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By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:8 (NKJV)
I honestly believe that a farmer’s greatest joy is when harvest time comes, and he sees that his trees or seeds have produced much fruit or crop in that year. So much so that farmers will define a year better than the last based on more fruit produced. I can only imagine the joy, delight and gladness our Heavenly Father gets when he looks upon His children and see them producing much fruit every year and year after year.
I used to look at this scripture and think it was about how much work I did for God. However, fruits are produced from seeds and if you plant the right seed and keep it watered under the right conditions, you should have a harvest. So, to bear much fruit you need to plant much seed and the seed is the word of God. The word of God is sown into our hearts and it produces fruits in our life – you will become more Christlike in the way you conduct your life, the things you say and the things you do. In this way your life becomes a God seed sown in other people’s lives as they observe you, infectiously and effortlessly replicating and multiplying Christ in others. The Apostle Paul said people should be able to observe our lives and the way in which we conduct ourselves and know that we are servants of the Most High God.
The Holy Spirit has been planted in our hearts by God and His presence in us produces much fruit as we wholeheartedly allow Him to change us from the inside out with the word of God. Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC), says, “But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
Can we grow in the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Yes, we can and we should. As we produce much fruit in our lives there is no charge against us and our Father is glorified drawing more people to Him and His goodness.