“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose confidence is in the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It’s won’t cease from yielding (bearing) fruit” – Jeremiah 17:7-8
I love the imagery of a thriving tree deeply rooted in God and producing rich, delicious fruit that nourishes other people in these scriptures.
But what does it mean to bear fruit like a flourishing tree? The Bible reveals many ways to do this, but there are four big ones:
- The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 is the best known verses about bearing fruit. Paul tells us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.”
These kind of fruit are very real and very valuable, they are not the sort of things we and necessarily see with our eyes. Their existence can be revealed through our thoughts, actions, and demeanors.
Self-control and patience are shown when we resist the urge to spout off a snappy comeback when someone speaks rudely to us. The fruit of joy is this way when we find a happiness in little things even when we’re going through difficult circumstances. And the fruit of peace is exhibited when we are able to lay aside and rest in God‘s promises that he is working all things for our good.
We all have moments when we are definitely not at peace, our joyful and loving is these moments that make us feel painful deficient in the fruit of the Spirit. At times we might wonder if we are growing in the Lord at all. I find that comparing where I am now to where I was several years ago can help me gain an accurate perspective on the growth of the fruit of the Spirit in my life. While I may find myself not as peaceful as I’d like to be, I worry less and I am much more peaceful than I was five or ten years ago. Recognizing this fact, reassures me that I have walked with the Holy Spirit. He has been faithful to produce increasing measures of His fruit in me.
2. The Fruit of Prayer
On the night before Jesus was crucified, He said,
“If you remain in Me and My Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is my Fathers glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples” – John 15:7-8
Jesus links asking, and receiving with bearing fruit, and then doing so, He reveals the answered prayer is a form of fruit.
Is important to remember that, asking in what we wish in prayer, must be the will of God. We cannot pray ill will for another and it will be done.
In the Bible, there are many examples of this kind of fruit, Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebecca, who was not able to bear children, and she went on to give birth to twins (Genesis 25:21). Moses prayed for water when he was leading the Israelites through the desert, and God provided fresh drinking water (Exodus 15:22-27).
Our persistence is an important ingredient to bury the fruit of answered prayers. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says,
“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.”
When we keep asking, we will get what we asked for. When we keep seeking we will find. When we keep knocking the door will be open to us.
When we seek to be fruitful in our prayer life, whether we are praying for guidance, healing, or provision we must not give up. Keep praying, believing, and abiding in Jesus, and trust that He will answer at the proper time.
3. The Fruit of Good Deeds
God has given each of us good work to do (Ephesians 2:10), and when we are faithful to do what God calls us to do it results in fruitfulness. Our “good deeds” will look different than our friends or neighbors’ good deeds. We bear different gifts that lead us to different fruits in a variety of God orchestrate ways.
My neighbor fixes vehicles for people and is an amazing cook which he delivers meals to the needy people he knows. That is not my gift. We each produce different kinds of good deeds.
Our good deeds should have a few things in common. Regardless of our individual gifts, our good deeds should benefit other people in some way, they should point others toward God, and they should be done in love.
4. The Fruit of Praise
Hebrews 13:15 says,
“Through Jesus, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to His name.”
The first thing you probably think of reading this is singing, and that’s a huge way we can praise God. But we can also praise Him for His goodness as we go through our day. We can praise Him when it is a beautiful day. We can praise Him for His provision -for our food, clothing, and other resources. We can praise His attributes -His love, His compassion, His wisdom, His faithfulness. We can praise Him for our salvation He had provided and the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.
We can praise Him as we pray, as we talk to others, even during problems and challenges. There is no end to the things we can praise Him for. We may not feel like praising Him, but remember the passage says, “to offer up a sacrifice of praise. A sacrifice means it costs us something. Praising when we don’t necessarily feel happy is a sacrifice to God, and is one that pleases and honors Him. By praising Him even in tough situations, we declare that He is bigger than our circumstances and that we believe He will take care of us.
From Pity to Praise 