We are called to be fruitful

We are called to be fruitful!  In John 15:7-8, we read Jesus saying to the disciples, ‘If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples 

Over the last twelve years, God has taken me on the most exciting and unexpected journey. In 2007 when I was fifty-two, and starting to think about slowing down, (I know, fifty-two really isn’t that old!) God began to speak about a new season in my life that I was about to step into. How in this season I would know a new sense of authority and power in the Spirit, an increase in a gift of evangelism and healing and how as I simply asked God for things and prayed simple prayers for the sick, I would see people healed and set free! When I received these prophetic words I couldn’t even imagine them coming to pass. My view of God was big, or so I thought, but my view of how God wanted to move through me was very small, something I have since needed to repent of. 

I am so thankful for God speaking through prophets and for prophetic words, aren’t you? Like trumpets that awaken us, they call out what will be, even when we’re sleeping. In fact, part of the prophetic word was that God was unlocking in me a sense of being in a cave, and of being hidden and he was pulling me out. It reminds me of the story of Gideon who was hiding in the winepress fearing his enemies and seeing himself as inadequate and insignificant. Then God speaks!! Calling him out of his cave, he says to him, ‘Gideon O mighty man of valour!’ I imagine Gideon saying, Who me?... and we know how the story continues. 

When God looks at us he sees who we truly are. Remember when Andrew introduced Simon to Jesus? Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, meaning Peter.” Jesus knew where Simon had come from; he was John’s son, but he also knew who he was called to be. Wrapped up in his new name were his identity and destiny and it’s the same for us too. We’ve all come from somewhere but what we’re born for and who God says we are is a far greater reality. It is now 2020 and is certainly proving to be a fruitful time in my life. As with all fruit-bearing seasons though there has to first be a period of pruning. 

As I headed off in 2011 to spend nine months at a ministry training school, a young leader in the church said to me, “Claire you are fruitful but God wants to make you even more fruitful.” In John 15:2, Jesus says these very words, ‘every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit’ Since that time of training and equipping God has been doing a deeper work in my heart, showing me more of his incredible love and setting me free from things that were holding me back; lies mostly about my identity. When God is at work in us even though he reveals stuff it is always with destiny and purpose in mind. Jesus who is the founder and perfecter of our faith is pulling us forward. It’s like he is saying, ‘look, don’t be slowed down by these things, they will stop you running the race I’ve called you to run with me.’ 

The wonderful thing is I’m seeing that many of the promises I received back then are now starting to come to pass. Through God’s grace, I am growing in authority, stepping into new levels of faith, and taking others on the journey with me. I have seen miracles of healing and freedom as I’ve prayed simple prayers for the sick and I’ve even written a book! As someone who most of my life has battled with feelings of shame and of not being enough, this truly is a miracle! 

If you are living with prophetic words why not remind yourself of them today. In this season where it can feel like everything is on pause thank God for where he has brought you from and ask Him to give you faith for where he is taking you and for what is yet to come. He has called you to be very fruitful.

We are called to be fruitful In John 15:7-8, we read Jesus saying to the disciples, ‘If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples Over the last twelve years God has taken me on the most exciting and unexpected journey. In 2007 when I was fifty-two, and starting to think about slowing down, (I know, fifty-two really isn’t that old!) God began to speak about a new season in my life that I was about to step into. How in this season I would know a new sense of authority and power in the Spirit, an increase in a gift of evangelism and healing and how as I simply asked God for things and prayed simple prayers for the sick, I would see people healed and set free! When I received these prophetic words I couldn’t even imagine them coming to pass. My view of God was big, or so I thought, but my view of how God wanted to move through me was very small, something I have since needed to repent of. I am so thankful for God speaking through prophets and for prophetic words, aren’t you? Like trumpets that awaken us they call out what will be, even when we’re sleeping. In fact part of the prophetic word was that God was unlocking in me a sense of being in a cave, and of being hidden and he was pulling me out. It reminds me of the story of Gideon who was hiding in the winepress fearing his enemies and seeing himself as inadequate and insignificant. Then God speaks!! Calling him out of his cave, he says to him, ‘Gideon O mighty man of valour!’ I imagine Gideon saying, Who me?... and we know how the story continues. When God looks at us he sees who we truly are. Remember when Andrew introduced Simon to Jesus? Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, meaning Peter.” Jesus knew where Simon had come from; he was John’s son, but he also knew who he was called to be. Wrapped up in his new name was his identity and destiny and it’s the same for us too. We’ve all come from somewhere but what we’re born for and who God says we are is a far greater reality. It is now 2020 and is certainly proving to be a fruitful time in my life. As with all fruit bearing seasons though there has to first be a period of pruning. As I headed off in 2011 to spend nine months at a ministry training school, a young leader in the church said to me, “Claire you are fruitful but God wants to make you even more fruitful.” In John 15:2, Jesus says these very words, ‘every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it may bear more fruit’ Since that time of training and equipping God has been doing a deeper work in my heart, showing me more of his incredible love and setting me free from things that were holding me back; lies mostly about my identity. When God is at work in us even though he reveals stuff it is always with destiny and purpose in mind. Jesus who is the founder and perfecter of our faith is pulling us forward. It’s like he is saying, ‘look, don’t be slowed down by these things, they will stop you running the race I’ve called you to run with me.’ The wonderful thing is I’m seeing that many of the promises I received back then, are now starting to come to pass. Through God’s grace, I am growing in authority, stepping into new levels of faith, and taking others on the journey with me. I have seen miracles of healing and freedom as I’ve prayed simple prayers for the sick and I’ve even written a book! As someone who most of my life has battled with feelings of shame and of not being enough, this truly is a miracle! If you are living with prophetic words why not remind yourself of them today. In this season where it can feel like everything is on pause thank God for where he has brought you from and ask Him to give you faith for where he is taking you and for what is yet to come. He has called you to be very fruitful.

‘In the Kingdom hope is not naive’

This phrase which I read today in a devotional got my attention... ‘In the Kingdom hope is not naive’ As a follower of Jesus I know this to be true. God produced faith in me when I first heard the gospel and it led me to respond and come to him. And this is to be my continual posture because He is a good Father and has good gifts for his children. 

However, as I read this phrase today it stirred in me fresh faith; faith to press in and keep believing for things that yet seem impossible. For a man I know to be healed from cancer, for my friend Carole to be healed and others I am persevering in prayer for simply because I know that with God all things are possible.

Our hope in God is not naive but very certain...

We read in Hebrews 6:18-20 ‘by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf ‘

The word ‘naive’ means to act out of a lack of experience. God instead wants us to grow in our experience of Him through knowing his ways. The more we know God the more we will trust and the greater our faith and the risks we’ll take. like Peter who dared to walk on water and the many, we read of in Hebrews 11.

I am a woman of faith. I believe that God is good: that what he says about himself is true and that I can trust in his promises. I have seen God answer prayers both instantly and over time and I carry a testimony of his goodness but I know God wants to deepen my faith; a faith that perseveres, full of hope because of the certainty in my heart that he is good. 

Being naive is often associated with being like a child but in Jesus' upside-down Kingdom it has a positive connotation. Jesus said in Matthew 18:3 ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’ Here he was speaking of childlike faith. Taking God at his word. Uncomplicated and without guile.

Let’s press in and be both childlike and persevering in our faith because we know He who promised is faithful.