When we bear much fruit, we glorify Our Heavenly Father and Christ Jesus. We are to be significant and have purpose IN HIM.
Jesus spoke in John chapter 15:
7 If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
In other Words, if you live in life-union with Me and if My Words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done. When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are My mature disciples who glorify My Father!
Jesus spoke in John chapter 5:
36 But I can provide more substantial proof of who I am that exceeds John’s testimony—My miracles! These works (miracles, signs, and wonders) which the Father destined for Me to complete—they prove that the Father has sent Me!
37 And My Father Himself, Who gave Me this mission, has also testified that I am His Son. But you have never heard His Voice nor seen His Form,
38 But you do not have His Word abiding in you, because Whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
How do you obtain Eternal life? It is by believing in Jesus Christ, the person. How did the Jews believe? Jesus answers them:
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have Eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
There is a huge difference in being a Biblical scholar and knowing Jesus. Paul is an excellent example of the difference. As Saul, the Biblical scholar, he was an enemy of Christ. As Paul, he was a disciple of Christ. The entire Bible points to Christ yet many have failed to keep the number priority of Christ in their teachings. The Scripture is the launching pad into the encounter with Jesus. Scripture points to Jesus Who gives life. If we never point to Jesus, people will not get saved.
There are a lot of people who know Scripture but do not have the ability to demonstrate the Kingdom!
The Jews searched the Scripture because they thought salvation was in print, not a Person. With revelation comes invitation. Jesus doesn’t’ reveal Himself as the Healer so that you can stay sick. Jesus doesn’t reveal Himself as the Deliverer so that you will remain captive. Jesus doesn’t reveal Himself as Provider so that you can remain in lack and insufficiency. Do you get the picture?
Jesus is always asking us to come and to know Him in every way.
Wisdom wrote in Proverbs chapter 3:
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
The word acknowledge means to come to know experientially. Become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you wherever you go, in every area of your life.
Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:
15 Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in Heaven.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church (ekklesia), and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.”
Peter is not the rock but the revelation of Who Jesus is given to him by Our Father. This revelation is what the true church is built on.
The Greek word ekklesia means a legislative assembly or “selected ones.” It is not a religious term at all, but a political and governmental term that is used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summoned and gathered together to govern the affairs of a city. For Jesus to use this term means He is giving the keys of governmental authority in His Kingdom to the church.
The gates of Hades shall not be protected by our assault on the adversary’s kingdom. With this revelation, we will overtake the enemy, and his gates will not stand against us.
As you can see, we are moving toward a full activation of walking with signs and wonders following. A passive believer will not participate in taking down those gates.