How deep are your roots?
When persecution comes to the called out ones, will you be moved by those who verbally attack your beliefs? Or, will you cave in to the world’s pressure to conform to their narrative?
Our daily commitment to The Word and prayer will determine the depth of our spiritual root system. The Holy Spirit recorded in Psalm 1:
1 What delight comes to the one who follows God’s ways!
He won’t walk in step with the wicked,
nor share the sinner’s way,
nor be found sitting in the scorner’s seat.
2 His passion is to remain true to the Word of “I AM,”
meditating day and night on the true revelation of light.
3 He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree
planted by God’s design,
deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss,
bearing fruit in every season of life.
He is never dry, never fainting,
ever blessed, ever prosperous.
4 But how different are the wicked.
They are like chaff blown away by the wind.
5 The wicked will not endure the day of judgment,
for God will not defend them.
Nothing they do will succeed or endure for long,
for they have no part with those who walk in Truth.
6 But how different it is for the righteous!
The Lord embraces their paths as they move forward
while the way of the wicked leads only to doom.
There are no books in Heaven containing failure, loss, or scarcity. The book written about you is one of blessing and prosperity no matter what condition the world is in. We are urged to meditate on The Word and as a result, we will have deep roots which cannot be pulled up by the wiles of the devil.
In Mark chapter 4, Jesus spoke:
24 Then Jesus said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you. And according to your longing to understand, much more will be added to you. 25 For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation. But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!”
Diligence requires daily commitment to receiving from The Holy Spirit. Occasional study will not be sufficient to bring one into full spiritual maturity for what is coming ahead. The Word must be One with us so that we can successfully confront the enemy with power and authority.
As we dwell on The Word, The Holy Spirit will impart understanding and this is critical to us in being able to withstand the challenges set before us. When we have full assurance of The Word’s power and authority, i.e. faith, we are truly overcomers. Otherwise, when tribulation or persecution arises for the Word’s sake, immediately those who are not diligent and well grounded will stumble.
Satan wants to keep us from The Word of God which comes to us as the incorruptible Seed and carries Absolute Truth within it. When Truth is planted in us then we have the ability to discern lies, deceit, manipulation, and attempts to control us by those with nefarious motives.
In Mark chapter 4, Jesus spoke:
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the Word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Each of us only has so much time, energy, and resources to focus on anything deemed important. What I focus on reveals my priorities. If I focus on the worries created by circumstances (cares of the world), then I am not focusing on the solution found in The Word. If I focus on obtaining riches because I believe in the lies of scarcity, then I will not be a giver to the poor. If I focus on fulfilling lusts, then I will direct time, attention and resources to fulfilling those lusts rather than serving others.
“Thorns” want to draw your resources away from The Word so that you will be unfruitful. This is why each of us must assess our personal fruit production. Fruitfulness on behalf of The Kingdom is what Agape Love is all about.
Agape Love encourages being diligent to focus on and meditate in The Word. Its outworking is fruitfulness on behalf of The Kingdom of GOD.