Jesus said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit.”

John 15:4-10

4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.  

6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honoured and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

9 I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love continue in His love with Me].

10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.  (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition.)

Being connected to the vine is good, but that alone will not produce life and fruit.  The branches on any grape vine (or fruit tree) will only continue to live and produce fruit if they draw sap (strength and nourishment) from the vine. 

Branches that have become dormant (ceased drawing sap) soon become evident when storms rage.  As the saying goes, “no sap, snap.”

When we became born-again, we were grafted into The Vine (Jesus) and filled with the Holy Spirit.  From that time forth the sap of God’s love has been available to us.  God is Love; it is His very being.  Out of His Love flows everything we need.  Not only are all our needs met in His Love, but in it we have all the potential needed to grow and produce fruit.  The purpose of any vine (or fruit tree) is not to produce fruit for itself, it is for the benefit of others.  Even the seed within the fruit is there to produce more vines.  More vines equals more fruit. 

Our Heavenly Father desires that we grow and bring forth fruit – much fruit – but He does not impose His will on us.  It is all up to us.  He has provided a finished work. We have to draw from Him to thrive.

I personally know the difference when I spend time fellowshipping with the Lord, in prayer, praise, worship, reading The Word and most importantly, taking time to be still in His presence and listen.  It’s my spiritual sap.  When I draw from His Love, I find the gifts of the Spirit developing in my life and bringing forth the “peaceable fruit of righteousness”.  I’m a different person.  It’s so easy to get drawn aside by the cares of this world.  That’s why the Bible tells us to examine ourselves.

1 Corinthians 13:5

“Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it.  Test and prove yourselves [not Christ].  Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?”

(Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

Galatians 5:22-25

• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (NKJV Study Bible)

May we all be being filled with the sap of the Holy Spirit and bring forth much fruit pleasing to The Father.

Have a blessed day.

André