“Apart from Me, You Can Do Nothing”

This morning, I was praying as I was getting ready for work, and I was reflecting on something a 4^th grade student said: “We’re working on the fruit of the Spirit in our house. We’re not showing it enough.” I responded with “It’s His fruit to produce, and not yours. One thing we need to all work on is surrendering to Jesus, because the moment we say ‘I want more patience, our enemy, the Devil, will work on undoing us in that area.’” As I was getting ready this morning, convicted by the conversation, I said “Lord, I can’t do this. I surrender. I need you to form Christ in me. I want the Fruit of the Spirit to be formed, and I surrender.” I didn’t hear a voice, but the words of Jesus came to mind “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Needless to say, I’m still convicted. How often do I try and produce fruit on my own? How often do I let my works (in spite of saying they’re not mine) be what I glory in? I need to connect and be rooted in and get my nourishment from the vine. I am nothing more than a branch, and I can produce no fruit on my own. I only produce good fruit as I am in a healthy relationship to Christ. And that is the Father’s will: that I produce MUCH fruit. So today, again, I surrender. My rights, my plans, my family, everything, I give it all to God. This doesn’t mean I won’t fail, but I will do all I can to surrender, and stay surrendered, that I may abide in Jesus. I want Him, through the Holy Spirit, to produce in me fruits. I don’t want to examine myself, but I want others to see the fruits He is producing in me, that they may give glory to the Father in Heaven. Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing.

John 15:1-11

“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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 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. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Galatians 5:13-26

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.