Root and Fruit

…Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. Isaiah 37:31 (KJV) emphasis mine

As believers, we must first be rooted in order to bear fruit. The deeper your roots go, the more fruit (and better quality fruit) you’ll produce. And with deep roots, you can keep your footing. A tree with deep roots can withstand storms to bear fruit.

In the verse above, it says that Judah shall take root and bear fruit. The name Judah means praise. The more we praise God, the deeper our roots will go in God and our time in His Word will produce good fruit.

Jesus said in John 15:1-7 that if we abide in His Word and His Word abides in us we will bear much fruit. Ephesians 3:17 tells us to be rooted and grounded in love. The enemy will bring offense to us to try to uproot us out of God’s love. However, as we abide and stay rooted in God’s Word and His love, we will overcome offenses.

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Hebrews 12:15 (KJV)

We must uproot bitterness before it can become firmly established, or else it will be much harder to remove it- and more painful- when God deals with us about it. It is like a weed. A weed can be easily plucked out of the ground when it is small, but it is much more diffcult to pull out if it is allowed to get larger. We must not become angry and bitter- at God, life, people, ourselves, etc. when things don;t go our way. We must submit to God’s work in our hearts and lives, becoming willing, obedient, and submissive to the will of God. If we allow Him, He is able to uproot the bitterness from our hearts and replace it with the Word to bring lasting change.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:2-3 (KJV)

As we delight in God’s Word, we will be as trees planted by streams of water, bearing abundant fruit and prospering in all we do. Jesus said that we know a tree by it’s fruit (Matthew 7:15-20, Matthew 12:33, Luke 6:44). As we stay rooted and grounded in the Word, planted on the banks of the river of God’s Spirit, the river will wash things out of us that are not of God. This will enable us to remain in the soil of His love, burying our roots down deep so we can produce good fruit: the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Deep roots produce abundant amounts of good quality fruit. As we rid ourselves of any bitter roots, we will bear sweet, pleasant fruit for the Lord.

…That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)