Overview

1. God wants His people fruitful
2. Rest brings increase and multiplication
3. God promises new covenant believers exceeding fruitfulness
4. Know who you are in Christ and experience His blessings
5. Stay planted and always bear fruit

God wants His people fruitful

As the year draws to a close, many of us are looking forward to seeing good fruits in our lives—whether in our studies, careers, health, or areas where we have been believing God for a breakthrough. 

And the good news is that God desires to see fruitfulness in every area of your life. In fact, we see His heart for fruitfulness from the very beginning of the Bible.

In Genesis 1, right after God created Adam and Eve, He blessed them and told them:

“Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
—Genesis 1:28

Bear in mind that they had just been created and had not done anything yet to earn His blessing. And notice the progression in God’s blessing. The Hebrew word for “fruitful,” para, means to bear fruit, while the word for “multiply,” raba, speaks of increase and abundance. After fruitfulness and multiplication comes dominion—the ability to rule and reign.

So God’s desire from the very beginning was for man to be fruitful, to multiply, and to reign in life.

While this blessing in Genesis 1 primarily refers to childbearing, Jesus revealed in John 15 that God’s heart for fruitfulness extends to every area of our lives. In John 15:5, the Lord said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

God wants us to bear much fruit in our marriages, families, work, businesses, studies, and ministry. And the secret to this fruitfulness is found in abiding in Jesus, our true vine.

Pastor Gabriel shared a moving testimony of a couple who experienced God’s faithfulness through years of trials. After the Lord restored their marriage that had been on the brink of divorce, they began trusting Him for a child. Despite fertility challenges and the heartbreak of a miscarriage, they continued to hold fast to God’s promises and the truth of the divine exchange that took place at the cross. After eight years of waiting, the couple was finally blessed with a healthy baby boy. 

This testimony is a beautiful picture of the Father’s desire for fruitfulness in every area of our lives. And even through painful setbacks and years of waiting, He remained faithful.

Perhaps you are still believing God for a breakthrough, especially in the area of childbearing. Regardless of how many years it has been, do not allow disappointment to cause you to lose hope. God’s very first declaration over man was one of blessing and fruitfulness, and His desire for you has not changed. Keep trusting Him, keep believing in Him, and keep looking to Him to bring forth much fruit in every area of your life.

Rest brings increase and multiplication

Even after sin entered the world, God’s desire for man to be fruitful and to multiply remained unchanged. In the days of Noah, when wickedness had spread throughout the earth, God sent a great flood but preserved Noah and his family through the ark.

After the flood, God blessed Noah and his sons with the same declaration He had first made over Adam and Eve:

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”
—Genesis 9:1

Now, Noah’s name means “rest.” So when God blessed Noah and declared that he would be fruitful and multiply, we see a wonderful truth: Rest brings fruitfulness and multiplication.

But rest does not mean inactivity or laziness. True rest is Holy Spirit–directed activity without strife, stress, or anxiety. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us as we rest in the Lord and in His love.

We can still work hard, be diligent, and steward the grace God has given us, but without the pressure of anxious striving. And when we are truly led by the Holy Spirit, our decisions and actions will produce good fruit.

It is therefore important that we discern the Spirit’s leading and not simply assume that every decision we feel prompted to make is from Him. For example, before starting a business or making an investment, seek godly counsel and don’t act hastily.

And for couples who are trusting God for a child, be encouraged that God did not say, “Try to be fruitful and multiply.” He said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” So rest in His love, let go of the pressure to make things happen on your own, and keep your focus on Him. Continue to plan or take practical steps as you wait for your breakthrough, but don’t allow the pressure to produce results rob you of your rest.

Just as God blessed Noah, whose name means “rest,” with fruitfulness and multiplication, you too can look forward to experiencing fruitful increase in every area of your life as you rest in Him.

God promises new covenant believers exceeding fruitfulness

Moving on to Genesis 17, we see God’s heart for fruitfulness revealed once again through His covenant with Abraham. At ninety-nine years old, Abraham was still waiting for the son God had promised him many years earlier. Then God appeared to him and declared:

“I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.”
—Genesis 17:1

This is the first time God revealed Himself as Almighty God or El Shaddai—the all-sufficient God, the God who is more than enough, and the all-nourishing One. What a beautiful revelation for Abraham, who was still waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise!

Notice also the order of God’s words. He did not say, “Be blameless, then walk before Me.” Instead, He said, “Walk before Me and be blameless.” The phrase “before Me” is the Hebrew word panim, which means “face” and is also used to refer to someone’s presence. In other words, God was inviting Abraham to walk before His face—to live in His presence and enjoy intimacy with Him.

This reveals an important truth about holiness and sanctification. We do not have to achieve perfection before we can walk in God’s presence. Rather, as we walk in His presence, we grow in holiness.

In our church, we believe in progressive sanctification, not sinless perfection. Our Lord Jesus Christ was the only person who had ever lived a perfectly sinless life.

True holiness is not merely about outward behavior. We may appear holy on the outside, but what about our thoughts and the hidden intentions of our hearts? To be sanctified means to be set apart from what is common unto God, for His glory. As we continue walking in His presence, we will be progressively transformed to reflect His holiness, live above reproach, and glorify Him.

After telling Abraham to walk in His presence, God then declared to Abraham:

“And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
—Genesis 17:2

Notice that God did not merely promise to multiply Abraham. He promised to multiply him exceedingly! He also changed the man’s name from Abram, meaning “exalted father,” to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations.” Even before the promised son had arrived, God was declaring what Abraham would become.

And God went on to say:

“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”
—Genesis 17:6

What a wonderful promise! And the good news is that if you belong to Christ, you are Abraham’s seed and an heir according to the promise (Gal. 3:29).

Perhaps, like Abraham, you have been waiting a long time for God’s promise to manifest in your life. Be encouraged that the One who made the promise is El Shaddai, the God who is more than enough. Continue to walk in His presence and enjoy a close relationship with Him. As an heir according to the promise, you can confidently look to your heavenly Father for exceeding fruitfulness and multiplication in your life.

Know who you are in Christ and experience His blessings

Then in Genesis 35, God appeared to Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, and blessed him. But before declaring the blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication, God reminded Jacob of his identity.

Jacob’s name means “grabber” or “supplanter.” Throughout his life, he had relied on his own self-effort, manipulation, and deception to get ahead. He even deceived his own father to obtain the firstborn blessing.

Yet when Jacob had encountered God in Genesis 32, God changed his name to Israel, meaning “prince of God.” In Genesis 35, God reaffirmed this new name:

“Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.”
—Genesis 35:10

God was reminding Jacob that he was no longer a grabber or a supplanter. He was now a prince of God. He no longer had to lie, cheat, or manipulate to obtain what he wanted. God had given him a new identity, and he could trust the Lord to bless and prosper him.

Now, this is an important reminder for all of us believers. Sometimes, even after receiving our new identity in Christ, we continue to live according to our old ways of thinking or doing things. We may feel that we have to strive, compromise, or manipulate to get ahead in life.

But just as God reminded Jacob of his new name, we too need constant reminders of who we truly are in Christ. We are princes and princesses of God Almighty, and we do not have to depend on our own self-effort to obtain His blessings.

After reaffirming Jacob’s identity, God declared:

“I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.”
—Genesis 35:11

Once again, God declared Himself as El Shaddai, the all-sufficient God. So it was not Jacob’s ability to scheme or manipulate that brought forth the blessing, but the Lord Himself who is the source.

Perhaps you have felt pressured to compromise your values to get ahead at work or succeed in business. You may fear that unless you take matters into your own hands, you will miss out.

But remember who you are in Christ. You do not have to lie, cheat, or manipulate to prosper. God can bless you without you having to compromise your integrity. And when the blessing comes, you can give Him all the glory, knowing that it is His grace at work in your life.

Stay planted and always bear fruit

Finally, in Jeremiah 17, we find a beautiful picture of how we can remain fruitful even in difficult seasons. It begins with a simple yet powerful truth:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.”
—Jeremiah 17:7

The Lord alone is worthy of our trust. People may disappoint us, and circumstances may change, but we can always depend on Him. Psalm 125 tells us that those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever. Even in the midst of life’s storms, we can remain unshakable because our confidence is in Him.

And when our hope is in the Lord, we can have a confident expectation of good things to come. Faith will arise in us, and we will not be afraid to have our hopes raised because they are anchored in Him. After all, the Bible tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).

In Jeremiah 17:8, the prophet goes on to describe the person who trusts in the Lord:

“For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

See yourself as this tree, planted by the waters. It did not simply happen to grow near the river. It was planted there. In the same way, God has planted you in His house, the church, where you can continually receive His life and nourishment. You need not fear when the heat comes or be anxious in times of drought. Even amid life’s pressures and challenges, you can remain healthy, refreshed, and fruitful because your roots are firmly established in His unfailing supply.

So how are we to live the life of a tree planted by the waters? How do we do this practically?

In Ephesians 5, we see how Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for her. Today, He continues to sanctify and cleanse His church through the washing of water by the Word (Eph. 5:25–27). As we receive His Word, the discouragement and weariness we pick up along the way are washed away.

Jesus also told the Samaritan woman at the well that whoever drinks of natural water will thirst again, but the water He gives will become a fountain springing up into everlasting life in the person who receives it (John 4:13–14). This living water that Jesus gives continually refreshes, nourishes, and strengthens us from within.

Friend, perhaps you are facing a season of pressure, uncertainty, or disappointment. Remember that it is your heavenly Father’s desire that you be fruitful and multiply in every area of your life. He has already supplied all that you need through our Lord Jesus’ perfect work at the cross. As a prince or princess of God, you need not strive, cheat, or compromise to achieve what you want. 

Rest, keep your hope anchored on Jesus, and trust the Holy Spirit to lead you. And as you wait on the Lord, allow His Word to wash and nourish you, and you will be able to experience unceasing fruitfulness—even in seasons of heat and drought.

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These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.