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January 2000.
A Journey In The Wilderness
Page 8/9 Becoming Fruitful
The Scriptures document many instances
of God’s discipline, purging and sanctifying process in preparation
for ministry. They are examples for us of how God calls us and then
prepares us before we are commissioned into service. In the most
recent years, there have been many prophetic words proclaiming that
God is raising up an army. This is the “call”. The process
of sanctification is the “boot camp” of preparation which
precedes it.
Part of our makeup as human beings
is to find a purpose for our life. God made us this way so He could
fulfill us with His purpose and thereby bring pleasure to us, and
glory to Him. It is part of His plan for His Body. As a member of
the Body of Christ, every person has a unique place of service.
We were reborn into this new life which is characterized by abundant
fruitfulness, to bear fruit. It is not our efforts which produce
fruitfulness but rather, fruitfulness is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Our calling to service to Jesus is not necessarily some physical
activity (although it often is), rather, it is a spiritual cooperation
with the Holy Spirit to produce fruitfulness not only in others’
lives, but first and foremost in our own lives.
Our North American concept of fruitfulness is not necessarily God’s
concept of fruitfulness. We may have visions of preaching to a football
stadium of people or praying for the sick. We may have thoughts
of successful ministry through business and giving millions of dollars
to the work of the Kingdom. All of these things may be a result
of fruitfulness. This, however, is not the essence of fruitfulness,
but rather the manifestation of it. Fruitfulness is the acquisition
of the treasure of the Kingdom. Receiving life from the Holy Spirit
and surrendering to His pruning will produce the fruit of the Kingdom
of God which is our first service to Him. Therefore, this process
of sanctification is for every Believer. Every person who confesses
Christ as Lord and Saviour is destined for sanctification, purging,
and preparation to reign forever with Him. We are commanded to be
fruitful by abiding in the ongoing flow of life and sanctification
of Jesus (Matt. 15:1-8). It is His work in us which produces the
fruit, and it is the fruit which is our ministry to God. Outward
signs of ministry may not necessarily be fruitfulness since Jesus
warned about doing the work of the Kingdom out of an impure motive.
These can be dead works which do not flow out of the life we draw
from Christ.
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