WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 A principle of fruitfulness is abiding and stability. 2 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:11.700 You don't see a fruitful tree hopping from garden to garden and farm to farm. 3 00:00:11.700 --> 00:00:19.700 It's rooted. In fact, the Bible says those that are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of God. 4 00:00:19.700 --> 00:00:22.300 That means you're not all over the place. 5 00:00:22.300 --> 00:00:26.100 You've got to find the place and let your boots grow roots. 6 00:00:26.200 --> 00:00:28.600 Welcome to the City Light Church Podcast. 7 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:35.600 Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that He has for us. 8 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:41.400 If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyc.com. 9 00:00:41.400 --> 00:00:44.700 That's citylightnyc.com. 10 00:00:44.700 --> 00:00:52.500 Pastor Boyan Jansik and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. 11 00:00:52.500 --> 00:00:57.500 As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God. 12 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:06.500 That you are surrounded by His grace and that He has a real hope and a future for you. 13 00:01:06.500 --> 00:01:13.500 I want to minister to you today on biblical principles of fruitfulness. 14 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:18.000 How many of you know God has called you to be fruitful? 15 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:29.000 When He's called you and commanded you to be fruitful, that means He's also by design going to equip you and grace you with everything you need to be fruitful. 16 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:32.000 And I've noticed everybody wants to be fruitful. 17 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.000 There's nobody who's going to say, I don't want to be fruitful. I just want to be a dead tree branch. 18 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:39.000 Because fruitfulness is a sign of life. 19 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:45.000 And when your life is bearing fruit, there's a satisfaction and a contentment that's within your soul. 20 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:53.000 And on an even deeper level than that, when you're fruitful, ultimately you're fulfilling the purposes that God has for humanity. Amen. 21 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:57.000 So before we start, let me just quickly define fruit. 22 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:01.000 Because when a Christian, especially in a new covenant church, mentions fruitfulness, 23 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:09.000 typically what we immediately think of is Galatians chapter 5, the fruit of the Spirit, goodness, peace, joy. 24 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:14.000 I didn't go to Christian school, so I can't name them in order, but my wife can. 25 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.000 Name them all nine right in order. 26 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:18.000 Let's use the Bible to define the Bible. 27 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:24.000 Genesis 1, 27-28, I want to show you what falls into the category of the fruit that God wants you to bear. 28 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:26.000 Number one, children. 29 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.000 So God created man in his own image. 30 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:34.000 In the image of God, He created him male and female. He created them. 31 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:39.000 God blessed them and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply. 32 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:41.000 By the way, Satan hates this. 33 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:48.000 The Bible says that God is after godly seed, and the enemy is always trying to intercept that. 34 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:54.000 This also is the first commandment that you see right there in Genesis chapter 1. 35 00:02:54.000 --> 00:03:01.000 Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, 36 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:04.000 and over every living thing that moves on the earth. 37 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.000 So number one, fruit is children. 38 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:17.000 Number two, first Corinthians 16-15, fruit when someone has a fruitful life, there's also salvation in their life. 39 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:21.000 The Bible calls people who've just come to the Lord fruit. 40 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:27.000 So how many of you know we're not supposed to live as closet Christians and keep our faith just for ourselves, 41 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:29.000 but we're supposed to share our faith? 42 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:32.000 You know what we all have in common? Somebody told us. 43 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:34.000 Right? 44 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:40.000 And so we're told to tell others, share the gospel, and when somebody says yes, that's fruit. 45 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:50.000 I urge you, brethren, Paul is writing, you know the household of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of akea. 46 00:03:50.000 --> 00:03:56.000 So Paul calls this man Stephanus and his household, they were the first ones to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 47 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:03.000 The first ones to get saved, he calls them first fruits, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints. 48 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:14.000 So when we're fruitful, there's children, there's salvation, John 15, 7-8. 49 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:23.000 You know, for years I read John 15, and when Jesus says I want you to be fruitful that the Father's glorified, 50 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:28.000 I just thought that meant like good stuff, like I want good stuff coming from you, fruitful. 51 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:31.000 What is fruitful? He actually defines it right there. 52 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:40.000 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask, you will pray, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 53 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:52.000 By this, my Father is glorified, the tension, it's real, next verse, that you bear much fruit. 54 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:58.000 Now go back to that other verse. Jesus, do you see the connection there? These aren't two separate thoughts. 55 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:04.000 Jesus is saying, when you pray and your prayers are actually answered, that's you bearing fruit. 56 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:12.000 And my Father is glorified. I mean, can you believe that God the Father is glorified when Christians pray, and they actually get answers to their prayers? 57 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:21.000 Which should be the norm. Too often it isn't, even back in the book of Acts, when they were praying for Peter to be released, and Peter gets released, 58 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:25.000 an ox on the door of the house where they're praying for him, and they go, no, I can't be you. 59 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:31.000 A lot of Christians are that way. They can't be you. We're just doing the prayer thing, because that's what's nice to do. 60 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:44.000 Now tell me God answered the prayer, and you're here. No, it must be his angel. So that's prayer fruit. God is glorified when you actually are praying and receiving answers to your prayers. Amen. 61 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:57.000 So we have children, souls, answers to prayer, and the Holy Spirit will teach you how to have a fruitful prayer life. 62 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:04.000 When I first got saved, I had no clue what I was doing, and I would often pray, Lord, teach me how to pray. 63 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:14.000 And prayer shouldn't be agonizing or frustrating, that you don't see any results. I wasn't seeing results, so I asked the Lord to just align me and correct me. 64 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:22.000 Teach me from the scriptures about prayer, so that we can actually get the job done, amen, and receive answers to our prayer. 65 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:34.000 Number four, fruit of the Spirit could also be from Galatians 5. The nature and the character of God, the love, the joy, goodness, kindness, patience have come out of you. 66 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:40.000 And then of course fruit in the Bible can just mean fruit. 67 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:49.000 A harvest of crops. Because back then if they said your chase account or your Citibank account, it wouldn't have made sense. 68 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:59.000 In other words fruit is also material possessions and your money, your finances. Amen. And God wants you to be fruitful in all of these. 69 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:09.000 So I just wanted to define fruit before I go into principles of fruitfulness, how we can align with what God wants for us to be fruitful and actually be fruitful. 70 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:15.000 You ready? Amen. Let's begin. Psalm 127. 71 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:25.000 Number one, fruitfulness is of the Spirit. It's something that the Spirit does in you. 72 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:37.000 My pastor, very aggressive guy in the best possible way, like a bull for the Lord. 73 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:47.000 And then many great things for God. But you know what I heard him say hundreds of times. If you have to force it, it's not God. 74 00:07:47.000 --> 00:08:06.000 Amen. If you have to force it, it's not God. God wants you to be fruitful without striving, without sweating, without getting all anxious and making it a product of the flesh. 75 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:13.000 Real biblical fruitfulness is of the Spirit. Except the Lord builds the house. We're talking about the house of your life. 76 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:18.000 Pastors love this because they immediately think he's talking about the church, but it's for the house of your life, including his church. 77 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:29.000 Except the Lord builds the house. They labor in vain who build it. Except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. 78 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:43.000 Verse two, it is vain for you to rise up early to take rest late, to eat the bread of anxious toil. This is a New York city verse if there ever was one. 79 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:54.000 He's saying it's vain. You know how many people are trying to make it in their own strength and they may be getting success, but they're miserable. 80 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:02.000 That's why, by the way, the Bible says, God will prosper you and He'll give you riches and He'll add no sorrow to it. 81 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:10.000 What's the point if you're just full of ambition and full of strife and making yourself and everybody else around you miserable? Amen. 82 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:23.000 There is a fruit, look, the greatest example of this is Abraham. And now he got a promise from God that it was going to be the father of many nations, but nothing was happening for a while. 83 00:09:23.000 --> 00:09:31.000 So his wife said, well, why don't you try to have a baby and conceive with that servant woman, Haggar. 84 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:43.000 And he did. And that produced an Ishmael, which the Bible identifies as a child of the flesh, something you do in your own strength to realize the promises of God. 85 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:55.000 Isaac, his name is laughter. That means with the Lord there's a ha ha when he births something. There's an ease. It's my microphone on this morning. 86 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:06.000 This is like the anti-New York City message. People come here, they sharpen their elbows. And I've heard things in the church. If it's to be, it's up to me. 87 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:24.000 In the Old Testament, the priests were told to wear linen ephod. You know why? The linen is a very breathable material, because in the presence of God there's no sweat. Hallelujah. 88 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:31.000 I love you. So I'm going to tell you this with a love of the Lord. Half of you look very miserable right now. 89 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:43.000 I know this is exactly the opposite of what the world is getting into you. You just have to scroll down a few times. That's why I'm off all social media. I'll occasionally post just to let people know I'm alive. I'll be on X. 90 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:53.000 But, but like Instagram, Facebook, three scrolls. And then there's that sweaty guy right up in my face. Are you looking to make more money? Try my new guaranteed system of $49.95 a month. 91 00:10:53.000 --> 00:11:04.000 And you do this. If you got a force that it's not God, it is vain for you to rise up early. 92 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:15.000 You know, people I know they're miserable producing a lot, but they're miserable doing it in the flesh. 93 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:23.000 Instead of believing God and trusting for their Isaac, which comes with laughter, there's an ease. 94 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:30.000 One of the best compliments, this is the only compliment I'd ever want actually is the pastor just recently said. 95 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:41.000 He said, you know, when I came to city light, it was very apparent that it wasn't a work of man, but that it was something that was birthed in the spirit. 96 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:46.000 He's sensitive to these things so you can just, you can smell it in the spiritual air. 97 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:55.000 And you might also, if you went to a church where it was all just man scheming, man concocting, man strategizing, you do this, don't we do that? And the people do that. 98 00:11:55.000 --> 00:12:01.000 You come in there and it smells like death. 99 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.000 All right, let me get back. 100 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:17.000 Let me eat the bread of anxious toil. Look at that. For he gives blessings to his beloved in sleep, in sleep. 101 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:25.000 Back when I was having these incredible experiences with the Lord and his Holy Spirit, he would often come to me at night and while I'd be in my bed. 102 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:33.000 The only way to describe was this like effervescent, champagne-y feeling out of my belly, like the Lord was just touching me and I felt like stuff was going into me. 103 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.000 Good stuff from heaven, just being deposited in my spirit. 104 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:43.000 Not when I was praying, I'm sure the prayer and the worship set me up for that, but when I was doing nothing. 105 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:54.000 You know, Aaron's rod that butted, that was fruitful, it was when Aaron put it in the glory, he just lay there and it produced fruit and butted. 106 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:00.000 I might have to ask the worship team to come back on. 107 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:08.000 I don't know if I left the point out that I mentioned in the first service, but totally different reaction. 108 00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:13.000 Did I hurt somebody's feelings by saying this? 109 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:18.000 I understand, look, there is a part for us to play. I'm not preaching laziness. 110 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:23.000 I'm not talking about the Christian who just says akuna matata and whatever will be will be. 111 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:28.000 And I'll just kick back and watch the Lord do his thing. No, our job is to partner with him, to believe him. 112 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:35.000 But I'm talking about you only do what he tells you to do and if he's not telling you to do anything then don't do it. 113 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:41.000 Don't get old caught up in trying to make it happen because at the end it'll be like sand in your mouth. 114 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:49.000 Amen. You'll be miserable and everybody around you will be miserable and let the Lord birth that Isaac. Amen. 115 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:54.000 Hallelujah. It'll be one of the greatest freedoms that you'll ever encounter. 116 00:13:54.000 --> 00:14:01.000 Half of what you're all are chasing, you're chasing. Anyway, just so that other people don't care about you will be impressed by you. 117 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:05.000 That's an okay. Point number two. 118 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:15.000 All right, principles, principles of biblical fruitfulness. Let's go to Psalm chapter one. 119 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:24.000 Now God's word is a seed. Jesus said so. Says it multiple times in scripture but Jesus said the soar goes to so the word. 120 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.000 And then just so no theologians could ever get mixed up on what he was actually talking about. 121 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:35.000 He's actually recorded as a breaking down and explaining that parable to his disciples and he says now the seed is the word of God. 122 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:40.000 Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly. 123 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.000 Nor stands in the path of sinners. 124 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:49.000 Nor sits in the seat of the scornful. 125 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:55.000 But his delight is in the law of the Lord in the word of God. 126 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:58.000 It's not talking about the ten commandments of Moses here. 127 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:04.000 It's not talking about the system of the law that we've been redeemed from now that we're under grace. 128 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:07.000 It's law is also a synonym for the word of God. 129 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:16.000 His delight is in the word of God, in the word of the Lord, and in his law, in the word he meditates day and night. 130 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:23.000 This person who's full of the seed of the word of God, if you want to be fruitful, you got to get pregnant. 131 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:26.000 Pregnant with God's word, amen. 132 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:32.000 When God's word goes in you, it will naturally produce fruitfulness in your life. 133 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:38.000 But his delight is in the word of the Lord and in his word and the law, he meditates day and night. 134 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:40.000 This is what happens to that person. 135 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:49.000 And she'll be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season. 136 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:51.000 Everybody shout fruit. 137 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:56.000 I'm not a big repeat after me preacher, but just to wake you up, say fruit. 138 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:58.000 Who's leaf? 139 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:02.000 Also, somebody I could just pick to you, just cuddling this morning when the rain was falling. 140 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:05.000 Lord, will you still love me if I don't come? 141 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:07.000 I feel the comforter. 142 00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:10.000 No, not the Holy Ghost, the comforter. 143 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:16.000 Maybe today I'll go to the first church of St. mattress with Pastor Pillow and Sister Sheets. 144 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:19.000 And you brought that thing in here. 145 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:30.000 Look, this stuff changed my life. 146 00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:33.000 This changed my life. 147 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:36.000 I didn't know these things when I first became a Christian. 148 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.000 I was struggling, I was stumbling and bumbling to be fruitful. 149 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.000 And then I started to get ahold of these truths on the word of God. 150 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:50.000 What it means to ingest the word of God, how to pray with efficacy and with authority. 151 00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:55.000 And I want my Christianity to work, amen. 152 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:59.000 So I started stumbling upon these spiritual principles. 153 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:03.000 And there was a pastor's wife. 154 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:07.000 And I asked her as I'm learning about these principles. 155 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.000 Because look, the reality is there's a lot of people in a church. 156 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.000 I remember looking around. 157 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.000 I'm young, I'm newly saved, and I'm going, this is so great. 158 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:16.000 And it's changing my life so much. 159 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:22.000 But I'm looking and I'm going, I just don't get the impression that a lot of these people are experiencing what I'm experiencing. 160 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:23.000 Why? 161 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:26.000 Because in a church you can have people who are like clapping seals. 162 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.000 And they're like, amen, amen. 163 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:35.000 And the Bible says, be careful that you're not ever, ever learning but never coming to a realization of the truth. 164 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:38.000 Be careful to be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. 165 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.000 So I'm getting my life changed by this principle that I'm about to share and ask her, 166 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:45.000 Hey, how many people do you think actually do this stuff? 167 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:47.000 I'm doing this stuff. 168 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.000 Change, how many people do you think do this stuff? 169 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:51.000 And she went, look down to him. 170 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:53.000 Not many, not many. 171 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:57.000 And there not be the story here. 172 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:04.000 Meditating on the Word of God will transform your life. 173 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.000 The Bible never says to read it. 174 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.000 It says the consummate. 175 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:10.000 It either says study it or eat it. 176 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:16.000 And when you do, you'll be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season. 177 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:23.000 You'll be fruitful whose leaf also shall not wither and whatever you do, it will prosper. 178 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:25.000 Hallelujah. 179 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:29.000 So we're going to have a meditation session this morning. 180 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:33.000 Because we have new people and those of you who've done this before, 181 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:37.000 the last time you did this was in a service just like this and you didn't do it at home. 182 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:39.000 So we're going to do it again. Amen. 183 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:41.000 We're going to meditate. 184 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:46.000 And biblical meditation is in you in the lotus position chanting Aum. 185 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:51.000 It's you repeating the Word of God until the Word is made flesh, 186 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:55.000 until that seed of God goes into your spirit. 187 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:57.000 And it'll produce much fruit. 188 00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:59.000 I'll show you how to do it. Isaiah 41-10. 189 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:02.000 You get yourself a good verse. 190 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.000 They're all good, but one that really speaks to you. 191 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:07.000 Back in the day, we used to use the Concordance. 192 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:09.000 Now you can Google. 193 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:12.000 Verses for encouragement. 194 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.000 If I see what comes out. 195 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:16.000 Verses for when I'm feeling down. 196 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:19.000 And find one that really speaks life to you. 197 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:21.000 Write it out. 198 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:23.000 This is a great one. 199 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:26.000 We're going to do the first two lines together. 200 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.000 We're going to meditate. 201 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.000 There's a blow you away. 202 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.000 In fact, gauge how you're feeling right now. 203 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:33.000 Just like taking an internal, how am I doing? 204 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:36.000 And then check on yourself in three minutes. 205 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.000 And see if you're doing better or worse. 206 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.000 How we're going to meditate on this? 207 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.000 We're all going to stay together reading the first two lines 208 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:47.000 and then placing the emphasis on every successive word. 209 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:49.000 You ready? 210 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:51.000 All right, let's just read the first two lines. 211 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:53.000 Fear not for I am with you. 212 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:56.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 213 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.000 Fear not for I am with you. 214 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:02.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 215 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:05.000 Fear not for I am with you. 216 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:08.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 217 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.000 Fear not for I am with you. 218 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:14.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 219 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.000 Fear not for I am with you. 220 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:20.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 221 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:23.000 Fear not for I am with you. 222 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:26.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 223 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.000 Fear not for I am with you. 224 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:31.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 225 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:33.000 Fear not for I am with you. 226 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:36.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 227 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:38.000 Fear not for I am with you. 228 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 229 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.000 Fear not for I am with you. 230 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:46.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 231 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:48.000 Fear not for I am with you. 232 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:51.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 233 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:53.000 Fear not for I am with you. 234 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:56.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 235 00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:58.000 Fear not for I am with you. 236 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:01.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 237 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:03.000 When you say I am, huh? 238 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:05.000 Fear not for I am with you. 239 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:08.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 240 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:11.000 Altogether now, fear not for I am with you. 241 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:15.000 Be not dismayed for I am your God. 242 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:17.000 Hallelujah. 243 00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:19.000 Hallelujah. 244 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:24.000 How do you feel better the same or worse than three minutes ago? 245 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:27.000 You are meditating on the Word. 246 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:31.000 You know my greatest fear when I do that is that somebody is going to come in and really think we are a cult. 247 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:36.000 Like I am just chanting and everybody is repeating after me. 248 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.000 All right, we got past that, everybody is all right. 249 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:42.000 No cool aid going about. 250 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:45.000 So this will change. 251 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:50.000 You find five verses like this and you really meditate on them. 252 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:53.000 You can do it as you go to sleep, you can do it in the morning. 253 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:56.000 And if it is you will memorize more scripture which is always positive. 254 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.000 But now you are actually getting pregnant. 255 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:00.000 I am using that word. 256 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:03.000 Because it is the seed of the Word of God and it will produce fruit. 257 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:06.000 What can produce better fruit than the Word of Almighty God? 258 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:09.000 Hallelujah. 259 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:12.000 So in biblical principles the fruitfulness, number one, 260 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:16.000 says in the fruit of the flesh it is the fruit of the spirit. 261 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:19.000 We can try to make it happen in our own strength. 262 00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:24.000 We understand there is a tension between, hey, when am I just passive and apathetic 263 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:29.000 and just neglecting my responsibilities and when am I trying to make it happen? 264 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:31.000 There is a tension there, right? 265 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:33.000 Usually find Christians on both extremes. 266 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:37.000 They are either chilling on a hammock, hoping the blessings of God will just fall on them 267 00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:42.000 or they are scheming and they are pushing and they are huffing and they are puffing 268 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:46.000 and switzing and striving and trying to make it happen in their own strength. 269 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:51.000 You find the answer to that tension as you walk it out with the Lord. 270 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:53.000 There is no formula I can give you. 271 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:55.000 I know when I am getting in the flesh. 272 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:58.000 By the way, Isaac, who is a child of the promise means laughter. 273 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:02.000 So one of the gauges for me is how much joy do I have? 274 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:05.000 Is our house a pretty happy home? 275 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:07.000 Is there a lot of laughter? 276 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:10.000 Yes. 277 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:14.000 Our house is like a non-stop slumber party. 278 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:21.000 It is like constantly and because that is what the Lord brings, the fruit of the Spirit is joy 279 00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:27.000 and thank God I have a godly wife who when I am not that way and my brow gets furrowed 280 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:29.000 and my ch... 281 00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:34.000 You know, for a day and then the next day, babe, what is going on? 282 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:39.000 Because I know that now I am in the flesh, the moment joy is gone. 283 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:42.000 I don't trust ministers who don't have much joy in their life. 284 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.000 They are always serious. 285 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:47.000 Always say, bro. 286 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:56.000 Hey, the Bible says in Hebrews that Jesus was anointed with the oil of joy far above his colleagues. 287 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:02.000 That means in a group of people, Jesus was the most joyous in the bunch. 288 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:04.000 Amen. 289 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:07.000 So I am saying all this because I felt like some people were wondering. 290 00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:10.000 What is the answer between doing too much and doing too little? 291 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:12.000 What is a good indicator? 292 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:14.000 Your joy level is a good indicator. 293 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:20.000 When you are in joy, that means you are at the highest place of faith which is rest. 294 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:24.000 After you have gotten the word and you prayed and you believed and you stood, 295 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:27.000 you have to get to a place of biblical rest. 296 00:24:27.000 --> 00:24:28.000 Hallelujah. 297 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.000 And that with that rest is joy. 298 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:32.000 Amen. 299 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:37.000 Meditating on the word because God's word is a seed that produces fruit. 300 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:40.000 And then this one, man, if you weren't amenning me before, 301 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.000 you're really going to be silent now. 302 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:45.000 John 15.4. 303 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:48.000 What produces fruit? 304 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.000 Yeah. 305 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:55.000 Abide. 306 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:59.000 I can just end there, but I have to read the whole verse. 307 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.000 Abide. 308 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:01.000 Say that with me. 309 00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:02.000 Abide. 310 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:06.000 Abide in me and I and you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. 311 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:11.000 Unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you what? 312 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:14.000 Abide in me. 313 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:21.000 A principle of fruitfulness is abiding and stability. 314 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:27.000 You don't see a fruitful tree hopping from garden to garden and farm to farm. 315 00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:29.000 It's rooted. 316 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:37.000 In fact, the Bible says that those who are planted in the courts of the Lord 317 00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:41.000 will flourish in the house of God. 318 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:43.000 Excuse me, I mixed that up. 319 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:48.000 Those that are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of God. 320 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.000 That means you're not all over the place. 321 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:54.000 You're not constantly bouncing in order to have fruitfulness. 322 00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:01.000 You've got to find the place and let your boots grow roots. 323 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.000 Again, I'm in New York City, right? 324 00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:08.000 You know how many people I've said by two? 325 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:11.000 Because this was like the fifth city that we're going to give it a go in. 326 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:13.000 And now they're off to the next one. 327 00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:15.000 You know what New York didn't work? 328 00:26:15.000 --> 00:26:16.000 I was already in Miami. 329 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:17.000 I did shite town. 330 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:18.000 NYC. 331 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:20.000 And now, hey. 332 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:25.000 You're not going to have success immediately when you endeavor something. 333 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:27.000 And you can't hop around from place to place. 334 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:31.000 You know where you see this the most in people's social media profile? 335 00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:40.000 You look at the bio and it says entrepreneur, photographer, model, engineer, biology, HVAC repair. 336 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.000 What? 337 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:43.000 You can't do all those things. 338 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:46.000 How can you be all those things? 339 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:49.000 Pick one and stay stable. 340 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:58.000 And you know whenever you're going through it, you know the first thing you do is think of switching to your graphic locations. 341 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:04.000 The problem is you've got to take yourself with you wherever you go. 342 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:05.000 Hey, man. 343 00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:07.000 Am I preaching good, son? 344 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:09.000 All right, thank you. 345 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:12.000 That's it. 346 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:14.000 I know because I went through this. 347 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:21.000 She was teasing me back nearly 10 years ago when I was going through the dark night of the soul. 348 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:27.000 My nasty secret, I get on my phone and I go on trullia. 349 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:30.000 I'd be like, I hate it here right now. 350 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:33.000 I hate everything. 351 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:35.000 This is terrible. 352 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:37.000 I wonder how much houses are in South Carolina. 353 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:39.000 Whoa! 354 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:42.000 Look what I can for the price of a studio in New York. 355 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:50.000 I can get a mansion with the turrets and everything in South Carolina. 356 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:59.000 You got to abide, amen. 357 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:04.000 Quitting is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. 358 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:09.000 Now, some of you, maybe you have something in your life that's like on life support. 359 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:13.000 And in that case, you need to shoot it in the head and put it out of its misery. 360 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.000 Like I'm not saying always. 361 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:20.000 Because there's some people that'll take this message and then they'll stay tied to something that's obviously dying. 362 00:28:20.000 --> 00:28:21.000 But like, no, I'm going to be faithful. 363 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:22.000 I'm going to be stable. 364 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:26.000 I'm going to be loyal and they're carrying a dead person around. 365 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:27.000 Amen. 366 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.000 Sometimes you've got to put that thing away. 367 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:30.000 And move on. 368 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:36.000 But for most of us, God is saying they put Hallelujah. 369 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:38.000 I feel like I need a translator today. 370 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:41.000 This is not normal. 371 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:43.000 We are having a wedding today. 372 00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:45.000 So a bunch of people are gone. 373 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:54.000 I didn't know that they send wedding invites to everybody who participates. 374 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:56.000 Hallelujah. 375 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.000 God is good. 376 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:01.000 God is awesome. 377 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.000 All right. 378 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:05.000 Worship team, come on up. 379 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:06.000 Malachi 310. 380 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.000 I have to protect my joy level. 381 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:12.000 So, according to what I just preach, the Worship team, come on up. 382 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:15.000 I want to show you this from Malachi 310. 383 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:19.000 Biblical principles of fruitfulness. 384 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:32.000 Every preacher's favorite passage, the book of Malachi for the Italian Americans. 385 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:37.400 Now one thing I'm big on is when you're reading an Old Testament scripture, realizing how 386 00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:41.000 it applies to you now under the new covenant. 387 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:43.000 There is a difference. 388 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:46.500 But a lot of the principles stay the same. 389 00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:51.500 The Bible says, bring all the tides into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. 390 00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:52.500 And try me now. 391 00:29:52.500 --> 00:29:55.500 Test me now in this, says the Lord of hosts. 392 00:29:55.500 --> 00:29:58.500 If I will not open for you the windows of heaven. 393 00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:06.500 By the way, today, I don't tie so the Lord will open up the windows of heaven for me. 394 00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:10.500 Under the Old Testament, the people of God would get cursed. 395 00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:13.500 Under the new covenant, you are a Christian. 396 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:15.500 Christ, the new, the hope of glory. 397 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:19.500 If you are walking with the Lord's Spirit-filled Christian, you cannot be cursed. 398 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:24.500 Under the Old covenant, one of the curses was that the heaven would be like iron, the skies, 399 00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.500 and the heavens. 400 00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:29.500 It means no precipitation would be like iron, and the ground would be like brass. 401 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:33.500 Under the new covenant, the heavens were opened. 402 00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:38.500 And the day of Pentecost, Acts chapter 2, they never closed back up for the born again believer. 403 00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:40.500 So why do I tie it? 404 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:46.500 Not so that God would open up the heavens, but as an act of faith that the heavens are open over my life. 405 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:52.500 And I'm leaning into that word and partnering with the truth of God's word that the heavens are open over my life. 406 00:30:52.500 --> 00:30:53.500 Okay? 407 00:30:53.500 --> 00:31:00.500 Test me and I'll open up the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 408 00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:02.500 And this is what I wanted you to see. 409 00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:11.500 And I will rebuke the devourer that in the Hebrew is seed-eater, like a locust, 410 00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:15.500 which is a symbol of a demonic entity, a principality, or a Satan himself. 411 00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:20.500 When you give, now again, under the Old Testament, they would tie, and it was really under the Old Testament. 412 00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:23.500 It was kind of like protection money. 413 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:25.500 Like I'm going to tie. 414 00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:29.500 Man, I was blowing the trumpet in Zion. 415 00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:33.500 I feel like it's going to happen just like that one day. 416 00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:36.500 I'll be in the middle of a message. 417 00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:42.500 And we'll all just go up, and only the people who didn't laugh will remain. 418 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:44.500 No. 419 00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.500 What is that? 420 00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:47.500 It sounds like a bison dying. 421 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.500 All right. 422 00:31:48.500 --> 00:31:50.500 Preach through it. 423 00:31:55.500 --> 00:31:56.500 Love it. 424 00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:57.500 Praise God. 425 00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:04.500 It was kind of like protection money in the Old Testament. 426 00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:08.500 You paid, and the devourer would be rebuked. 427 00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:13.500 Today, the seed-eater is keeping away from being fruitful. 428 00:32:13.500 --> 00:32:17.500 He was rebuked by Jesus for the born-again believer 2,000 years ago. 429 00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:22.500 Now when I tithe, I'm not paying protection money to God the Father, 430 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:26.500 so he doesn't send Angelo and Vinnie to break my kneecaps. 431 00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:28.500 I'm saying, Lord, you've already done all this. 432 00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:32.500 It's already a past tense fact, so I'm going to do what's right and high 433 00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:36.500 because you've already done it, and the seed-eater is rebuked. 434 00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:40.500 Look what it goes on to say, so that he, the seed-eater, 435 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:45.500 it's talking about fruitfulness here, will not destroy the fruit of your ground. 436 00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:49.500 Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, 437 00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:55.500 says the Lord of hosts, and all nations will call you blessed 438 00:32:55.500 --> 00:33:00.500 for you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts. 439 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:03.500 Hallelujah. 440 00:33:03.500 --> 00:33:09.500 So tithing is recognizing that the seed-eater, 441 00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:12.500 the one who's after your fruit has been rebuked. 442 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:14.500 Did that bless you this morning? 443 00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:16.500 Let me pray for you. 444 00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:19.500 Father in Jesus' name, you're so, so good, 445 00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:23.500 and I thank you that we are a fruitful people. 446 00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:29.500 Fruitful in every arena, in winning souls, in the fruit of the spirit, 447 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:36.500 in answered prayer, in material possessions, and Lord in children. 448 00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:43.500 It seems that there's been an attack, Lord, on fruitfulness with children. 449 00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:47.500 We know Satan is behind it ultimately, 450 00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:50.500 but also so much of what's in our environment, 451 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:53.500 and in vaccinations, and all that stuff. 452 00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:56.500 Lord, it's toxified your people. 453 00:33:56.500 --> 00:34:04.500 In the name of Jesus, I command a holy purge to come upon everybody 454 00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:06.500 at City Light Church. 455 00:34:06.500 --> 00:34:10.500 Burning heavy metals out, burning poisons out, 456 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:14.500 and Lord, I thank you that we are delight some land, 457 00:34:14.500 --> 00:34:16.500 fruitful in every way. 458 00:34:16.500 --> 00:34:20.500 Lord, every couple trying to conceive will have success. 459 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:24.500 Thank you, Lord, you're after Godly seed, 460 00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:30.500 and we're going to have babies galore in Jesus' name. 461 00:34:30.500 --> 00:34:33.500 Amen. 462 00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:35.500 And link up with your faith with me. 463 00:34:35.500 --> 00:34:39.500 I'm believing that we're going to have just like a wave of babies. 464 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:41.500 Hallelujah. 465 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:43.500 I didn't pray that for no reason, by the way. 466 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:45.500 Link up with me. 467 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:47.500 Hallelujah. 468 00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:50.500 Everywhere I've talked to, 469 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:54.500 people, pastors, they're saying, 470 00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:56.500 and I'll say I've never seen something like that. 471 00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:58.500 This is the City Light Church podcast. 472 00:34:58.500 --> 00:35:01.500 If you've missed any part of today's message, 473 00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:05.500 or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Janssen in City Light Church, 474 00:35:05.500 --> 00:35:08.500 visit us at citylightnyc.com 475 00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:11.500 that's citylightnyc.com. 476 00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:15.500 Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. 477 00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:17.500 We would love to connect with you. 478 00:35:17.500 --> 00:35:20.500 We pray that you've been encouraged today, 479 00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:23.500 that you have been reminded how much God loves you, 480 00:35:23.500 --> 00:35:25.500 and that you are surrounded by grace. 481 00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:27.500 Thank you for listening. 482 00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:30.500 Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast 483 00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:33.500 wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.