Gen 1:11-12
Then God said, “let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Let us begin by stating that whatever we have in the word of God as records of creation is not just written for us to know that God created the world. There is more to it. In the records of creation, we have God showing us specific spiritual principles and laws that must be applied in order to see some desired results. One of such principles we see in our opening text is the principle of fruitfulness.
God Himself started this as he created the earth we now see and live in today. Bearing fruits is a divine principle and command and we can be sure that it is very important to HIM and to us because we do not only have it recorded, we also have God himself endorsing it and saying it is good. Our Father is pleased to see fruitfulness in the earth and especially in His children. It is a clear manifestation of the goodness of God. Wherever barrenness exists, the goodness of God is not manifest and God is not pleased. Our LORD Jesus made this crystal clear when he stated;
John 15:1-2
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will bear even more fruit.
The Father’s interest in our fruitfulness is manifested in his readiness to help those who bear fruits to bear even more by pruning or dealing with whatever hinders fruitfulness. It gives glory to the Father when his children are fruitful. Being fruitful is one way to glorify God in your life.
John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
What it takes to be fruitful.
The first requirement for fruitfulness is a seed. When God commanded the plant bearing fruits to appear, He also commanded them to have seeds, each after its kind. He did not just create fruits but placed in them an assurance of continuity and multiplication which is the seed. So long as there is a seed, there is assurance of fruitfulness. Every tree that now exists was once only a seed. This implies that in any area of your life where you must see fruitfulness, seeds must be planted or sown. You cannot expect fruitfulness or a harvest without sowing a seed. Just like God put a seed in every plant he created, he gives a seed with whatever blessing he gives you. You must be able to recognize the seed and sow in time in order to have a harvest.
The Word of God is the most important seed given to us.
Luke 8:11
… the seed is the Word of God.
We are born of the Word (1Peter 1:23) and we are going to be fruitful by the Word. Jesus is the Word of God and He was sown by God in order to have fruits, which we are. We are the fruits God reaped by sowing Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 53:11
He shall see (the fruit) of the travail of His soul and be satisfied …
Out of the Word, there can be seeds of healing, jobs, success, skill, which will bring about an abundance of fruitfulness in the life of those that sow the word in their lives. Without the Word of God, there can be no seeds seen. Every revealed Word from God you believe in and sow into your life and destiny by confessing and affirming will definitely bear fruits in that area. That is why we are told;
Proverbs 18:20
A man’s belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth (words) and with the increase of his leaps shall he be filled.
That simply means whatever you say is what you will get. The whole earth as we know it was brought forth or created by the Word which God spoke. HE had what he said and set that as a principle. Those who talk careless sow tares into their lives and destinies. In the process of time, they will have to reap the fruits of the seeds they planted, howbeit painfully. Your language or words must always be in consonance with God’s word. That’s the only seed you should be sowing with your mouth. Never let what you say go contrary to what God has said. Sow the word of God into your life daily and you will reap a joyful harvest.
The second requirement for fruitfulness is a right ground. Your heart is the ground in which the seed of God’s word is sown.
Matthew 13:8
But others fell on good ground and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
While the sower spread the seed, every sort of ground received the same seed. It is important to note here that the sower did not hold back from sowing in the grounds which were unfruitful. It is not God or his servants’ duty to prepare your heart. When you hear the word, you ought to make sure that your heart is good grounds to receive it.
Lastly, there must be rain for fruitfulness to take place. The Spirit of God is the rain of fruitfulness and productivity. Without the rain, the seed cannot grow and without growth, there can be no fruits.
Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their season…
The rain of the Spirit is what causes the seed to bud and grow, hence bringing about fruitfulness. The Spirit of the Lord is described as the rain, dew or snow and this is typical of the role He plays in making our lives fruitful. He brings that freshness which makes it possible for our lives to be fruitful and productive. Without the rain of the Spirit and dew from heaven, every effort made towards fruitfulness, including sowing the Word will be unfruitful. In the book of Genesis, God only spoke after the Spirit of God moved upon the surface of the deep. This calls for fellowship with the Spirit for the rain and dew of heaven to rest heavily upon your life for maximum fruitfulness.
