Plants need to be pruned in order to blossom and to bear more fruit. If the plants are not pruned, and if they do not undergo a season where they don’t look their best self, then they cannot reach their truest potential. What seems barren or dead for some months, becomes a picture of resurrection life. In John 15, Jesus declared that he is the true vine, and his Father is the gardener.

The gardener would cut off every branch in the vine that does not bear fruit, while the branches that do not bear fruit he prunes, so that they can become more fruitful (Jn. 15:1-2). If God the Father as the gardener did this to Jesus, He also does it to us, because we are connected to Jesus.

As believers, you might think it’s unfair that it is when you connected with the true vine when you experienced pruning. Was life better being an unbeliever? Should you have just stayed in your old way of life since there were no restrictions and no one else to consider but yourself? What does God do to those whom He does not prune? Jesus was clear about what happens to those who are not connected him, “If you don’t remain joined to me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and dries up. Branches like those are picked up. They are thrown into the fire and burned” (Jn. 15:6). As a connected branch, you are pruned and geared up for fruitfulness, but as a disconnected branch, you are set up for a life of dryness and ultimately, for eternal damnation.

When it comes to experiencing testing in the prophetic ministry, in the same way that a plant is pruned in order to blossom and bear more fruit, seasons of testing are crucial to the development of our spiritual gifts. During seasons of testing, we feel as if the best we have produced is stripped away from us. God allows fruitful areas in our lives and ministries to be cut back. God does this to make room for significant growth in our lives. In other times, God does this to prepare and mold our characters. When we have weak characters, we would not be able to handle increase in the gifts and in the ministry.

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What spiritual testings have you experienced with regards to growing your spiritual gifts?