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This Week We're Looking at Yield
Have you ever taken a look at your Christian life and realized that something is missing? Are you lacking in the fruit of the Spirit that you so desperately want to display? I have personally experienced this unsettling feeling, along with the fact that those who don’t bear fruit will be taken away (John 15:2). Yielding fruit is serious business to God. If you find yourself trying hard, yet seemingly unable to bear good fruit for God’s kingdom, here’s some important news for you. It’s time to stop striving and start yielding. When we truly yield ourselves to God, we will yield fruit for His kingdom.
I want to focus on two meanings of the word “yield:”
Giving or offering ourselves to God
The call to yield ourselves to God is a call for every Christian. Jesus Himself was our example of yielding throughout His life on earth. He always did the will of the Father (John 8:29), even dying a cruel death on a cross to accomplish our salvation. To yield to God, we need to recognize that we are His servants and make ourselves available to Him. We should listen closely to His direction each day and obey His promptings. Romans 6:13 says, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
By yielding to God in obedience, we show that we are truly His servants (Romans 6:16). As a result of our humble submission to God, He will work in our hearts to produce the fruit He desires to see.
Bearing the kind of fruit God delights in
Picture a grapevine, as Jesus talked about in John 15. Jesus is the Vine, and Christians are the branches attached to that Vine. If we are fully attached to Him, He gives us the Living Water to be able to bear fruit. If we’re not yielding fruit, something is wrong with our water supply. It may be that we have a blockage built up inside our branch, preventing that Living Water from flowing to the whole branch. Branches don’t need to “try harder” to yield fruit. On their own, they’d shrivel up and die. All branches need to do is to stay on the vine, totally open to receiving the water and nutrients they need in order to thrive.
Psalm 1:3 tells us that those who delight in God’s Word and meditate on it day and night will yield fruit in the right seasons, just like a well-watered tree.
What kinds of fruit are you yielding? Jesus said that Christians and unbelievers will both be known by our fruits. If we’re yielding the wrong kind of fruit, we show that we are attached to the wrong vine or tree (James 3:12). The kinds of fruits that God wants us to produce are listed in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.”
As we give the Holy Spirit access to every part of our minds and hearts, He takes away whatever fruit doesn’t align with these things and replaces them with the good fruits. Our part is to cooperate with Him, yielding ourselves to His work.
Whether we’re not bearing any fruit of the Spirit yet or only some, I’m sure we all have much room for growth in this area. God patiently works in each of us, disciplining and pruning so that we will bear even more fruit. “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Hebrews 12:11
Let’s stay connected to Jesus and allow God to do a beautiful work inside us, pruning and fertilizing us, so that we can yield more fruit for His kingdom.
Jennifer lives on the eastern shore of Maryland. She's a wife and stay-at-home mom to two active boys. She's dabbled in writing as a hobby over the years and greatly enjoys journaling and putting her thoughts down on paper. She also loves reading, puzzles, listening to Christian music and podcasts, and spending time out in nature.
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What does Yield mean to you?
16 Comments
1/19/2021 09:09:26 am
It helps me to think of the traffic sign for "yield": we let the other person have the right-of-way. So when we yield to God, we accept and yield to His way rather than our own.
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1/19/2021 12:30:44 pm
I thought of that sign, too, when I started writing this! :) a beautiful illustration of yielding to God.
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1/19/2021 09:30:45 am
Thank you , Jen. My word for 2021 of PERSEVERE, and I see so much encouragement here for my assignment of faithfulness.
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1/19/2021 02:08:13 pm
I’m glad you were encouraged, Michele! :) Keep on being faithful to the One Who is always faithful to us.
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1/19/2021 09:45:03 am
Jen, I like what you said, "Branches don’t need to “try harder” to yield fruit. ... All branches need to do is to stay on the vine, totally open to receiving the water and nutrients they need in order to thrive." What a wonderful truth!
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1/19/2021 02:11:17 pm
Thanks, Debbie! :) That’s a truth that I missed for too long in my Christian journey.
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1/19/2021 10:38:51 am
When Barbara mentioned the traffic sign, it made me think about a teaching that my husband did a while ago. It's so important that we yield to God but our stubborn sinful hearts so want to take control. I loved this post. Thanks for sharing, Jen.
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1/19/2021 02:15:18 pm
Thanks for your thoughts, Donna! :) Why is it that we humans think we can handle things better than God?? 🤔
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1/19/2021 02:20:08 pm
Thank you, Tai! :) it was a blessing to be able to share here. God bless you as you stay connected to our Source of life!
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1/11/2024 06:59:01 am
You're so very welcome, Donna!! I'm glad you resonated with the message on giving access to the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ to bear lasting fruit. The imagery in John 15 of abiding in the vine is indeed powerful, emphasizing the vital connection we have with Christ to produce enduring and meaningful results. May your life continue to be rooted in Him, bearing fruit that brings glory to God!
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1/20/2021 10:41:50 am
Read Beth Moore's study on Vines recently and oh, my prayer has been to produce fruit that He delights in.
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1/11/2024 07:00:37 am
That's a beautiful prayer and a wonderful focus for your study, Lauren. These insights can be deeply enriching, and the desire to produce fruit that delights God is a noble and aligned aspiration. May your journey be filled with the richness of His presence and the flourishing of fruit that delights the heart of God.
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1/24/2021 11:06:10 am
So good. 🤗The idea of the traffic sign also got me thinking how I need to yield to others in showing selflessness and kindness. Lots to think about here... thanks for sharing! Stopping by from #tuneinthursday
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1/11/2024 07:02:11 am
I'm encouraged to read, Laura, that the post resonated with you! The metaphor of a traffic sign and the concept of yielding to others in selflessness and kindness is indeed a powerful reflection. Thank you for stopping by from #tuneinthursday! May your reflections lead to meaningful insights and actions.
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