Touré Roberts - Fruitfulness and Sustainability

The thought that I want us to explore today is about being fruitful. I want to talk about fruitfulness and sustainability because I believe that for some of you, you are fruitful but not as fruitful as God would have you be. You’re learning how to be fruitful. I want to provide you with tools and a new perspective on your life so that you can transition from being a part-time fruit bearer to a full-time fruit bearer. Some of you are in a phase where you’ve experienced more misses than wins, and I believe that the scale is about to tip in your favor because God wants to teach you how to navigate your life in a way that hits the bullseye. Is there anyone who wants that? Is anyone tired of swinging and missing? I mean, you’re hitting every season; that’s what I’m talking about. I think that’s the gift of today, the gift of the word that God has given me.

Sometimes it’s those small incremental advantages; it’s the difference between good and great, between great and amazing. Sometimes all it takes is a small tweak, and we’re going to discuss that. Because ultimately, the reason we are here is that God said from the very beginning, «I need you to be fruitful and multiply.» This means there is more to you than you think. I need you to be fruitful; I need you to produce. There are things within you, and often what happens is there are three stages of being. One stage of being is simply existing, and this is where the majority of people live their lives. It’s visionless living; you’re just taking up space, and whatever comes your way comes your way. You’re not cutting through. I feel that you’re not a force; you’re just part of the collective. There is no definitive thrust because you haven’t discovered your unique purpose. You can’t just be here to be a part of the random collective and accept whatever happens to you.

That’s why the Bible says not to be conformed to this world. Oh God, don’t be conformed, because the reason you are in this world, the reason God brought you forth as fruit, is that you bring an element to this world that must be discovered and lived out. If you do not operate and function in your purpose, then this world will remain unchanged, even though your very breath is supposed to influence it positively. We can’t afford to conform. The majority of people are just existing; they are simply trying to find their place in the world, taking whatever comes their way, and that’s it. Then there are people who are merely surviving. These are the people who feel depleted; they do not live out of the overflow.

Did you know you were meant to live out of the overflow? The mentality of survival stems from a place of lack, not abundance. I’ll keep discussing this until we get it. If I hold a mindset where I am merely surviving, it means that I perceive I don’t have enough to progress; I only possess enough to maintain. This contradicts the command to be fruitful and multiply. So, what leads us into this survival mode, this space of depletion? We enter this mindset when we do not rest. Oh God, help me.

Let’s break this down a little. Psalm 1:3 states that the blessed man shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf will not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper. This is an identity that reflects a certain posture and position that each of us must achieve. This is not the exception; it is actually the rule. God is revealing through divine insight who you are and how you are meant to function. You are like a tree. I have wired you in such a way to bring forth what you are meant to produce in every season. You are meant to thrive in every season. You’re not getting old; I feel it. You’re not past your prime; there is fruit for every season of your life, which means you have not missed your time. You just need to find your fruitfulness.

When we look at the text, it essentially guides us on how to attain maximum fruitfulness, starting with our external environment. It says that blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…