Good Work
Kingdom-centered transformation isn't a good fruit...it's a work. Deliverance, feeding the poor, leading worship, leading prayer, teaching job skills, housing people, teaching the Bible, prophecy, healing, evangelism.... It's good work, but it isn't a fruit.
Matthew 7:14“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Jesus said you will know good trees by good fruit. The fruit of being led by the Holy Spirit is clear in the Bible: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, self control, and gentleness.
These fruits will always produce the work of the kingdom...but works can be done apart from the fruit. Look at Ephesus:
Revelation 2:2“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
3“and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Fruitless works aren't unprofitable by the numbers. That is the reason for the warning. Fruitless works are celebrated as amazing, but we should know the difference. Fruitless works are lacking the leadership of the Holy Spirit. His leadership always bears HIS fruit....that fruit is what feeds the kingdom. Works are not fruit, and the fruit of the Spirit always produces works:
James 2:17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Look for the fruit. Anyone or ministry lacking the fruit of the Spirit will be cast out...burned. Jesus would rather have two people at a church meeting learning patience and self control than a hundred people getting "saved" into selfishness, impatience, and materialism.
It is very hard to see the seeds being planted...that is why we must look for fruit.
John 15:2“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Don't receive the false. Love the false, speak truth to it...but don't receive it.
Matthew 10:41“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
This works both ways:
Revelation 2:19“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
20“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21“And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22“Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
Matthew 7:14“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Jesus said you will know good trees by good fruit. The fruit of being led by the Holy Spirit is clear in the Bible: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, self control, and gentleness.
These fruits will always produce the work of the kingdom...but works can be done apart from the fruit. Look at Ephesus:
Revelation 2:2“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
3“and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
4“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
5“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Fruitless works aren't unprofitable by the numbers. That is the reason for the warning. Fruitless works are celebrated as amazing, but we should know the difference. Fruitless works are lacking the leadership of the Holy Spirit. His leadership always bears HIS fruit....that fruit is what feeds the kingdom. Works are not fruit, and the fruit of the Spirit always produces works:
James 2:17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Look for the fruit. Anyone or ministry lacking the fruit of the Spirit will be cast out...burned. Jesus would rather have two people at a church meeting learning patience and self control than a hundred people getting "saved" into selfishness, impatience, and materialism.
It is very hard to see the seeds being planted...that is why we must look for fruit.
John 15:2“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Don't receive the false. Love the false, speak truth to it...but don't receive it.
Matthew 10:41“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
This works both ways:
Revelation 2:19“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.
20“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21“And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22“Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23“I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.
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