How Fruit Grows: The Power of Dependency and Intimacy

Tuesday, July 1, 2025 by Megan Gray

Fruit doesn’t grow in isolation. Fruit is always the result of connection of deep-rooted dependency and intimate union with Christ. In the Bible, fruit is often used as a metaphor for spiritual growth, maturity, and evidence of life in Christ. But we live in a culture that prizes independence and self-reliance, often at the expense of abiding relationships. God’s Word paints a different picture: one where fruit grows only through ongoing connection, nourishment, and trust.

Let’s take a closer look at this biblical truth and explore how dependency and intimacy with God and with one another are not signs of weakness, but the very conditions for bearing lasting fruit.

1. Abiding in the Vine: Dependency on Christ

In John 15, Jesus gives us one of the most vivid and beloved images of spiritual fruitfulness:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Jesus is unmistakably clear: without abiding in Him we can bear nothing of spiritual value. Branches do not grow grapes by gritting or trying hard to grow. They bear fruit naturally when they remain attached to the vine. This image cuts through all illusions of spiritual performance or self-sufficiency. True fruit is not an achievement; it is the result of receiving life from the source.

In fact, Jesus says, “apart from me you can do nothing.” This is not merely a warning; it's an invitation to intimacy. God doesn’t want our fruitfulness without our friendship. He wants communion over productivity. That is why intimacy with Christ through prayer, Scripture, worship, and obedience is the wellspring of a fruitful life.

2. Fruit of the Spirit: Intimacy with the Holy Spirit

Consider Paul’s list of the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22–23:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22–23)

Notice it is the fruit, not fruits—a singular result of a life indwelt by the Spirit. This fruit does not emerge from effort alone, but from walking in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). These qualities are not primarily the outcome of a disciplined personality, but of a yielded heart of one that lives in close communion with God.

This is where intimacy comes in. The Holy Spirit is not a distant power source. He is a person who desires fellowship with us. Just as a tree draws water and nutrients through its roots, so we draw life through intimacy with God’s Spirit. The more we let Him search us, shape us, and dwell in us, the more His character begins to form in us.

3. The Fig Tree That Bore No Fruit: A Warning Against Superficiality

There’s a sobering story in Mark 11, when Jesus approaches a fig tree that has leaves but no fruit:

“And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.” (Mark 11:13)

The tree looked promising from afar, lush and full of leaves, but upon closer inspection, it was empty. Jesus uses this moment as a parable of religious performance without intimacy with God. This is a reminder: fruit cannot be faked. Leaves can be put on display, but only true connection to God bears real, lasting fruit.

4. The Garden Illustration: A Picture of Intimacy and Growth

Imagine a garden in spring. The soil is soft, moist, and full of nutrients. Seeds are planted, but without sunlight, water, and time, and without attention they’ll never become what they were created to be. Now imagine the gardener: he tends the ground, pulls the weeds, gently prunes the vines. His presence and care make the garden fruitful.

This is the kind of relationship God desires with us. He is not a distant manager of our lives but an intimate gardener:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1)

Every act of pruning, every moment of waiting, every drop of rain all comes from the hand of a loving God who is near. Intimacy with Him is not only our source of fruit; it is the fruit itself.

In a world that celebrates independence, the gospel calls us to abide. In a culture of hustle, Jesus invites us to be still. In a society driven by metrics, the Spirit forms in us the quiet fruit of love, peace, and self-control and not through our effort alone, but through deep, daily intimacy with God.

Spiritual fruit is not the result of trying harder. It’s the result of drawing nearer.

So don’t chase the fruit. Chase the Vine. Let your life be rooted in Him, and fruit will follow.

“Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” (Psalm 126:5)

Reflection Questions:

1. What does abiding in Christ look like in your daily life?

2. Are there areas where you're striving to bear fruit apart from intimacy with God?

3. How can you cultivate deeper dependency on the Holy Spirit today?

This post is inspired by Adam Breckenridge's sermon on 6/29/2025.

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