The Power of Words-Part 3

It is challenging to move forward from these concepts because the immense depth that we can learn from Jesus’ teaching has eternal impact. Once this revelation of the power of words is revealed, a person can observe throughout each of the four gospels the emphasis that Jesus places on knowing, understanding, believing, and then applying this concept to our daily life. I believe that there could potentially be a Pt 6, Pt 7, and so on due to the richness of God’s Word. In fact, for a fun exercise, skim through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to see how many parables Jesus shares that relate words to seeds/growth, the Kingdom of Heaven, eternal impact, in relation to our heart, and faith. It may overwhelm you…

For this section, let’s focus on the comparison that our Messiah makes of the word of God to a seed. Seeds are a phenomenal creation by the Lord. They can go dormant for years and still grow. They can freeze in extreme weather but when the right conditions occur they sprout and flourish. They can travel across oceans or be carried by winds thousands of miles. The can tolerate salt water, human and animal digestive systems, fire, and drought. Get the connection? They endure, which is why Jesus chose such an awesome specimen to give us a better understanding. Yet, God’s word is even better, for Peter states in his letter that God’s word is an incorruptible seed. That is a whole teaching all in itself!!

We can continue on about seeds to say that each seed has the potential of infinite production, producing fruit that births new seeds and in turn new plants. All living things come from a source that is a seed. Wow, the connections keep going! So, since the Word is a seed, we can meditate on the function and growth, then apply it to our lives.

Just as in Luke 8 (Mark 4/Matthew 13), the seed must be planted in good soil. The right soil and conditions serve as a birth place for life. Poor soil lacks the nutrients for a healthy plant or does not give sufficient strength to prevent damage from extreme conditions. The same goes for the seed of the word in our heart. Also, seeds do not produce a plant in an instant. There is first a root that anchors the seedling. The root system grows beneath the surface where our human eyes cannot see the developing nature of the plant. This takes TIME. Then after some TIME passes, the plant shoots up stems and leaves above the soil but it is still immature. The seed produced a plant but the plant now needs TIME to mature in order to produce fruit. So it is also with the Word of God.

Time, and faith that the plant will continue to grow in health, is my emphasis here. We are instantaneous creatures, more often than not, lacking wisdom and patience. But our Lord is holy, his nature bears witness to these character traits. Therefore, so does his seed that we plant. Every seed bearing plant produces fruit of its kind, and his word is no different. But do we have faith to believe that after it is planted there is activity going on under the soil? Or do we dig it up to look and in the process destroy what was taking place?

I know the feeling- the impatience because of the fire that the Lord has placed inside you. For nearly 15 years I have been digging, seeking, planting, and sowing. In fact, I had to come to a place of acceptance, trusting the plan from Romans 12:1-2. Don’t dig it up, instead trust his way. In February of 2022 I had a breakthrough. The Lord spoke to me in the stillness, “It is time.” Time for what?? I had no clue what he was talking about. He already had accomplished so much in my life over the past decade that I was finally content with walking the road he had put me on. For the next couple weeks I spent many, many hours in prayer and solitude waiting to see what he meant. I stuck my nose in the word every chance I had and listened. “What are you telling me Lord?”

One Friday morning I was meeting with a brother in Christ- fellowship time that was essential to my growth. We were sharing scripture back and forth and discussing how God was revealing truth to us. And it was like lightning in my heart!! My brother made a statement about Jesus reading Isaiah 61 in the synagogue and the Holy Spirit gave me the next sentence at that moment…”They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord on display for his splendor.” This scripture was part of my prayer for over a year-15 years prior. I had asked then and I was receiving now. Then the Lord spoke, “It is time to be above ground.”

Through all the sowing and planting, the Lord had been fulfilling his part by growing roots this entire time. That next year of my life was set up for amazing miracles that can only be testified to God’s glory. I believe this is just the beginning too! For first comes the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. (Mark 4:28)

An established root system means an established heart that is prepared and ready. All throughout the story of the Bible this is true. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David and on to Jesus, Peter, Paul, John- some had short periods(Jesus) of growth time but most others had years!!! It is our turn to be a part of the story that God is writing. We can allow him to use us in mighty ways…plant the seed of His Word and patiently trust.