Every time we talk or fruitfulness in God, people assume that we are talking about biological fruitfulness. Fruitfulness is not only biological, there is an "all round fruitfulness". In Hebrews 6:9-10, scriptures says,
"But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that company salvation, though we thus speak".
Salvation is not empty, there are things that accompany salvation. If you work for God, he will reward you. Verse 10 of the scripture says,
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love...",
that means if you're working and laboring for God, he will make you fruitful. The mystery of fruitfulness is in laboring for God. The altar of service to God is the altar of fruitfulness. As you serve people, God will make sure your life go well. If you are a genuine servant, the Lord will lift you. The greatest way to be faithful in God is to serve him. Many mistake worship for service. When we go to Church, we go to do two principal things, worship and service. In Psalms 95:3-6, the Psalmist in worship says,
"For the lord is a great God and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it; and his hands found the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker".
In worship we praise, sing and honor God, we show forth his greatness and the great things he has done, and still doing.
What does it mean to serve him? It is doing good to people which amount to doing it to God. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus talking about whatever we do to people is what we have done to him, says,
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, you in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me".
We worship God by lifting our hands to him, but in service, we do it to people in order to do it to God. You must ensure that everything you give to people or do to them, is done unto God. People say I serve God, yes but we cannot serve God without rendering any service to God's children. People may see you as doing it to men, but God sees you as doing it unto him. Service is a key to divine fruitfulness. In Exodus 23:25, scripture says,
"Thou shall serve the Lord thy God, and he shall bless your bread and water and take diseases way from the midst of thee...".
Serving the Lord means serving the people of God. Don't just be a worshiper, be a servant also. Jesus says, "they that serve him will the father honor Mark 9-41.
People That Had Encounter With God In Service
1. Phinehas: Concerning this man in Numbers 25:22-31, scripture says,
"And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consume not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace; And he shall have it and his seed after him, even the covenant of everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel".
Phinehas was so zealous for God that he enjoyed God's covenant of peace. One of the benefits of zeal for God is peace. When you are zealous in God's work, he makes sure your work, works out and that things go well with you. Favor comes much faster when you serve God, In Psalm 102:13-14, scripture says,
"Thou shall arise and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea the set time is come. For thy servant take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof".
The scripture says "...thy servant taketh pleasure in her (Zion) stone..." that means when you are so passionate in the progress of Zion you enjoy fruitfulness.
2. David: Because of zeal for God cannot imagine himself in a palace while the ark God is in tent. He decided to bring the house of God; even though God did not allow him because he was a man of war, yet he proposed and prepared most of the materials for the building to show forth his zeal for God. No wonder, God swore to David that he will not lack seed to be on his throne and to build him a house, 2 Samuel 7:1-4, 11-13. David encountered God and became fruitful by service. Don't attend Church and sit down and go back home without serving at any capacity, you won't get much blessing from God that way. A quality decision to serve God will cage your enemies. You can't be serving God and be serving sickness, God will go to any length to rescue and deliver those that serve him. You can use your testimony of service to get help from God. For instance, you can say, "Lord, you know I serve you, that is why this sickness or disease must go" and God will hear you and deal with it; because he can't afford to see anything prevent his servant from serving him continually. Our testimonies of service is a proof of love of God in our hearts. If you are too big to serve people, then the master is too big to serve you too. Make a quality decision like Joshua to serve God. Joshua said "I and my house we shall serve the Lord".
Benefits of Serving The Lord
1. You enjoy divine health and peace, Proverbs 13:17b.
2. He polishes your destiny, he removes everyday debris that may come to afflict you.
3. When you serve the Lord, he pays u wages, especially when it is along soul winning for Christ, John 4:35-36
4. He honours you, John 12:26
5. Services makes God to remember and distinguish you Malachi 3:16-17
What are the patterns for acceptable service? Not all services are acceptable to God, your service becomes acceptable when:
1. You do it as unto the Lord not to impress your pastor or any man, Ephesians 6:6
2. You do it discently and orderly, 1 Corinthians 14:40
3. You do it transparently
4. You do it to the glory of God
5. You do it joyfully, Detronomy 28:42-48.
Shalom!