Character That Builds For Eternity
By Steve Maile
John 15:4 NKJV
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
God’s heart for you, as a believer, is the development of your character as His Son and daughter, which in turn produces fruitfulness. Just like the vine produces fruit, we are the branches attached to Christ that need to bear much fruit.
1- What does abiding in Christ means?
Abiding in Christ means we are inextricably bound together to Him in love and living a life of holiness, letting Him work in our character to change us and mould us into His image and likeness. Many come to God and receive salvation but they neglect the importance of abiding in Christ continually. The sign of knowing we are abiding in Christ is the fruit we begin to produce. People may attend religious services and do some acts of service and yet not be abiding in Christ.
In order for us to allow the Lord to work in our character, we need to be planted in a Holy Spirit filled Church, not in two or three Churches, but one. People who attend more than one Church pick and choose what’s convenient to them, just like a plant cannot grow in two pots, the same is with us. God’s design is for us to be under a godly authority that can watch over us and help us grow in the faith. There are Churches where the full Gospel is not preached, therefore it’s impossible to abide in there.
2- What are the good works we must do?
Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
After reading this verse we could ask the question, “what are the good works God has prepared for me to do?” The Good works are people, the people that you can influence and lead to Christ. Service is different to good works, we all have to work hard doing things and serve, but also we all need to work in bringing others to Christ. Investing in people that are in the house of God and outside in the world. In 1 Corinthians 16:15 KJV says, “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)” observe the word the King James Version has used, “addicted,” This same verse in other versions say, “they devoted themselves to serve God’s holy people,” would you say you are addicted to serving the saints? Maybe you say, “l think they are alright, but I’m not addicted.” Being devoted or addicted to serve or minister to the people is the good works we must do. In Mark 16:15 NKJV Jesus himself tells us, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Everyone must hear the Gospel and we are the ones to announce it to them, all of us in Christ must do the work of an evangelist. This is after all “the Great Commission” not “The Great suggestion.”
3- Why must we allow the Lord to work in our character?
In Genesis 1:12, NKJV we find an unchangeable principle, it says: “And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” The principle is “Everything reproduces after its own kind,” for example an apple tree can never give oranges, just apples. This same principle applies in our lives as well, our characteristics are being reproduced in our children and people we lead and have influence over. You may teach all you like, but you will always reproduce what you are. This should bring some sobering to us, the thought that we could be influencing people for bad is terrifying! The Lord surely wants to work in us in order to produce good fruit, and this is why we must allow Him to work in our lives.
We must not be discouraged and give up on ourselves, because Philippians 1:6 NKJV says, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” The Lord promises to finish the work He began in us, praise the Lord! Allow then the Lord to work in you.
4- What are the fruits we must reproduce?
Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Here the Apostle Paul mentions the fruits of the Spirit which are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
About love:
We need to tell others about Jesus, but are we being motivated by God’s love to share the message of salvation to others? We must make sure that the love of God is pouring out of us to reach the lost for Christ.
About joy:
Do you have Joy serving the Lord? The Will of God is full of love, joy and peace. It should be a great joy and privilege serving others as unto the Lord. Some believers have no joy in them, because they are living their Christian faith under the Law. Legalism and Law will not produce the fruit of the Spirit but abiding in Christ, holding on to Him will.
The only thing that the Law will do is reveal how much we have sinned and fallen short of salvation, but it doesn’t have the power to change you. In fact, all those who live by the law always have “a skeleton in the closet,” they have secret sins. It’s time to repent and hold on to Jesus.
About long-suffering:
Another fruit is “long-suffering,”but when it says long-suffering it doesn’t mean God will make someone sick, or make another one suffer, but it’s having patience with one another, a patience that endures.
About kindness:
Right now there are signs everywhere saying: “Be kind” this is good and by all means be kind but true kindness can only come through knowing Christ and letting His life overflow through you.
Fruitfulness is having a godly character, this is why character is so important! The gifts God has given you He will not take back, they are yours and those gifts can take you places, but your character is the most important one. As believers we should not be in awe of gifting, our highest goal is to have a godly character, adjusting and letting the Lord have His way in us.
What do you do behind closed doors? Do you seek God and put Him first in everything or are you doing something else? Because what you do behind closed doors when no one watches is actually who you really are! For example: wasting time, cutting corners, cheating, being immoral, etc.
5- Five essential truths necessary to produce fruitfulness.
1- The water of the Word of God
Meditate and put in practise God’s Word. Psalm 1 NKJV Says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” Also Hebrews 4:12 NKJV tells us, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” We need to come under the Word of God so it can challenge us and change us.
2- Cultivated soil
This has to do with your receptivity, in Matthew 13:18-23 NKJV we find the parable of the sower explained, in verse 23 says,”But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” It’s okay to produce 30%, but why do 30% when you can do 100%. Make sure your heart is receptive and teachable to the Lord and His apostolic leaders.
3- The principle of dying
In John 12:24 NKJV says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” We have got to die to our old ways of the flesh and to selfish ambitions. Make it a quick death, because only when we die to selfishness we can bring forth much fruit.
The verses that follow the mention of the fruit of the Spirit say this, (Galatians 5:24-25) NKJV “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” We cannot escape the principle of dying, but dying to selfishness will bring life and the wonderful fruit of salvation.
4- Pruning
John 15:2 NKJV “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Who has ever had a pruning from God? When God brings pruning He sure cuts off some nonsense in order for us to be fruitful.
5- Abiding in the vine
John 15:4-5 NKJV
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Hold on to Christ, depend on Him for everything, draw life from Him and be confident in His power. Repent for trying to do it your way and in your own strength, repent from any hidden sin and enjoy your relationship with Christ. Without realising it you will be bearing fruit, and fruit that will remain.
Share a thought from the second service that relates to this subject of building godly character.
Prayer:
Lord,
Thank you for loving us so much and as sons and daughters you want us to be like you. Help me to abide in you always as you work in my life. Help me to submit to the godly authority you have put over my life, and if I am not under godly authority, I repent now. Bring my life into order, establish me in the vine, prune me to start producing fruit for your glory.
In Jesus Name,
Amen