The Battlefield Of Fruitfulness

Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, March 07, 2004, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. 

THE BATTLEFIELD OF FRUITFULNESS

By Michael D. O’Neal                    Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church                     Albany, Georgia

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Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8,16

Text: John 15:8

John 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Introduction: PREPARE FOR WAR IN 2004!

Christians are under attack, and many of them do not even know it! Forces are at work, endeavoring to undermine the things of God in the lives of people.

One of the greatest areas of spiritual warfare is that of FRUITFULNESS.

FRUITFUL is found in the Bible in 32 verses. God wants His people to bear fruit:

2 Kings 19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

You remember that the one tree Jesus cursed was the fig tree, which had no fruit, but leaves only. The Lord wants FRUIT.

Luke 13:6-7 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

According to 2 Peter 3:9 it is God’s will for sinners to come to repentance. Every time a lost man is saved, Satan suffers a great defeat. However, even if he can’t get a person’s soul, he doesn’t leave him alone. His next big target is the believer’s FRUITFULNESS.

I want to point out to you that one of the great arenas of Christian warfare in America is:

THE BATTLEFIELD OF FRUITFULNESS

It’s a battle. The world, the flesh, and the devil will oppose the possibility of your being fruitful in God’s work.

If the battle is to be won and Christians become fruitful,

I. THERE MUST BE A PLANTING

Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

When a person is saved he is planted by God like a tree. He is also planted into Jesus Christ and become one with Him like members to a body and branches to a vine.

A. It is a delegated planting
     1. 1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

B. It is a divine planting

C. It should be a daily planting – a practical abiding in Christ and a drawing from the Root – Christ Himself

II. THERE MUST BE A PLACEMENT

Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

A. Surroundings
     1. Companions – Proverbs 13:20
     2. The right church

B. Sunlight
     1. Fellowship with Jesus, the light of the world
     2. Prayer

C. Showers
     1. The word of God – cleansing, refreshing, life-giving and -sustaining water

D. Soil
     1. Your own heart

III. THERE MUST BE PERSEVERANCE

Psalms 1:3-4 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

“…his leaf also shall not wither …”

The Christian, like a tree, in order to be fruitful, must endure

A. Disease and insects
     1. Temptations
     2. False doctrine

B. Drought and heat
     1. Loneliness
     2. Persecution

C. Death and destruction of other trees
     1. Loss of Christian friends through death, moving, or backsliding

IV. THERE MUST BE A PRUNING

John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

A. Of affections

B. Of associates

C. Of activities

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