The Power of Repentance-Bear Good Fruit

January 24, 2025

The Power of Repentance-Bear Good Fruit

There is tremendous power in repentance and in fact it is one the first steps to your deliverance. It has to do with you making the decision to turn away from your old wicked ways followed by actions that back up your decision. It will not happen overnight and there will be a pruning process that needs to take place.

The Lord discloses this process in John 15:2 and it states, “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.” As you grow in the Lord you will naturally begin to develop His characteristics. Remember we were created in His image (Genesis 1:27) and the more that we renew our minds through His Word the more we will become like Him.

Repentance plays a huge role in God’s pruning process. The reality is that we cannot modify anything about ourselves unless we recognize that we need to change in the first place. The Word of God is like a mirror for us revealing the person that the Lord intends for us to be.

James 1:23-24 details. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” In other words those that hear the Words that the Lord is revealing in the Bible need to also abide by the words that they are reading.

When we are able to let God’s Biblical Law saturate our hearts that is how genuine repentance comes about and we begin to produce good fruit. Often times the Lord has to cut away layer upon layer during the pruning process so that He can remove all of the unproductive branches standing in the way of your spiritual growth.

Let’s take a look at a passage of Scripture out of the book of Matthew that tie bearing good fruit to repentance.

Matthew 3:8

“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”

In this particular passage of Scripture we can see that John the Baptist is addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees which were religious leaders at that time. They based their repentance on things that they did rather than what their character looked like. They felt like the more that you displayed your holiness to others the holier you were.

They were not trying to truly repent and change the condition of their heart. They wanted to talk about how much of a repentant lifestyle they lived and did not genuinely repent. They were not bearing fruit that was worthy of revealing authentic regret turning away from their wicked ways. John actually calls them brood of vipers, Matthew 3:7.

Unfortunately that is the case with a lot of Christians today. They feel conviction from the Holy Spirit after a sin has been committed but they fail to actually repent. God is extremely clear on people that want to practice living in sin 1 John 3:4 dictates, “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”

There is a distinct difference when it comes to being remorseful for an act of sin but continuing to sin vs. being repentant and turning away from the sin completely. It really has to do with the condition of your heart are you displaying good fruit or bad fruit? That is the question.

Let’s take a look some Scriptures that reveal what the process of bearing good fruit looks like.

John 15:1-4

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 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. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 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.”

There is so much revelation that we can unpack in these verses of Scripture. Jesus Himself is revealing to us that He is the True vine and that word “true” being used is the Greek word “alēthinos” which means: opposed to what is imperfect, defective, frail, and uncertain. In other words Jesus’ branches will bear fruit that is not flawed, faulty, weak, or unreliable.

The fruit that His branches will bear will last and sustain and it will not be substandard. The only way that we are going to be able to produce the fruit that the Lord wants us to produce is if we stay connected and abiding in Jesus Christ. We also have to allow the Lord to prune away those areas in our lives that are dead branches.

This is a painful process as a lot of us don’t even realize that those dead areas exist until the Holy Spirit exposes them. When I first came to know the Lord I went through an extensive pruning process where the Lord had to get rid of a lot of unfruitful areas in my life that were holding me back.

I am still a work in progress as we all will be but I am so much better today than I was when I first became a born again believer of Christ. One of the main ways that you will be able to bear good fruit in your life is if you allow God’s Word to marinate in your heart and mind. This will allow the Holy Spirit to bring Scriptures to your remembrance when you need them, John 14:26.

What does bearing good fruit look like?

When talking about producing good fruit the Scripture that comes to my mind is found in Galatians 5:22-23. It states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Here we can see a list of characteristic traits that the Lord is expecting us to develop.

The only way that you will begin to radiate the Lord’s fruit is if you allow the transformation of your mind. You have to let the old you go and work on the “you” that God has created you to be. You have to be willing to allow the Lord to prune away any characteristic that does not line up with His Word.

Now let’s have a look at what the dead branches or bad fruit might look like. The Lord calls these the works of the flesh and they are also listed in the Book of Galatians. Galatians 5:19-21 details, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Notice how the Apostle Paul through the leading of the Holy Spirit mentions how these works are evident or apparent. If a person is displaying these characteristics you will be able to see them manifesting in that person’s life. Not only will these works of flesh lead to death spiritually and physically they will also ensure that you don’t make it into the Kingdom of God.

That is not the place that you want to find yourself in. One of the best ways that you can ensure that you are bearing good fruit is to meditate on things that are pure. Philippians 4:8 reveals, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

There is power in your mind and you want to make sure that you are allowing the right things into your eye gates and your ear gates. The enemy would love to put you in a position where you find yourself having to repent over and over again, don’t allow him to have a place or foothold in your life.

Conclusion

There are so many benefits that you gain when you choose to truly repent, turn form your wicked ways, and give your heart to the Lord. It is one of the first steps to your deliverance from the snares of the devil. One thing that you will start to notice as you begin to repent is that you will start to bear good fruit.

The old character that you use to portray will look more and more like Jesus Christ as you allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. He is the One that will bring the Word of God to your remembrance when you start to veer off course, John 14:26. You have to be willing to heed to His Voice and let go of any dead branches that are holding you back from your spiritual growth!

Also, don’t forget to check out my other blogs:

The Power of Repentance-Do Not Follow Your Own Ways

The Power of Repentance-The Prodigal Son

The Power of Repentance-The Message of Repentance

The Power of Repentance-What Exactly is Repentance?

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Fight Back

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Feed Your Spirit

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Renouncing

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Confess and Repent

Recognizing Spiritual Strongholds

What are Spiritual Strongholds?

The Spiritual Laws of God-Poverty Part 1

The Spiritual Laws of God-Poverty Part 2

The Spiritual Laws of God-Restoration

The Spiritual Laws of God-The General Principles

The Spiritual Laws of God-The Power of Your Tongue!

The Spiritual Laws of God-Having an Understanding

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