Anybody can serve someone else. Why are some servants more effective than others? What is it that produces real fruit, fruit that will last?
The Presence of God is the only thing that will have a lasting impact on the lives of people. He changes lives. You can do nothing on your own. Only when you partner with him, will your act of service have lasting impact. Only then will you see fruit that will last.
Man’s first inclination is to work harder, and if that doesn’t work, he then tries to work smarter. People have relied on these two methods forever. The problem with this approach that it relies entirely on what man can do, and leaves God out of the equation entirely. Man plus anything but God, brings about temporary change at best.
Partnering With Jesus
Looking to make a permanent difference in the lives of others, Paul saw himself as a “fellow worker with Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9). In other words, he did not rely solely on his talents, strengths, ministry gifts alone, but rather he and Christ worked together as he served in ministry, (See Mark 16:20; 2 Corinthians 6:1).
Note that this does not give excuse for us to become slacker-servants. The point is to partner with Jesus in service, that there might be a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that their faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (Corinthians 2:1-5).
Partnering with God in service leads people to place their faith in God (See Romans 2:4).
Fruit That Will Last
If you just focus on the act of serving and neglect the Presence, the impact will be no greater than that of the non-believers who feed the poor. Again, temporary at best.
In John 4, when Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, how did Jesus produce fruit that would last?
13 Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well, of water springing up in him for eternal life” (John 4:13-14).
Jesus was partnering with the Father. You too, can make the same claim. The water Jesus offered came from the Father. That same water is available for you to offer as well.
To have Kingdom impact, you must focus on living in the Presence of God. That way, when you serve his Presence to others, the power of co-laboring with Christ will touch the soul of the one being served, which will birth fruit that will last. As you serve, he touches the heart. In other words, when you serve his Presence to others, it paves the way for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of those of whom you are serving.
What happened to the woman Jesus served living water to?
39 Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of what he said. 42 And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.”
Having partnered with the Father, Jesus ministered to the soul of this woman by offering her living water. The fruit of his partnership resulted in many from that town who placed their faith in Jesus.
I encourage you to partner with Jesus as you serve the love of the Father to others. This is what you are called to. This is what Jesus calls you to. He want’s to partner with you in ministry.