DRAWING YOUR RESOURCES FROM JESUS
If you are not experiencing the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self control), I encourage you to reevaluate the source from which you’re drawing your resources.
I memorized the fruit of the Spirit when I was eight, but it wasn’t until 11 years later that God revealed to me the actual function of the metaphor.
Remember John 15? “I’m the Vine and you’re the branch. Abide in me and you’ll bear fruit. As long as you continue abiding, I’ll prune you so that you produce even more fruit.” (New Adria translation)
It isn’t until we take the fruits mentioned in Galatians 5 and insert them into the context of John 15 that the metaphor expresses its full meaning: “Abide in me, and you’ll bear love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.”
But what the *$^@% does “abide” even mean?!?! It’s straight Christianese! *face palm*
The literal meaning derived from the original language is “to stay” or “to remain”. But I’m going to whip out my NAT and shed some light on how simple it really is to have joy and love people and be patient.
What if abiding literally just meant “to draw your resources from”?
“Draw your resources from Me and I’ll give you an overflow of love for My kids. Draw your resources from Me and I’ll give you a joy you thought you’d never have again. Draw your resources from Me and I’ll fill you with peace beyond understanding. I’ll give you patience in the most trying moments. I’ll help you be kind to the least lovable. I’ll make your character overflow with goodness. I’ll make you gentle in spirit. I’ll give you faithfulness when you’re lacking. I’ll fill you with self control when you’re suffering temptation.”
The fruits were never things that we were supposed to try to have, but byproducts that we are supposed to experience. It’s only by Holy Spirit that we encounter the fullness of love, fullness of joy, fullness of peace, and so on. (Side note: you actually do have access to the FULLNESS of these things, not just partialities of them.)
Again, if you are not experiencing the fruit of the Spirit, you need to reevaluate the source from which you’re drawing your resources. When you’re not experiencing the fruits, it’s more than likely because you’re in bondage to something else. It is not okay to be in Jesus and not be free.
Jesus already did 100% of what had to be done for you to get 100% free from 100% of things you’re in bondage to. Stop praying for breakthrough and start letting Truth highjack your life.
Your potential is on the other side of you drawing your resources from the Well of Living Water. In other words, quit trying so hard and start resting in intimacy with our Heavenly Dad. Doing will overflow as a byproduct of being. Just be with Him and you’ll naturally start having more patience, experiencing more peace, and being armed with more self control.
HOW TO DRAW YOUR RESOURCES FROM JESUS
“What the *#^%$ does it even mean to draw your resources from Him though?!?!” Good Q, thanks for asking. (Side note: I’ve written blogs about these things, which are hyperlinked below.)
#1 Stop praying for breakthrough. Everything you want breakthrough from has already been broken through. The jail cell door is open, but you have to opt into walking through the door and into freedom. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you have the mind of Christ, which also means that you’re actually really loving. You actually have peace beyond weed. You’re actually not addicted to porn. When you quit editing the behavior, start editing the system, and continually thank God for what you actually are in Jesus name, you’ll notice Holy Spirit manifesting Himself in you. Read more here.
#2 Start realizing that you have everything that Jesus has. As soon as you fully surrender your will to God, He will start recalibrating your mind to operate like Jesus’ mind. If you are in bondage to something right now, know that 100% freedom is on the other side of full surrender. The more you give up your mind to Holy Spirit, the more you can trust that your thoughts and desires are being tailored to reflect God’s heart. Read more here.
“Every branch that continues to bear fruit, He prunes so that it will bear more fruit.” Draw your resources from the Well Himself and you will overflow forever more.
