Fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives:

FULFILLING GOD’S PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES:

• What is God’s purpose for us? (Consider Jh 15:1-8.)

• What is His goal? What kind of values should we have?

• What is the very purpose of our existence?

A. We Might Have Fruit-Bearing in Daily Life:


1. The fruit of the Spirit, so our lives may manifest Christ. (Gal. 5:22-23)

• Love -- the basis of any relationship.
• Joy -- the result of our relationships.
• Peace -- the result of all correct relationships, (because of forgiveness,
restitution, restoration in any and all relationships).
• Long-suffering -- (or patience) -- the maintenance of relationships.
• Gentleness -- the right attitude in relationships.
• Goodness -- the outgoing blessing of all our relationships.
• Faith -- the means of relationships.
• Meekness -- the submitted will to make relationships precious.
• Self-control -- the personal inner control that makes relationships harmonious and blest.

2. The fruit of witnessing, (soul-winning) so the lost come to Christ.
(See Acts 26:16-19 and consider Psa. 126:5-6.)

• To open their eyes,

• to turn them from darkness to light,

• to turn them from the power of Satan unto God,

• that they may receive forgiveness of sin,

• they may have inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in Christ.

3. The results of the Holy Spirit’s work in us and through us! (Acts 1:8)

• As bold witnesses, (Acts 4:29-33; 20:19-21; 18:10)

• As consistent witnesses, (Acts 4:19-20; 5:28-29; 5:42)

• As suffering servants, (if need be, Acts 5:40-42; 9:6, 15-16;
15:25-26)

• As seed sowers, (I Pet 1:23; Matt. 13; Lk 8; Mk 4, parable of the sower)

• As disciple-makers -- (Matt. 28:18-20) The verb is to make disciples,
the going , baptizing and teaching them to observe all things is done
as a result of making disciples.
These are related to the main verb . . . to make disciples!

Conclusions:

• The nature of the seed, the nature of the Word, the nature of GOD will be reproduced in the life of the believer. If that does not happen, there is a major problem in the life of the believer.

• The fruit is the very character of God.

• When Jesus came to earth, he lived his life. What he saw his Father do is what he did. (Jh 14:10-11).


• What Christ heard his Father say is what he said.

• Jesus was in total submission to the Father.

• As a result of that submission, the Father manifested his character in Jesus.

• Jesus came to earth, not only to die for us, but also to manifest the character
of the Father so that people could see what God is like.

• Fruit bearing is the nature of Jesus. Bearing fruit is Jesus Christ manifesting his character in our lives.

• God has given to us -- the Word of reconciliation and the ministry of
reconciliation ( II Cor. 5:18-20).

• What is life all about? Bearing fruit, being fruitful both in the inner life and
outwardly toward those who are lost.

• When your life is bearing his fruit, you are bearing his life. You do not produce the fruit, he does. You bear it! (Jh 15:1-8)

• We cannot produce the fruit for that is HIS work in us. We can only bear
the fruit which he produces in us and through us. (Matt. 13:23)

If we are not bearing fruit -- we had better find out why!