Then, He handed the baton to us. Jesus finished His part in God's plan. How are you doing with yours?
The truth is that most Christians don't even know what God expects of them. For years, I thought I knew. I thought it was preaching the gospel to every creature. But when I studied the subject, I realized that preaching the gospel is just one facet of the job God has given to man.
It's much bigger than I imagined. God didn't try to hide it from us in some obscure passage. He wanted it to be so clear that He made sure He said it on the very first page of the Bible. It's the first word God ever spoke to the human race, recorded in Genesis 1:26-28:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
The first two words God spoke to mankind expressed His purpose for all of us. What were those words? "Be fruitful."
If you study the Old Testament, you'll see that they understood how to be fruitful, and they understood prosperity. Somehow, New Testament believers lost the significance of fruitfulness. They started thinking that fruitlessness and poverty made them closer to God.
Be Fruitful Materially
If you'll read John 15:1-8, you'll find out that if you are not being fruitful, you're disobeying God. God expects us to be fruitful materially. Do you know what that means? It means that He expects you to be a person of substance. Actually, He requires it. That means everything that you touch should prosper.
The talents and gifts God has given you are not just between you and Him. They are to bless those around you. You can see that clearly in the parable of the talents. When God gave out five talents, He expected to get an extra five back. That's fruitfulness and multiplication. God wants to increase your wealth and the wealth of those around you.
Solomon is a good example of that. He was the richest man on earth at that time and the queen of Sheba said, "Even your slaves are happy!" Why wouldn't they be happy? Because of Solomon, their whole country was blessed beyond measure. The economy was booming, and they continually heard the wisdom of God through Solomon's mouth.
Be A Material Producer
Recently, the Jesse Duplantis Ministries Art Department needed new computers. We had gotten bids for $45,000. As soon as I flew in, I asked my executive director if he had called around and gotten different bids. Of course, he had. "Did you use Allen, our computer tech?" I asked.
"No," he said, "Allen doesn't know anything about Macintosh computers."
"He might not know anything about a Macintosh, but he has bought a lot of computers. Let's talk to him."
"Allen," I said, "Do you know anything 'bout Macintosh computers?"
"Brother Jesse, I don't know anything about them."
"Do you know how to buy them?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, "I think I do."
He got on the Internet, made two phone calls and cut that $45,000 bill down to $14,000. He was fruitful - a material producer.
After we priced the computers, I found out that the cheapest bid to assemble them was $75 an hour. "Allen," I said, "Call the man who owns the computers, and tell him we pay in cash." The man said, "I'll tell you what, if you buy this equipment from me, we'll put it all together for $15 an hour."
My executive director said, "Now I know why your name is on the front of this building."
"Well, I'm protecting my partners' money," I explained. "Besides, I don't want to hear God say, 'Well done thou good and faithful servant... except on those Macintoshes, Jesse.'"
God expects me to be fruitful, and He expects it of you as well.
The wisdom of God helped me to knock a $100,000 aviation bill down to $75,000. That means I had $25,000 I could give to missions and get people saved. Fruitfulness always brings prosperity. That's why the devil hates the prosperity message so much. He doesn't want us bearing fruit.
Fruitlessness is a direct insult to God. Remember what Jesus said in John 15:2? He said, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
In other words, "Not only are you going to be fruitful, but I'm going to trim you, clip you, and cut you, so you can produce more fruit."
If you don't think fruitlessness is a big deal, just remember that Jesus cursed the fig tree that didn't produce figs. God expects us to bear fruit and multiply - spiritually, physically, financially. He expects fruitfulness in our relationships.
Be Fruitful In Your Mind
A second thing God expects from us is fruitful minds. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
That scripture is very clear, but most Christians think it just applies to those in the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors. Sorry, but Timothy was writing to the church in general. Yet, I find that most Christians don't take the time to read the Bible, much less study it. I suspect that 90 percent of believers don't open the book until Sunday morning in service. Do you know why? Because their minds are not being fruitful. They aren't producing anything. Brother Kenneth Hagin describes it as laying hands on empty heads.
A mind that doesn't produce for itself can't produce for anyone else. Jesus said we are to have the mind of Christ. What is the mind? It's the realm of your soul - your mind, will and emotions. Mental fruitfulness is to be the portion of every man, woman and child. God expects your mind to grow because that's where every decision in life is made to either honor or dishonor the Spirit of God.
That's why it is so important that you renew your mind through the Word of God every day. If you don't, your mind will not be fruitful. Most parents wouldn't raise a child without stimulating his intellectual mind by reading books. But don't forget to stimulate the mind of their spirit.
If you don't start putting the Word of God into your spiritual mind, eventually you'll start believing things that are stupid and foolish. And you'll be convinced that you're right. Remember, the One who gave you your natural brain, is the One who will give you the mind of Christ. So, if you understand the things of God, that will increase your natural mind in this lifetime.
Produce Moral Fruitfulness
The third thing God expects us to produce is moral fruitfulness. We are to be fruitful in character. For instance, it must never be said of Jesse Duplantis that he committed adultery. Why is moral fruitfulness so important? Because the only Jesus some people will ever see will be the Jesus they see in you and me.
That means when I do business, I must do it in an honorable way. I don't say this in arrogance, but you can go anywhere in New Orleans and ask about my financial dealings and you'll hear, "The man is honorable. He has paid every bill he ever owed."
It isn't an accident that you would hear that. I'm producing moral fruitfulness to such a degree that people want to do business with me. For our construction project, we were getting ready to buy huge amounts of lumber when the man at the lumberyard said, "I've heard of Jesse Duplantis' dealings. I heard what Cox TV said about him before he got his own show. I'll send the materials."
He didn't even ask me to fill out a credit application. He just sent the goods to our construction site because he heard that I pay my bills. Our contractor said, "I've been in this business for 35 years, and I've never been paid so promptly in my life."
Why am I telling you this? Because God expects us to produce moral fruitfulness in the world. A person engaged in business who demonstrates and reinforces character and morals is fundamental to the health of a nation.
Patience Is A Fruit Of The Spirit
Everyone's job is to be fruitful. There are no exceptions. That means you and I have to trust in everyone a little, because God didn't make anyone hopeless in fulfilling the job He has called us to do. Everyone needs a chance to grow in the Lord.
Fritz Brown is a great example of patience developing character. When he first came to work for us, he was driving Cathy home late one night, and I was in another car. Cathy said, "Excuse me, Fritz, but would you mind driving a little faster?"
"If the Lord tells me to, Sister Cathy, I will," he answered.
Fritz caused me marital problems at home that night. Cathy was fuming. "Fire him!" I didn't dare say, "If the Lord tells me to, Sister Cathy, I will." Instead, I talked with Fritz and gave him some godly counsel.
Fritz wasn't a rude person, he just had a habit of speaking whatever came to his mind. Fritz was a Christian whose mind hadn't exactly been renewed to the mind of Christ. Jesus wouldn't give up on Fritz, and He wouldn't let me, either. You will teach that boy to be honorable, God told me. The Bible says that in patience you possess your soul. I possessed mine three or four times dealing with Fritz.
Now, Fritz is one of the kindest, most courteous, hard-working men you would ever hope to meet. He's the supervisor of our tape and book department. If he quit, it would take 16 people to replace him. Everywhere we go people ask, "Is Fritz coming? How's Fritz?" He is a blessing from God and a true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I could trust my life in Fritz' hands and know he would never let me down.
Be Fruitful Spiritually
Like Fritz, we all need somebody who'll believe in us and help us produce spiritual values. That's the fourth way that God expects us to be fruitful - by producing spiritual values. Whether you're involved in something religious or a secular venture, spiritually fruitful people will rise to the top. They're producing something God-made instead of something man-made.
It's tremendously hard to disappoint sincere spiritual expectation.
I'll admit that some people who start growing spiritually get a little nuts at times, but I never beat them down. I guide them so they won't hurt themselves or anyone else. The truth is that I'd rather have someone with a little zeal than the kind of person who wouldn't move if you shot him with a lightening bolt.
Spiritual fruitfulness means that you know what the earth expects of you, but you do what heaven expects. Your spiritual attitude will cause you to be richer materially. It will cause you to be richer in mental power, because you have the mind of Christ. You'll be richer in social interests and consecration. Why? Because you know what it takes to move among men. And you also know how to move with God.
Every time I preach a meeting with Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, I learn more about them. The same is true of God. The more you fellowship with Him, the more you know Him. As you draw close to God, He will draw close to you.
The more you get to know God, the more you'll understand that He has one burning passion where you are concerned - That the buds that have sprouted in your life would bloom and that thick, ripe fruit would grow from your branch to feed a starving world.
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Jesse Duplantis is a dynamic evangelist who has traveled throughout the world since 1978 preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries (JDM), which has its International Headquarters in America and additional offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. 
