(Jn. 15:1-3) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
I don’t know about you but I want the Father to prune anything in my life that hinders me from beating the fruit of His image, and His love in and through my life. The word “prune” that’s used in verse 2 is the same word “clean” that’s used in verse 3. It’s actually a word that means “to cleanse.” What the Father, our vinedresser does, is that He cleanses us of the dead stuff in us that not only doesn’t bear fruit, but hinders all fruit bearing. He doesn’t just cleanse us of bad attitudes, and bad behavior, but He also cleanses us of things like fear, insecurity, discouragement, despair, and confusion. According to verse 3, He cleanses us by speaking His word into our hearts. (Hosea 2:14) “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness , and speak kindly to her.” That phrase “speak kindly to her,” is better translated “speak upon her heart.” For sure, sometimes the Lord will orchestrate, or allow us to be found in a wilderness environment so that he can do some pruning, but the wilderness is not the pruning, or cleansing. The wilderness simply postures us into a place of desperation, so that seeking Him with a desperate heart He’s able to speak a word upon our hearts that “cleanses” us from the dead stuff that is holding us back from being fruitful. Those who are serious about bearing the fruit of His likeness, and His love in their lives, get cleansed the most. Whenever He speaks truth upon our hearts, freedom is the outcome. That’s what truth does; it sets us free.