What is the cost to us in being prepared to bear much fruit?

I didn’t write this but I felt it!

Your calling is going to crush you.

If you are called to mend the brokenhearted, you are going to wrestle with a broken heart.

If you are called to heal God’s little ones, you are going to experience your own share of trauma.

If you’re called at all to the lost and broken of this world. The throw aways. To preach and teach the gospel, you WILL be sifted for the wisdom that anoints your message.

If you are called to empower, your self-esteem will be attacked- your successes hard fought.

Your calling will come with spiritual warfare and a sifting - BOTH are necessary for your mantle to be authentic, humble and powerful.

Your crushing won’t be easy because your assignment is not easy - and you can’t minister POWERFULLY what you haven’t walked out. Read that sentence again.

When you’re feeling the weight of it coming down on you, RUN to the Father who longs to be your comfort. Let him whisper your true identity over you while resting under the shadow of his wings. Position yourself against his heartbeat. Let him renew your strength and set your eyes forward.

No olives, no oil.
No grapes, no wine.
Your oil is not cheap my friend.
~Author Unknown

Maria Billingsley said:

I'll answer here....nothing. Salvation is a free gift. His Holy Spirit is given freely to those who love Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We see the fruit of His Spirit work in us and through us. This is at no cost when one works through His Spirit and not through the flesh. Blessings.

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Luke 14 NIV

The Cost of Being a Disciple​

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Blessings back at ya!

Richard T said:

Salvation is a free gift, but to bear fruit and have greater rewards you will have to share in the sufferings of Christ. Jesus "learned obedience through the things that he suffered." David, the greatest King ever also suffered the most. Not every suffering is from God though and how one handles suffering will determine what one gets out of it.

I don't know this teacher/church
but it looks sound on this subject.

The Doctrine of Christ - The Baptism of Suffering

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Both you and the link spot on. Of course salvation is a gift. And suffering is too, once we have passed the test of accepting His challenge to drink from His cup. This comes from His training us to remain in Him despite the worst suffering. The reward is the discipline to obey which = joy which = His ultimate goal... "bearing much fruit, and fruit that remains."

It's all about His glory!

Joseph G said:

Both you and the link spot on. Of course salvation is a gift. And suffering is too, once we have passed the test of accepting His challenge to drink from His cup. This comes from His training us to remain in Him despite the worst suffering. The reward is the discipline to obey which = joy which = His ultimate goal... "bearing much fruit, and fruit that remains."

It's all about His glory!

Bible Gateway passage: John 15 - New International Version

The Vine and the Branches - “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in...

www.biblegateway.com

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Oh, I couldn't resist adding a cherry on top. Just ran across this short vid of a girl who serves as a perfect example of the potency of a witness borne through serious suffering...