My freedom and victory come from the presence of the Lord and the Word of God
John 8:31-32 – So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, if you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
John 15:1-5, 7 (Amplified) – I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you]. Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
Fellowship with the living God and the Word of God are what prepare me for life. It is always the Word and the Spirit that God uses to work His works in me. I bear fruit through fellowship. My life becomes more and more clean and pure as it is conformed to His word (God’s way of thinking rather than man’s).
I am pruned already because of the word He has given me, because of the teaching He has discussed with me. All of the intimate times studying and fellow-shipping with God over His Word are what prunes me and prepare me to bear fruit. The fruit comes forth as I spend time with Him, abiding in His presence.
The more I think like God, the more I am cleansed. The more my mind is renewed, the more of God’s will I will live (Romans 12:1-2).
Pruning is putting aside the old ways of thinking and replacing them with the truth of God. The more I think like God, the cleaner I am. The more free I am from the old things that have kept me back and held me down.
The growth comes out of my fellowship with Him. As I grow, His word that I receive into my life is like a sword cleanses and cuts away the things not of God so that I can bear more and more fruit. I continue in the word that the truth can make me free. I continue to abide in His presence so that more and more growth and fruit come forth.
V. 11 – I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.
V. 15 – I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father.
We miss God’s intention when we think the Christian life is a matter of the outward things we do, when we base it on how we act. The Christian life is a relationship. All true fruit and good works will come out of intimate fellowship, out of friendship with God.
Our capacity to bear fruit increases with the knowledge of God we have. See the last post on Knowledge. All Christians can bear fruit that comes from their fellowship with God, but the quality and amount of fruit they bear will be connected to the knowledge of God, to the degree their minds are renewed to think like God. There is no limitation on how far we can go or how much we can do for God.
As friends the Lord shows is what He is doing and makes known to us the things of God, and through His power we act out the will of God. We do what He would do if He were here. We give Him a vessel to do the works of God.
John 3:21 – But he who practices truth comes out into the Light; so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence upon Him].
True good works are done in His power, wrought with God, divinely prompted, done with God’s help and in dependence upon Him. Trying to act like a Christian without abiding in Him, living in fellowship and communion with God will only produce “wax” fruit that may look good but will have no taste or food value when partaken of.
If you want to bear true and lasting fruit, abide in the Lord, live every day in His presence, and renew your mind by continuing to replace your thinking with God’s truths. Then you will be truly free.
