You may be a brand-new Christian, or perhaps you’ve known Jesus for years. Regardless, it should be obvious to others that you belong to Jesus. He said that when people look at you, they should see evidence of God at work.
What kind of evidence? Jesus called it “fruit.”
When you put others first instead of yourself, that’s fruit.
When you get rid of an ungodly habit and seek to live a pure life, that’s fruit.
When you refuse to gossip but choose instead to build up others, that’s fruit.
When you control your temper, even when others are losing theirs, that’s fruit.
When you forgive someone who hurt you, that’s fruit.
The types of fruit are endless.
God doesn’t expect you to produce all this fruit on your own. In fact, Jesus said you’re not capable (apart from him) of living a life that glorifies God. Rather, he wants to live through you, as a way to show others that he is alive and powerful.
In fact, the only way to keep Christ from producing fruit in your life is to resist what he’s trying to do in you. If, on the other hand, you cooperate with all Christ is doing in you, you’ll see amazing things taking place in your life.
Think back to when you first became a Christian. Are you the same person you were then, or have you allowed God to produce fruit in your life as a testimony to his greatness?
[LifeWay Devotionals]
John 15:8 ... Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Galatians 5:22-23 ... But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 5:8-10 ... For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. ❤
