A Fruitful Prayer
E.A. Johnston emphasizes the necessity of abiding in Christ and relying on the Holy Spirit to cultivate a fruitful, Spirit-empowered life that glorifies God and advances His kingdom.
In this devotional sermon, E.A. Johnston passionately prays for the Holy Spirit’s work in cultivating a fruitful Christian life. He draws on the imagery of Christ as the true vine and the Father as the gardener to illustrate the believer’s need to abide in Christ. Johnston challenges listeners to seek personal revival, spiritual pruning, and a renewed burden for souls, all empowered by the Spirit. This message encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective and to rely fully on God’s Spirit for guidance and fruitfulness.
Full Transcript
Lord, cultivate my life, buy your precious spirit, for you are the vine, and I am the branch, you are the genuine vine, and the Father is the tiller of the soil, teach me to abide in thee, I admit that, apart from you, I can do nothing, nothing that will impact eternity, and there is nothing I can do in the flesh, to be pleasing in thy sight, apart from your Holy Spirit, I'm bankrupt, I need your Holy Spirit, great God, to do a work in me afresh, Lord, as the tiller of the soil, please be pleased to cultivate in my life, and develop in me, the abiding presence of the Spirit of God, plow up the fallow ground of my hard heart, and let me experience you in a fresh way, prune this cluttered branch, so I may bear more fruit for thee, and bring you glory, dig me about, and mulch me, visit me, great God, with a personal revival, that will quicken me, and anoint me, with your presence and your power, let others feel your influence through me, great God, I need your Holy Spirit for guidance, I need your Holy Spirit for faith and obedience, I need your Spirit for discernment, I need your Spirit as my teacher, I need your Spirit to pray and preach and witness in the empowerment from on high, Lord Jesus, touch me with your Holy presence, so that my heart will burn within me, Lord, give me a greater burden for souls, give me a deeper burden to pray for the lost, place eternity before me, and let me see hell and all its horrors, give me a glimpse of your judgment seat, so I can live on the full stretch for thee, may my last days be my best days, for you and the spread of your gospel, I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Vine and the Branches
- Christ as the true vine
- Believers as branches needing to abide
- The Father as the gardener cultivating growth
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II. The Necessity of the Holy Spirit
- Dependence on the Spirit for fruitfulness
- The Spirit as teacher and guide
- Empowerment for prayer, witness, and obedience
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III. Pruning and Cultivation
- God’s work in breaking hard hearts
- Pruning for greater fruit
- Personal revival through Spirit’s presence
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IV. Living with Eternal Perspective
- Burden for souls and prayer
- Awareness of judgment and eternity
- Living fully for God’s glory and gospel spread
Key Quotes
“Apart from you, I can do nothing, nothing that will impact eternity.” — E.A. Johnston
“Prune this cluttered branch, so I may bear more fruit for thee, and bring you glory.” — E.A. Johnston
“May my last days be my best days, for you and the spread of your gospel.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Depend daily on the Holy Spirit for guidance, strength, and fruitfulness.
- Allow God to prune and cultivate your heart by surrendering areas of hardness and clutter.
- Live with a burden for souls and an eternal perspective that motivates faithful obedience.