As we go into the new year 2020, God's desire for us is to step up. If you have been in a level before, let say step one, God wants you to move higher. If you have been in step two, God wants you to move higher. The beautiful thing about God is that there is always another level with Him. God is always the God of endless dimensions. So, if you are in dimension one, there is another dimension He wants you to step into. So, you will continue to move in several dimensions in the dimension of God it cannot be exhausted, in Him you continue to step up to another dimension and to another.
The desire of God for us in 2020 is that we should step up into new dimensions in Him. And this December we will be looking at the Stepping Up Series in the Leadership Fellowship and today we will be starting with Knowing And Identifying Fruits.
One of the things I came across while the Holy Spirit was taking me through this study, is that God is fruit conscious. Every time you would see that God is particular about fruits and we would see it this morning as we go on in this teaching. Knowing and identifying fruit is the first thing we will be examining in this stepping up series. And I want us to start by looking at Matthew 7. When we talk about fruit what does it mean? But one thing we should put at the back of our mind is that God is fruit conscious. Matthew 7:15-20. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits."
The first word you will see here is "know" Jesus was telling them to beware of false prophets, the first one, in that verse 15 is to beware. If we are going to bring down the word beware, it means be aware, be conscious, don't be ignorant of false prophets. It says; be aware of false prophets who come to you in sheep clothing's, they come disguised but be aware, be conscious, but "inwardly" that means there is a difference between their outward appearance and their inner man. There is a difference between their clothing and their content. There is a difference between their container and their content, so Jesus said be aware.
There are many people, there are many things that have a different container, a lovable container, an attractive container, but a very bad content. And He said be aware, be conscious. We would see why Jesus said that, He said but inwardly. "Inwardly" and we are going to see several comparison that Jesus said. "Inwardly they are ravenous wolves" that's their content, their container is sheep, but their content is that of a wolf and He said this is the reason, you will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Jesus is reiterating the same sentence twice, by their fruits you will know them, He said be aware of false prophets they come to you in sheep clothing, but inwardly, they are wolves. This morning we are looking at identifying and knowing fruits. As God takes into the new year, as God is taking us into a new season, please be aware, the new season that God is transiting us into does not start from the first of January 2020, it doesn't start that day, what God wants to do is that God wants to bring us into a new season in which that season starts the day your mind shifts, every man and every woman steps into a new season of their lives the day they have a change of thinking.
There is a quote I came across and that quote I am still mediating on it, it says; "today will be like yesterday, today will be like tomorrow if your mind has not changed" that means you will repeat what you did yesterday today, what you did today you will repeat it tomorrow if your mind has not changed. So Jesus said be conscious, be aware, I need you to change the way you think, if you look through the Scriptures, everything Jesus came to do was to bring about a change of thinking, a change of mindset arousing a new season for the people of God.
Many men and women know that you have to step out of where you are, into the space and the place that God wants you to be, and that's why He will say repent, change your thinking. Don't change your physical location, that is why it is often said that a lizard in Nigeria is a lizard in USA why? The lizards content does not change. It is until there is a change in the content of that lizard, there will not be a change in the behavior of the lizard, the lizard will continue to node the head, climb walls etc the same behavior.
Because the mind of the lizard is the same. And that is why Jesus started in verse 15 by saying, be aware, become conscious don't be ignorant of what is happening around you, your life will not change when you remain in ignorance, God said my people perish because of lack of knowledge, my people do not perish because they don't have a God that is not powerful, that is wise, that is strong that is rich, that is blessed, they perish because they are ignorant of who they have as their God and the life they have been called to.
And that's why Jesus said be conscious, be aware of the things happening around you, unfortunately there are many people that are not even aware of the patterns land the trends of their own life, what is happening around you, you have taken it as fate, you are taking it as maybe that's how God wants it, and that's not the truth. And that's why God is asking us to step up, become conscious and He said you will know them by their fruits, do men gather grapes from thorn bushes? You cannot get grapes from thorn bushes nor can you get figs from thistles.
You can't continue to do the same thing and expect a different result, it does not work. We need to understand that there is something that God is doing, and He wants us to be conscious of it. It said there are people around you, they come to you with sheep clothing, they come to you with a container that is attractive, but their content is different, but before we go to people that are around us, check your life, many of us want to get a fruit that we are not the tree of; until you become a fig tree you cannot produce figs, by their fruits you will know them, you will be able to identify them not only that, by their fruit you will be able to know what they carry.
For example if you see a mango tree, for easy identification you need to see a mango fruit on it, it takes somebody that is very trained in agricultural science to know that this is a mango tree by its leaves. But for a small child they can see that this is a mango tree because it bears mango fruit. So your life can appeal easily, because you bear fruits. Your life can become attractive easily because you bear fruit. It takes somebody that is discerning, that has the Spirit of God to know your potential by your leaves.
The Bible says the earnest expectations of the creations are waiting for the manifestation, the revealing, how is a tree revealed? By its fruit. Creatures are not waiting for the manifestation of a tree by its leaves but by its fruits. The Bible says the earnest expectations of creations are waiting eagerly for the revealing of the sons how will the sons be revealed? By their fruits, by their fruits you will know them. By their fruits you will identify them that this one's belong to God. How do you know? How you identify the kind of fruit your life should bear, anything contrary should not be allowed.
Jesus showed us a classical example with His life. He made sure He showed us the way He wants the father to be represented. He said see when people see your good works, your good fruits they will glorify your father who is in heaven. By your fruits glory will be given to God, by your fruit honor will be given to God, because your fruit is a revelation of whom you are. And today that's not where we are going, where we are going is to personally introspect, to zoom in on yourself as an individual, what fruits is your life producing can you identify them? Do you know them? Are you aware of the fruit of your life? Are you aware, or you are ignorant.
Listen to Podcast: Stepping Up Series: Knowing And Identifying Fruits
What fruit kind of fruit are producing with your life? One of things you must realize in this statement that Jesus made, He said even so verse 17 every good tree bears good fruit. So the tree determines the fruit. And He said but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Matthew 7:18-19 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you would realize that the attention and concern of Jesus is good fruit, bad fruit is already bad. But He now said every tree that does not bear good fruit, so whether you are fruitless or you are bad it is the same judgment, so whether you are a fruitless tree or you are a bad tree, it's the same judgment. He made it clear, He did not say every tree that bears bad fruit. He said every tree that does not bear good fruits. So whether you are a tree that is not bearing fruit at all, or you are a tree bearing bad fruit it is the same thing. Once there is no good fruit on you, that can be consumed by God, He said such a tree is cut down and thrown into the fire.
In the new season that God is taking us into, God is desirous of good fruit, and that's why He is saying stepping up. And I want us to see the reason why He is saying this; Luke 6:43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man …now this is so specific, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
The first criteria is that that man is a good man, somebody was saying to Jesus good teacher and He said no one is good but God, so if God resides in you then you are a good man. But He did not stop there, you could be a good man that does not have good treasure, He said a good man out of His good treasure, verse 45 He brings good treasure of his heart so Jesus is now helping us to see clearly what He was saying in Matthew. He said a good man out of the good treasure of his heart, remember He said to us in Matthew 7:15 be aware of false prophets they come to you in sheep clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves so the state of their heart is the heart of a wolf, the heart of a devourer.
But they come with the appearance and humility of a sheep. So it is talking about inwardly, in the heart, what is the treasure of your heart? It is not enough to form. People can pretend, I have seen very good pretenders, they will come as though they are meek, they will come looking humble, looking solemn looking like a brother, looking like a sister, but their hearts is full of evil. It says those that have the appearance but don't have the treasure, they can't produce good. So it is not enough to have the appearance of a good man, do you have a good treasure in your heart? The Bible says guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life.
The heart is the production room, no wonder God said to Samuel when he wanted to anoint Eliab God said to him Samuel don't make a mistake, for men look at the outward appearance that looks like a sheep, but me God I look at the heart. Because Eliabs heart cannot rule Israel. Eliabs heart cannot carry glory, Eliabs heart cannot deliver my will and God is saying the same thing to us, many of us have been praying from January, many of us have been fasting, God has spoken certain things to us, and God is saying these are some of the reasons why I hold you back, until your heart is right you can't become a good tree that produce good fruits and God is fruit conscious.
I remember when I was trusting God for our son and I started praying Lord why the delay, you have spoken your word I know this is true, lord what is happening between the time I received the word and the actualization and God started dealing with our heart that there is a heart to bring forth this boy, if you don't have it I won't give it, if God wants to bring forth a fruit through you, you must be perfect and you must be good. So until you become a good tree you can't produce good fruits.
Remember you are just a channel, you are a medium and we are going to see that very soon when Jesus was talking about being the vine and the father the husband man and He was talking about the fact that every tree that does not bear good fruit is not of Him, so for you to bear fruit, you have to be of Him and the reason why He is saying this is that the fruit of your life if dedicated to God, God will not allow it to bring any kind of fruit. In the new season that God is taking us into, God is wants is to become fruit conscious, God is fruit conscious and it is in the consciousness of this that God wants you to step up. If you want to work with Him this new season you must bear fruits and good fruits. Enough of us saying we are sons of God and we have nothing to reveal. Enough of saying we are children of God and we have nothing to show for it, Jesus said and men will see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.
I want us to see Luke 13:6 the parable of the fig tree and there is a lesson for us there. Luke.13.6 – He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Do we see that? This certain man, the vine yard is his own, he planted the fig tree just like God planted you and I in our certain places. In His vine yard, in His will and it says He came seeking fruits, seeking results, and the Bible says He found none, as God is saying we should step up, this is what He is asking us to do, I want to come to your life and find fruit on your tree, I have planted you , I have established you in my will bear fruit, I want to see results that will show.
Luke 13:7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, "Look, for three years. So God was counting, you have been born again for 3 years, I have planted you in my will for 3 yrs and He is saying for 3 years, I have come seeking, that is why I told you God is fruit conscious. This Luke 13:6-8 gives us a picture of how God is seeking for fruit in our lives it says I have come 3 years seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'
When somebody is seeking it means God is paying close attention, He is looking, what is happening to this tree? It is all full of leaves no fruits, He said I have come seeking fruits on this fig tree and see what He said, He knew the kind of tree he planted. He didn't say mango tree I have come seeking for fruits on this fig tree, so called the tree by its name. The same way God calls us by the name of our assignment, I have planted you in my vine yard, as a fig tree, see that verse 6 it says, he had a fig tree, he planted not just a tree but a fig tree, he planted, so the tree had a name.
There is a mandate of fig on the tree. But the Bible says and the man came seeking for fruits what type of fruits? Figs! But he found non on the fig tree. And he said I have come seeking fruits on this fig tree and found non, cut it down why does it use up the ground? That's why year 2020 is going to be a peculiar year, there are many people that are using up the ground that God wants to cut down. He said cut it down, why is it using up the ground in amplified version it says why is it drawing nutrients in vein?
All the divine deposit in the house of God, you are coming to take in, God is keeping your family, God is committed to providing for you and yet there is no fig fruit on the fig tree. What kind of tree are you? Is there fruit in you? That is why God is telling us, step up. To work with me in this new season you need to step up. Because God counted the number of years, it says for three years. He said for three years I have come, remember he didn't say I have planted this fruit for 3 years, he said for three years I have come seeking. So I have brought you to a point of maturity, now for 3 years you have been in the season for fruitfulness but you are not fruitful. For 3 years I have come. But see what the answer was; he answered and said, because this man was talking to the keeper of the vine yard.
Luke 13:8 says; But he answered and said to him, "Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. Let it alone for this season until I dig around and that is what God Wants to do in this stepping up series, to dig around us, fertilize it. Lord help us to grow we know for three years we have been receiving divine deposit but give me another season let me dig around let me fertilize it, that is what the Holy Spirit is interceding on our behave. And it says in verse 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.
So a fruitless tree has a destination of being cut down, it has a future of being removed because in the vine yard of God, God deliberately plants, in His vine yard He has planted you and I, and God has given us the season to grow and He is on the lookout for fruits. Haven taken you through the process, haven grown up into maturity, it is a season of fruitfulness that is why the Bible says that the earnest expectations of creations are eagerly waiting for the manifestation, for the revealing so that they can benefit, so that they can draw from, so that benefit from the fruit of the sons.
And God is now looking and coming He said see I have creatures waiting, my son that is planted in my vine yard, I have been coming, people are waiting, produce ,because these are people that God has promised, they are waiting in hope that they will benefit from the fruits of your tree. Do you know the kind of fruit your life should produce? Are you producing it? For that fruit it was fig, it said God planted a fig tree, what is the name of your own tree? Because when the purpose of a thing is not known abuse is inevitable, if you don't know the fruit your life should produce you can't produce it. You can't become that tree.
And Jesus said it is good trees that produce good fruits. What tree are you? Do you know the kind of tree that you are called? Do you know what creatures are waiting? What are they waiting to pluck from your life, what are they waiting to draw from your life? And they are waiting in hope, because God had planted you in hope that you will bear fruit. Let see Matthew 21:21-22. Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing He saw a fig tree, so He identified that it was a fig tree but when He came to it, He derived nothing from it, He was able to draw nothing from it. It says He found nothing on it but leaves, which are not beneficial, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again. Whether bad or good " Immediately the fig tree withered away.
verse 20, And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, "Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. Now this example that Jesus gave, He could that given that example with something else. Why a fig tree and there was also a parable He gave of a fig tree that was planted without fruit. The Bible says Jesus was hungry and He cited a fig tree and He came to eat and God said He found nothing but leaves. And Jesus cursed it. Like the parable of the fig tree that man said cut it down, for why is it using up the ground? There is a space, if other people are given that space maybe they would have produced, so why are you taking up space for nothing, so the same judgment is what Jesus gave to the fig tree why are you taking up space and using resources for nothing? Dry up! Cease to exist!
Is it not the same statement as cut it down? It is the same thing. Identify the tree that God wants you to be and produce after your heartbeat, what is it that God has called you? The Holy Spirit is zooming on us individually this morning as I am being used to minister this word the Holy Spirit is also ministering to me, what tree has the Lord called you are you producing after that order? The mandate on your life as a tree, do you have fruit to show? Because God is coming to visit every tree that He has planted. Then at the moment of maturity He will be demanding fruits. So what is it that God will have us do?
Don't Be Unfruitful: in James 2:14-26 it says; show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works. I believe in God so I perform in accordance with my believe. I do what God has called me to do, because a time is coming when each and every one of us will give an account of what we have done in the body what we have done with the resources that God has given to us, what we have done with the time He has given to us, what we have done with the health that God has given to us because remember that we are thanking God for all He has done for us from 1st of January to December the same way we are giving thanks we will also give account. God has been merciful to you because He has given you health, what have you done with the health? God has blessed you, He has given you money, what have you done with it? God has blessed you, He has given you resources what have you done with it?
What have done with Gods endowment to you as a believer? Those are the fruit that God is coming to seek on your tree. Remember God is aware of every deposits in your life and He is intentional about it. Everything God has given to you is not by chance it is by design and He has given it to you for a purpose. What are doing with it? God wants you to step out of mundane things and focus on the purpose for which God has kept you on the face of the earth. Don't give excuse by saying God I am still strategizing how I am going to do it. God is demanding fruits, He is not demanding excuses, I am sure if God gave the fig tree opportunity to talk, the fig tree has something to say but Jesus didn't wait for the fig tree to respond Jesus cursed it.
Because Jesus was aware of the quantity of rain that fell on that tree, the manure and the fertilizers you received, thou man you are in excusable. That is why God talks about His company, His company is just men made perfect, we have such a great cloud of witnesses there are no excuse you want to give that there are no men to counter you. I was reading the account of how God healed a woman possessed with the demon of sickness on the Sabbath day and the woman that was bending over, became straight again. And they started talking to Him how can you do this on the Sabbath day and Jesus made them to understand that I know you if something happens to your ox or sheep you will go and look for it, in fact you lose your donkey on a Sabbath day, so how much this daughter of Abraham.
And when I was reading it I understood the mind set of Jesus. The mindset of Jesus is about fruits, He was fruit conscious, He will never pass without acknowledging what God will have Him do, I was just meditating on the woman by the well and how that woman was a hard but to crack to start with and I said if I were Jesus I leave I want to help you and see how you are just turning me, if I request for water you should give me without delay. But Jesus came to heart level because there is a fruit. It was not just about her, Jesus saw the whole community inside of her, that if I can succeed in her she will go and bring the whole community so Jesus didn't give up until she was cracked and brought to her knees in acknowledgement to God. Some of us will say bringing fruit is hard, is perverseness and corruption in our generation. But there is a heart of fruitfulness, there is a heart of being fruit conscious. There is a doggedness that you just know that this is the kind of fruit my life should be producing in the midst of whatever may come your way.
That's stepping up and that is what God wants us to do. Because the more you do the more you step up and God doesn't want us to dwell or fellowship with Him at the level we used to He wants us to step up because the more you fellowship with God the more identify your tree and the kind of fruit you should produce. Your prayer point will change and narrow down, you have been praying broad prayers because you still don't know the tree that you are. If you know the tree that you are the fruit that you should produce your prayer point will be more focused, your expressions will be more focused and you know what to do.
I pray the Lord helps us in Jesus name.
