How To Be Fruitful Series

Standing In the Storm #7

There is a parable in Matt.7 about two houses. One is built on a rock and another was built on sand. This is a great lesson about the way ALL PEOPLE face storms in life.

One house stood while the other fell. This is the way people do when faced with all the problems in life.

Matt. 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Notice it was not hearing the word.

The key is in the doing of the Word.

IF WE DO WHAT WE KNOW TO DO, we will overcome the storms.

Basing your life upon the Word of God assures us victory.

Every Storm’s outcome is based upon DOING OR NOT DOING THE WORD

A pitfall that leads many people to the conclusion that the Word isn’t working:

They evaluate how well they are doing the Word only in the area in which they are having trouble.

If the storm is in the area of finances, they only check their obedience to the Word in matters such as tithing or giving. The problem is, a failure to do the Word in one area can leave you open to storms in another.

This same principal of being a DOER of the WORD is found in another parable.

Lu.8: 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

1.Fear is a cause of falling,

2.We saw there were reasons for Storms:

3. We found Deception to be a cause of falling.

The Devil knows he can’t defeat you if he can’t deceive you.

4. Lack of understanding

5.The lust for other things

6. PATIENCE.

Last week we saw that PATIENCE is not waiting around or just hanging in there, it is Joyful Faithfulness.

THE ONLY WAY TO PRODUCE FRUIT IS BY CONSISTENCY.

Doing the things we know to do 90-95% of the time will not assure the fruitfulness of victory.

1Co 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Re 3:11 Behold I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown.

We can see there is no option for FAITHFULNESS’

Tonight I want to direct our study to another area that causes Failure in Storms and HOW TO BE FRUITFUL

The devils success in the battle against us depends upon OUR IGNORANCE of the WORD of God

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

We base our life upon what we believe= that is what faith is.

We do the things that we do because of what we believe.

Paul tells us to look at ourselves, to Test yourselves, to see if you are holding on to what you believe and are not a CAST-A-WAY.

The New living Translation says it this way.

5 Put yourselves to the test and judge yourselves, to find out whether you are living in faith. Surely you know that Christ Jesus is in you?—unless you have completely failed.

TO STAND IN THE STORM YOU MUST HAVE Christ IN YOU.

You must be born again and GROWING.

Fruitfulness means Christ in you.

What does it mean to have Christ in you?

I. Peace

Col 1:2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

1Pe 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Peace of God is a marker of Christianity.

The test of Christ in you is Peace should rule in your heart.

Peace should rule as an umpire in your heart.

Peace is not the absent of conflict but is the way that you respond to the conflict.

We live in a World of stress and they say that we as a nation consumes 15 tons of aspirin EVERY DAY. Tranquilizers sales are at an all time high, peace of mind books are on the best sellers list

God is the maker of peace.

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.