lifestyle and before He can come into Christ, he must be cut off from the wild tree. “And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.” (Deuteronomy 6:23). When Christ brings you out of darkness, He doesn’t leave you hanging in the middle or in the valley of indecision, He brings you into the light. You must come out of your past life before you can come into Christ. When these people in the early church came to Christ, they were converted, and they continued in fellowship and the word of God. We must do the same.

iii. The Identity of Begotten Branches in the “Despised” Tree – Isaiah 53:3-5; 1 Peter 1:3,14-16; Romans; 11:16, 22; 1 John 5:18-21.

Christ came to His own people but He was despised by the people He came to save. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3). When we are born into the kingdom, it happens instantaneously because of faith in God’s power and promise. Salvation from sin is not a gradual process but an instantaneous experience. “As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16). After we become born again, we have the nature of our heavenly Father. You cannot have the nature of the serpent and the nature of the Saviour at the same time. In your daily life, every step you take and every decision you make must be by the written word of God. Satan, the wicked one, watches over his properties; as you refrain from his properties (sins), the devil too will not be able to touch you.

2.   THE CONSECRATION OF FAITHFUL, ABIDING BRANCHES

John 15:3-5.

Christ always spoke deliberately and with a particular direction of purpose. He never spoke words that made anyone corrupt, unclean, or weak. As we follow Christ, we must live, walk, and talk like He did. No amount of head knowledge, religious activities, church attendance or pilgrimage to the holy land can make anyone bear fruit.

i. The Faithful, Abiding Believer-Branch – John 15:3-5; 1 John 2:24,2829; John 8:31-32; Acts 11:23.

You must let the word of God about salvation and eternal life abide in you. You abide in the Lord by allowing the word of God, the word of faith, and the word of assurance that saved you to remain in you, then you meditate on it, believe it, and practice it every time. “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:3132). At the point of salvation, sanctification, and Holy Ghost Baptism, you had the truth, but you did not know all the truth; it is as you continue in Christ that you will know more truth and that truth will make you free.

ii. The Fellowshipping, Added, Belonging-Branch – Acts 2:42,47; 1 Corinthians 10:20-21; Ephesians 5:11-14; 1 John 1:5-7.

A real branch has a sense and attitude of belonging. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:42). As a child of God, He has added you to the church, and you should not subtract yourself. There must be a desire in you to fellowship with the children of God. As He adds you to the church, all the promises, prophecies, and progress He has for the church will be added to you your life as well in Jesus Name.

iii. The Fruitful, Approved Minister-Branch – John 15:7-8; Matthew 7:15-20; John 12:24-26; 2 Peter 1:5-8.

The minister too is a branch and must abide in Christ because victory, triumph, solution, and miracles are in Christ. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24). We need to die to self management, self-promotion, and self-help before we can bring forth much fruit.

3.   THE CULTIVATION BY THE FATHER, PRUNING THE BRANCHES

John 15:1-2,8.

i. The Personal Purging for Maintained Fruitfulness – 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Timothy 2:21-22; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; 1 John 3:3.

Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Whenever you notice anything unclean creeping into your life, you must purge yourself from that uncleanness so that the Lord will prepare you as a vessel for Himself. If the old anger, malice, and other sins of your past life are coming back to your life, you need personal cleansing. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:3). You must purify yourself so that the laziness of the past will not take over your life again.

ii. The Periodic Pruning for Multiplied Fruitfulness – Isaiah 5:1-7; 6:57; Malachi 3:3-4; Hebrews 9:14,22.

Whatever is an hinderance to your spiritual growth, you can confess them to the Lord in private, and the fire of the Lord will burn away every chaff from your life in Jesus Name. After Isaiah was purged, he could hear the voice of God and his ministry took a better turn. As you purge yourself today, there is no limit to what the Lord will do through you.

iii. The Purposeful Purging for Ministerial Fruitfulness – Hebrews 12:6-14; Job 34:31-32; Psalm 119:67,71-72; Proverbs 3:11-12.

When God purges us through chastisement, His purpose is to make us partakers of His holiness. And when we become partakers of His holiness, we will be able to follow peace with all men and that peace will convert them to the Lord in Jesus Name. God wants us to be partakers of His holiness that comes by grace, and He will fill us with His holiness in Jesus Name.

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