Mensa Otabil - A Command to be Fruitful

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Now we go to Genesis 1, verse 28. Then God blessed them and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

To be fruitful simply means to grow, to blossom, and to be productive. So when God says, "Be fruitful," He's commanding man to blossom, to grow, and to be productive. It means to produce results that are beneficial and profitable. God instructed Adam to be a productive person; that's the first thing He told him: "Be fruitful." He could have told him so many things. He could have said, "Worship me," which is important. He could have said, "Pray every day," which is important. He could have said, "Just listen to me," which is important. But in all of these, God just gave him the first instruction to be a productive person.

That means that all we do as Christians-whether we're praying, studying the Bible, or living holy lives -is to lead us to be productive people. Because if we do all of these things and none of it makes us productive, it doesn't produce results; then it's just an activity. Our lives must end up being productive. Adam had to produce everything he needed out of what God had already created. God gave Adam trees but never built furniture for him. If Adam wanted furniture, he had to go to the trees and make furniture out of them; that's his job. God planted vegetables and fruits for him, but God never cooked for Adam. Adam had to learn to put all of these together to make a meal.

God invested so much knowledge in His world, but He didn't write a physics book or a biology book for Adam. Adam had to discover the laws of nature in the world that God had created for him. So that tells you that part of fruitfulness is in discovery. Part of fruitfulness is in taking what God has given us and using it productively and beneficially. Of course, part of it is having babies, having children, but that is only one aspect of being fruitful or being productive. We become productive in many other areas of our lives.

So when God said, "Be fruitful," it was not only to Adam; it is to all of us, to the human race: "Be fruitful." "Be fruitful" is an imperative; in other words, you cannot choose, "Oh, I want to be fruitful. I don't want to be fruitful." You have to be fruitful; it's a divine command. There are three concepts that I have from that.

First, when God says, "Be something," it means you have what it takes. God will not say, "Be fruitful," if you don't have the capacity to be fruitful. You have what it takes to be fruitful.

Secondly, to be something means to show it, to demonstrate it. Fruitfulness cannot just be something inside you that nobody sees; it has to be seen, be manifested, produce it; it has to be out there. So when we are living fruitful lives, it must be seen; it must manifest. Being fruitful is a command to obey; it's not a suggestion. It's not God's opinion that is left for you to determine whether it's right or wrong; no, it's God's command. We must be fruitful. He didn't say, "Try to be fruitful." He didn't say, "Attempt to be fruitful." He says, "Be it." So you have no excuse; you have no excuse not to be fruitful.

Next week, we'll look a little bit at how God looks at us when we are not fruitful and how God treats us. But just get it: it's a command. We have to be; we have to manifest it, and we have what it takes. So be fruitful-that's my word to you today.

Let's pray. Say with me, "Heavenly Father, I accept your command for me to be fruitful. From today, everything I touch flourishes. In Jesus' name, amen and amen."