The Best Way — E.A. Johnston

Years ago, I attended an institute for expository preaching at the Stephen Olford Center in Memphis, Tennessee. And as I sat listening to Dr. Stephen Olford preach day in and day out, something transpired in my life.

A Crisis Over the Best Way

I was brought to a crisis in my life, and it demanded a response. While Stephen Olford preached, the Holy Spirit cut me all to pieces. All my previous goals and desires seemed empty and meaningless. At the time, I was living my life in a certain way for God, and although perhaps it was a good way, I suddenly realized it wasn't the best way from God's perspective.

God had more for me if I was up to the challenge. That week, the course of my entire life was completely altered. The best way I can explain what happened in my life that week, friends, is to open up John chapter 15 in verses 1 and 2.

The Vine Dresser's Pruning Work

John chapter 15 begins with Christ declaring, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

But we must go deeper into the meaning of this text by looking at it in the original language to get its richest meaning. The picture presented here is one of a vine dresser who diligently oversees his vineyard.

With great care, he cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. The imagery here is one of the grapevine being pruned back by the vine dresser as he exercises great care over his vineyard, personally overseeing every detail, clipping here and pruning there, with the expectation of a luxurious harvest.

The emphasis in the original language is not on the quantity of the fruit, but on the quality of the fruit. He is looking for the best grapes to make the best wine. My life back then was full of activity for God.

From Activity to Deeper Fruitfulness

I served here and there, I would canvas neighborhoods, knocking on doors, handing out tracts, and sharing the gospel. I was always busy for God, but God stopped me in my tracks that week while hearing Stephen Oldford preach, and my life was never the same again.

Looking back on that time now, I see that God didn't want more activity from me. He didn't want more fruit from me. Rather, he wanted to increase the quality of the fruit that he harvested from my life.

He didn't want a broader ministry from me. He wanted a deeper ministry. He wanted to deepen it in ways I never dreamed possible. He wanted depth instead of breadth. So he went to work on me with his divine pruning knife, but I had to give him permission.

Consenting to God's Deeper Work

That might sound odd to some of you. God doesn't need permission from a mere mortal to do his work. But for him to perform a deeper work in me, I had to give him my consent. It had to be something I wanted.

Does that make sense to you, friend? I hope it does. When Jacob was wrestling with the angel at Jabbok, there was a moment in that crisis in his life during that contest where Jacob had to give his consent to being changed into Israel Prince with God.

Though he may not have said it with his lips, he certainly said it with his heart. Some of you know what I'm talking about. God desired richer fruit from my life than the fruit I was producing on my own.

Fruit Produced by the Spirit, Not the Flesh

I guess I was like most other Baptists who think the more they do for God, the more impact they will have on his kingdom. But it doesn't always work that way. What I produce in the flesh will soon wither and die.

But if God, by his Spirit, produces his fruit through me, then I am but a fruit bearer, not a fruit producer. Please understand the distinction. If I'm producing fruit on my own, it's not the best fruit.

But if God, by his Spirit, produces fruit in my life, then it will be a more excellent quality, a more richer fruit that will impact eternity. If I stay stripped of self and abide in divine Jesus, if I'm being vitally united to him, then his sap, his power, will flow through me.

The Church's Shift from Spiritual Power to Activity

The church used to operate this way, operate by God and Holy Ghost power, until one day it decided to go another way, a faster way, and operate on money and manpower. We convinced ourselves that activity was the answer and quantity was the result.

That's why we built our megachurches to prove our success, but contrast the modern church to the one in the time of the Puritans. The Puritans didn't have megachurches, but their preaching had a depth to it that can still be felt today.

Just go read their sermons and you will soon see what I mean. God the Father, divine dresser, desires to increase the quality of the fruit in our lives, and for that to take place will require a painful process of pruning.

Counting the Cost of the Best Way

He will not override you to get that more excellent fruit. He will look to another if he has to, but you must give him your consent. I know some of you have said for years that you want to do more for God.

I don't doubt your sincerity, friend, but it's time for the robber to meet the road where you get serious with God so he can get serious with you. At present, your life may be going one way, and it could very well be a good way, but deep down in your heart, you desire more.

You want the best way for your life from his perspective, and that's going to introduce the divine pruning knife in your life. It has to be something you want. Years ago, I was preaching a message similar to this to a group of pastors, and during that message that evening, God began to work on some of those men.

A Pastor's Consent to Divine Pruning

When I finished, there was a line to talk to me, and at the head of that line stood an elderly black pastor. He hugged me. Then he looked me in the eye and said, I've been a pastor for over 40 years, but tonight I'm going home, and when I get there, I'm going to kneel by my bed, and I'm going to ask God to get out his pruning knife on me and my ministry.

Well, that man was serious with God. He had counted the cost. He wanted richer fruit to emerge out of his life in ministry for Christ. How about you, friend? Are you ready to do business with God?