HELEN SANDERS
11-19-2025
FRUITFUL OR BARREN

The Apostle Peter had a very close walk with Jesus. He loved Jesus and when he failed him at the trial and crucifixion, he was full of godly sorrow. Jesus restored him because he truly repented.

He learned so much during the three and a half years that he walked with Jesus. He wrote two letters teaching others how to live righteously.

In 2 Peter chapter one he gives instruction on how to grow in Christ [the anointed one] and tells us if we do certain things that we will never be unfruitful or barren in our walk with the Lord. They are:

1. Be a partaker of the divine nature of the Lord through salvation.
2. Be diligent about adding to your faith virtue, which means living a life set apart for Jesus, choosing to not sin.
3. Add knowledge which comes through studying the scriptures and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth. [John 16:13]
4. We then choose to live a life of temperance, which is a Spirit-controlled life, surrendering our will and emotions to the leading of God and not our own will.
5. Then we choose patience in our lives, giving grace to others when they fail us, and learning that patience brings peace.
6. Godliness follows, which means we choose our words and actions carefully to reflect the light of God and not the darkness of the world.
7. Then comes brotherly kindness, which means we treat others with respect and love that flows from God into us and out to them. 8. Then the greatest of all is love. Others will know we are Christians by our love, not our giftings or how much money or following we have.

1 Peter 1:9 tells us, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”

These eight virtues do not happen in us overnight, but it should be our life’s goal to walk in them. As we are filled with the Holy Spirit and not filled with self, we can become fruitful and never barren in following Jesus.