Cultivating The Fruit Called Character ( 1)
Fthe scripture in 1 peter 1: 23, we see that every child of God, at salvation has a seed in him/ her. This seed received by the word of God is meant to grow into fruit just like every natural seed. That is why it needs to be properly cultivated. Our second Bible verse, Matthew 3: 810 says now that you have repented, you should bring forth fruits meet for repentance. The root word for repentance in Greek is “Metanoia” and it means to have a “change of mind.” This means a change in the way you use to do things. As you daily receive the incorruptible word of God as a seed, let it grow in you to become fruits that all eyes will see throughout your lifetime. As believers, it is not just enough to go about proclaiming that we are children of Abraham. It is expected of us to portray godly character that will draw men to the kingdom of God and also make the society a better place as we co- exist with our neighbours.
If you are not bearing fruits, a time will come that the axe will be laid on the root of the tree. It is not normal for an incorruptible seed to bring forth corruptible fruits. In Luke 13: 6- 9, Jesus taught with a parable that a certain man needed some fruits from a fig tree planted in his vineyard but found none. He told his vine dresser to cut down the three years old fig tree. The
Text: 1 Peter 1: 23; Matthew 3: 8- 10
vine dresser however pleaded to be allowed to dress it and add manure for another one year and if it still didn’t bear fruit then it can be cut down. Beloved of God, what is your relevance in the kingdom of God? Are you really bearing fruits or you are a waste like the fig tree in this parable?
As Christians, God expects us to bear fruits called character. Before you gave your life to Christ, you were a wild vine with the nature of the devil. When you give your life to Christ, however, you are being grafted into a domesticated vine with the divine nature of God in you, Romans 11: 17- 24.
So, we who were once gentiles were brought as wild vine cut from our root of darkness and grafted into God’s kingdom so that we can bring forth fruits of the kind of His kingdom. This kingdom has a culture backed up by laws. Our citizenship to this kingdom is by birth, being born of the spirit to manifest this kingdom culture. 2 Cor 5: 17 says that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away and everything is become new. By implication, we should consciously put away our old nature and ways of doing things which is corruptible, Eph 4: 22- 30. We now take up the divine nature, which is the new man with new traits, 2peter 1: 4. The seed of God is now in you and so you are expected to bear fruits as such 1Jn 3: 9- 10. This new traits of your new family is not the physical traits of your skin color, height or size. It is spiritually manifested by what is called CHARACTER. The seed inside manifesting physically outside as a proof of your repentance.
Prayer Points
• Every power fighting my seed from growing, die by fire,
• Every power fighting me from bearing godly fruits, die by fire.
• I receive the incorruptible word of God for my godly character to manifest in Jesus name.
• As I pray now, anything in me that is hindering my fruits called character, scatter by fire.
• I receive grace to bear fruits that is worthy of emulation as a kingdom citizen in Jesus name.