Identity in Christ Series: Week Twelve I Am A Branch in the Vine of Christ (Part 2)

Last week we started studying about being a branch in the Vine of Christ.  To recap, we saw that the vinedresser grafts branches into an already established vine to protect them from disease, parasites, and insects by using the natural immunity of the established vine.  We being grafted into the Vine of Christ have His Holiness as our immunity to the disease of sin.  We must submit to the Lord and resist the devil but then he has to flee.   

We also learned that the vinedresser prunes all of the vines.  He cuts off any branch that will not bear fruit or that will hinder the fruit born by the other branches.  Our Heavenly Vinedresser prunes our lives to allow us to grow the best quality fruit for His kingdom.  He knows our weaknesses and is more than qualified to prune us.   

Thirdly, we learned that vines need some stress in order to have proper fruit development.  We read from James and Romans and discovered that both James and Paul admonish us to count our trials (testings, temptations, and daily struggles) all joy.  These struggles, if allowed, will produce great, lasting fruit in our lives.   

Today we will continue our study by looking at the last two major tasks of the vinedresser.   

To continue, vinedressers must be vigilant to protect the vines from predators (thieves).  There are many animals that love to snack on the delicious, juicy grapes.  

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). (John 10:10 AMP)  

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT) 

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] (John 15:33 AMP) 

Jesus told us that we will have trials.  It’s not if it’s when!  But He also told us that we can have peace (perfect and complete) because He has already defeated the enemy (thief).   

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:14 NLT) 

When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross. (Colossians 2:15 AMP) 

Colossians tells us that Jesus canceled the charges against us when He was nailed to the cross.  When we confess and repent, we are no longer guilty of any past sin. We are free! Colossians goes on to tell us what his death and resurrection did to the enemy. 

Jesus first disarmed the rulers and authorities.  Disarm in Webster’s Dictionary means to: to divest of arms; to deprive of a means of attack or defense; to make harmless. In short, Jesus took away their weapons and left them defenseless and harmless.  

I can hear the questions now, “Then why do we see such evil in the world?”   

The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,  But the earth He has given to the children of men. (Psalm 115:16 AMP)  

Now in putting all things in subjection to man, He left nothing outside his control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him. (Hebrews 2:8b AMP) 

Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. (Luke 10:19 AMP) 

When God created the earth He put it under the authority of Adam and Eve.  Adam gave his authority to the enemy; however, God had a plan. Jesus’ death on the cross sealed man’s authority over the earth and the powers of darkness for good.  It is our responsibility as believers to exercise that authority.  In the Luke passage Jesus told the disciples that He had given them authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.  If Jesus said it, it is True!  If we, as children of God, don’t like what we see in our world, we need to be the change agents and take our rightful place of authority. The enemy is under our feet!!!!  

He also, made a public example of the enemy, exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession.   

In Roman civilization a triumph, a spectacular procession, was held to honor returning soldiers and military leaders.  During this procession or lavish parade the prisoners of war and the captured treasures were displayed for all to see.  The bigger the victory the bigger their triumph.  The enemy soldiers were mocked, humiliated, and made a public spectacle.  This triumph guaranteed the eternal fame of the conquering general. (https://www.thecollector.com/ancient-roman-triumph) 

This, my friend, is what Jesus did to the enemy through His death and resurrection.  Glory to God!  Jesus proved once and for all that His is the Name above all names!  He is not only the Creator God, He is the Conquering King of Kings, and Lord of Lords!!!!! Our Victory was secured by Him!!!!  

The final task of the vinedresser we will look at is that of burning the branches that have been pruned off the vine.  

 

Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing, If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:4-6 AMP) 

As we discussed in the section on pruning, the vinedresser cuts off any branch that is damaged and/or does not produce fruit.   

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]. (Psalm 147:3 AMP) 

He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. (1 Peter 2:24 NLT) 

Our Vinedresser heals the damaged places in our hearts so we can be fruit bearers for His kingdom.  He cuts off the dead lifeless tissue and replaces it with healthy tissue.  His death gives us life!! 

So produce fruit that is consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]. (Matthew 3:8 AMP) 

Here we see John the Baptist telling the Pharisees to repent and live lives that are in keeping with fruit production.  If there are areas in our lives that are not producing fruit, Jesus will work on our hearts so that we will allow Him to remove the things that hinder us.  

 

It was for this freedom that Christ set us free [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery [which you once removed]. (Galatians 5:1 AMP) 

Pruning is sometimes painful for the vinedresser because he sees all the “wasted” branches.  However, he knows if he removes them that what is left will be able to bear higher quality fruit than if all the branches are allowed to continue to grow.  He knows that life must be given to the productive branches.   

Our Heavenly Vinedresser also understands this concept, after all it was his idea first.  He broke the yoke of slavery that bound humanity when He died and rose again.  He did it for “freedom”.  Jesus feels for anyone who is living below the position He paid for.  Freedom is our inheritance, however, if we don’t allow Him to prune the dead, fruitless, or sin infected branches in our lives we will never walk in the freedom He provided.  

 

Not all branches that He prunes are necessarily sin infested.  Sometimes we can be doing things that are not sinful but that may not be beneficial to our walk. He prunes anything that keeps our focus off of Him and walking in our positions of authority. 

Once the pruning is finished the vinedresser burns up the vines he has cut off.  This is necessary to keep them from attracting pests that could spread and infest the rest of the vine.  Our Father also desires that once we are free that we stay free and not return to the yoke of slavery.  In the passage above, Paul is admonishing the Galatians not to return to the slavery of the law. However, this truth can apply to any area in which we have found freedom.   

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)  

Once we’ve found freedom in an area we need to let it go and press on toward the goal.  Our goal is to be holy as He is holy.  To finish our race strong and to bring others along with us.   

Our Vinedresser is vigilant to watch out for the predators in our lives and has given us the authority to trample on them. He also burns any branch He prunes off in order to protect us from reinfestation or “turning back”. However, we must do our part to remain free! Praise God we don’t do this in our own strength but in His! We fight in the strength of the Lord, and the power of His might. (Ephesians 6:10).