April 13 2026

Monday April 13

“Filled With the Fruits of Righteousness”

Philippians 1:11

Today we come to Philippians 1:11, where the Apostle Paul completes his prayer with these words: “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Notice the phrase, “being filled with the fruits of righteousness.” God desires that our lives produce fruit.

Take time to read the entire chapter of John 15. It is in this chapter that Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples, and one of the things He speaks of there is abiding in Him. If you abide in Him, He says that you will bear fruit. In verse 5, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” In verse 8, He goes on to say, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” Then verse 16: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

We find that the desire of the Father, the desire of Jesus Christ, is that we abide in Him and live a life that bears fruit—not just activity. So many of us become so active doing things for the Lord that we try to produce fruit by what we do. Activity is not the same as fruitfulness. We get so busy that we actually forget to take time to abide in Christ, to fellowship with Him, and to remember that our strength, grace, and power come from Him alone.

This is real spiritual fruit. Remember Galatians 5:22: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, kindness, temperance, self-control.” All these things—these are the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is something God produces within us. When we yield ourselves, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, when we are filled with the Word of God, then we begin to see the fruit of the Spirit being produced in our lives.

What is the outward evidence of this fruit in our lives? It flows from an inward relationship with Christ. It is Christlike character. It is godly attitudes. It is righteous activity. I cannot help but think of Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” Notice next: “He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

When we are following Jesus—our Shepherd, our Good Shepherd, our Great Shepherd, our ears are attuned to what He wants us to do. We are on mission with Him. We do not have our own agenda; we are His servants. We follow Him. We do what He commands us—to love one another, to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to share with the world around us the wonderful good news of Jesus Christ.

These fruits of righteousness, as you see in verse 11, “which are by Jesus Christ.” Literally, it is the life that Christ is living in and through us. That is why Paul would later write, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

That brings me to James 3:13–15. We have been talking about the wisdom of God that is in Christ and the knowledge of God to know Him. James asks the question, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. But where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

My friend, that is the wisdom that is from above. “If you lack wisdom”—James 1:5—"let him ask of God”. It is yielding your life to Jesus Christ and allowing His life to live through you, and you will live a life full of the fruits of righteousness. Help us, O God, to have that kind of life.

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!