We are called to live fruitful lives by God. The journey of the believer is not an invitation to hardship or failure, but rather to observable, lasting improvements in all areas of life. God’s command was clear from the start: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). This has more to do with purpose than childbirth. According to Psalm 139:16, we were made to make evident what has already been written about us in God’s book. We are not here by accident. We were designed with intention, shaped for impact, and called to express the divine on earth through our fruitfulness.
It is important to know that in the same way that the call to fruitfulness is divine, so too is the plan to answer it. Fruitfulness is not achieved by luck or indecisiveness. No man can prevail by his own strength (1 Samuel 2:9). Only when we are in line with what has been written and given the grace to walk in it can we bear fruit that is both genuine and long-lasting. The Christian life was never intended to be driven by hard work but rather by knowledge and harmony with God’s will.
The fact many people are unaware of is that a record of our lives—our race, our portion, and our path—was already recorded in heaven before we were even formed and fruitfulness will remain elusive until a man finds that script and follows it. Paul knew this. He boldly declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.“ (2 Timothy 4:7). He wasn’t guessing. He knew what was written, and he fulfilled it.
A MAN WHO WALKED IN WHAT WAS WRITTEN
Paul (as Saul) had a lot of zeal but no direction before he found Jesus. He was active, but misaligned. He was productive, but not fruitful. It was on the road to Damascus that heaven’s purpose was revealed to him: “He is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul’s life took a drastic turn after that day. He realized his purpose, resolved to follow it, and concentrated on finishing his mission. He made no effort to imitate Peter or the other apostles. He stayed within his divine allocation. He did not chase trends; he followed truth. He didn’t try to do everything; he did what he was called to do. This is the foundation of true fruitfulness—to know what has been written about you and to give yourself to fulfilling it.
Let us now examine the key characteristics that define a fruitful life.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FRUITFUL LIFE
1. A Clear Sense of Calling
A fruitful person does not guess their way through life. They are not confused about what they were born to do. Until Paul met Christ, he was zealous but misdirected. But after his encounter, purpose was revealed, and clarity came. Many today are doing good things but not the rightthings. The first key to fruitfulness is discovering your specific assignment in God.
The Bible says all our days were written in His book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). If you don’t know what was written, you cannot produce what heaven expects.
2. Unwavering Focus and Determination
Paul said in Philippians 3:13, “This one thing I do…” Fruitful people are not easily distracted. They are focused. They are mission-minded. They are not trying to be everywhere or please everyone. They stick to what God gave them.
Fruitfulness requires saying no to many things in order to say yes to the one thing that matters. It demands discipline, the ability to stay with a divine task until it yields visible results.
3. Alignment with Heaven’s Vision
In Acts 26:19, Paul said to King Agrippa, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” This is one of the strongest statements on divine alignment. Fruitfulness is not possible without obedience. You must walk according to the path heaven has laid out for you.
Many are busy, but not aligned. Many are working hard, but not working right. Alignment is what separates effort from effectiveness.
4. Strategic Relationships
No one manifests fruitfulness alone. God often connects you to people who play vital roles in the fulfillment of your destiny. Paul had Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and others. These were not just friends—they were destiny partners.
Fruitful people are not surrounded by idle voices. They are surrounded by purposeful people who sharpen and challenge them. Who you walk with determines how far and how well you fulfill purpose. The wrong company can delay or destroy your fruitfulness.
5. Diligence and a Strong Work Ethic
Fruitfulness does not happen to idle people. The Bible says “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Proverbs 13:4). Paul said, “I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). He understood that grace is not a substitute for hard work—it empowers it.
Laziness is a thief of destiny. Fruitful people are consistent. They build, plant, write, serve, and labour until what is inside them becomes visible.
6. Excellence in Execution
Paul’s writings were not just spiritual; they were doctrinally sound, structurally organized, and deeply impactful. This reflects excellence. Fruitfulness is not just in starting—it’s in doing things well.
Whatever your calling is—ministry, business, education, family, leadership—execute it with excellence. The more excellent your delivery, the more multiplied your fruit.
A FRUITFUL LIFE IS A FULFILLED LIFE
Paul’s life teaches us that fruitfulness is possible, but only for those who know what is written, align with it, work diligently, and walk with the right people. When he said, “I have finished my race,” he was declaring that he had done what was written concerning him. That is true success.
The question today is: Are you living what was written about you? Are you surrounded by people helping you or hindering you? Are you working diligently or delaying destiny? These are the markers that separate a fruitful life from an empty one.
SALVATION CALL
No one can fulfill divine purpose without first coming into relationship with the Author of life. If you are not born again, you are living outside what is written of you. Your first step to fruitfulness is surrendering your life to Jesus.
✔ Believe in your heart that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself.
✔ Believe Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to give you victory.
✔ Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
✔ Repent and forsake all sin.
✔ Welcome into God’s family.
Please locate a Bible-believing church and share your new birth experience with the leaders.
For further prayer & counseling, please contact:
Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke
Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International
Plot AHE 382 & 385,
AMAC Housing Estate,
Along Airport Road Lugbe, Abuja.
📞 +2348030752799 | +2348053695097
