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Most leaders are interested in productivity. But the Bible doesn’t use the word “productivity.” Instead, you’ll find it uses the word “fruitfulness.”
God wants us to have fruitful ministries, so I want to give you four conditions that will produce godly fruitfulness in your life. There are at least four conditions essential for a fruitful ministry.
Spring is coming soon. So, ponder these truths…
First, you must cultivate roots.
God says there’s no fruit without roots. You need roots, particularly when your resources are limited, for when times of drought come along.
Drought, as you know, is a long period without rain. It is stated that many, many places in the US and around the world are in a draught!
A drought in your life is whenever you must do without something you need, perhaps time, energy, money, human resources, or support. There will be times of drought in your ministry; perhaps you’re even in one now.
Second, you must “cancel” the weeds in your life and ministry.
The weeds in your ministry and in your life are any things that hinder or limit your spiritual growth. Weeds are the things that choke your relationship to Christ or that prevent you from further growth.
How much effort does it take to grow weeds? Answer: None at all!
You don’t have to cultivate weeds. In fact, that’s the difference between a weed and a vegetable. Even though you feed, water, and cultivate a vegetable, sometimes it still dies. Pay no attention to a weed, and it grows!
Weeds are a sign of neglect. I’ve found that when I neglect my quiet time, when I neglect my personal physical, soul, and spiritual care like walking and staying physically fit, and when I neglect key relationships in my life, the weeds start to grow and begin choking my productivity.
Third, you must cooperate with God’s pruning in your life.
What is pruning?
Pruning not only involves cutting off dead branches but living ones as well to improve the shape of the plant and stimulate growth. Pruning is essential for increased fruitfulness. It’s not optional. If you’re going to be fruitful in ministry, God will put you through times of pruning.
God prunes you for fruitfulness. In your life it’s not only the dead wood that God cuts off; He also cuts back areas of success, EVEN areas that are bearing wonderful fruit.
When He does this, you might struggle to understand why, but the reason is He is preparing you for even greater ministry.
Fourth, you must carefully wait for the harvest.
Growing fruit takes time. It doesn’t come automatically. You don’t plant a seed in the ground and harvest it the next day.
It’s common sense: seeds must be planted. You’ve got to cover them up with dirt, and then you wait and pray and expect growth.
Just as a seed creates new life out of death, for you to be more effective in your ministry there’s a dying to your old nature, a dying to your own desires and ambitions in the waiting process. Growth takes time, but don’t give up. Stay plugged into Jesus Christ.
Maybe you’ve been dormant in your ministry for some time. My prayer is that you’ll talk to the Master Gardner, Jesus Christ and say, “Lord, I want to work on these four things: cultivating my roots, “canceling” the weeds, cooperating with Your pruning, and carefully waiting for the harvest. Heavenly Father, I trust You with what I’ve planted, and I trust what I have sown will inevitably reap a harvest for You.”
That is the law of the harvest…the things to do to have a fruitful ministry.