Christians, have you ever planted a fruit tree? I personally have not, but I talked to a few people that have explained the nuances of fruit farming. One thing I was shocked to find out is that fruit does not automatically come as soon as you plant the tree. A few tree types can produce fruit in 1-2 years, some take 3-5, and some can take 4-7 years to bear fruit. Recently our church had a Vision Service for the year and the theme was about “Flourishing in 2017”. The theme included trees and a verse that talked about being planted in the house of the Lord. As I meditated on this idea, I felt God say in my spirit, “You send down the roots, I will send up the fruits.”
The concept was simple enough, but the more God expounded on this idea, the more intrigued I became. We all WANT the “fruits” in our life, but we often find it hard to focus on our spiritual roots. After we remove the roots of sin in our lives, we are transplanted into a new spiritual life. As we begin to send down new spiritual roots, we tap into new pockets of wisdom, revelation, insight, instruction, that lead to spiritual fruit. It can take a while before we see the fruit and the waiting is the hardest part.
Everything you see in a person’s life is fruit, giving you an idea of what kind of roots they have. From their professions, to possessions, to their home, family, car, intellect, even their attitudes, mindsets, relationships and marriage. Each one of the fruits is directly connected in their spirit to a root whether good or bad. The Bible talks about the fruits of the Spirit, and it can be life altering to experience true love, joy, peace and patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Sometimes we overlook this spiritual fruit because we are focused on more “physical” fruit we want to see in our lives. Although physical fruits are nice, they are fleeting and will not sustain you through the storms of life. You cannot start to see the fruits of God being produced in your life by staring at the branch, so much as you cannot see financial increase by staring at your online bank account.
When God said, “You send down the roots, I will send up the fruits” He was challenging me to focus on what people will never see. My quiet time, my private time, my oil of intimacy with Him – that is where I send down my roots. My obedience, my private worship, my desire to get new revelations, new insights. Every time I turn to God and seek Him out on a deeper level, I send a healthy root down. He is saying to me, test out Matthew 6:33:
“Seek First the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” What are “all these things”? FRUIT!!!
The main reason God wants us to have a strong root system is so we have the strength and stability to steward the fruit God has for us. God wants us to be a blessed people, He wants the world to envy all that we have in Christ Jesus, but He also wants to make sure that the blessings He pours out on us, are stewarded correctly and for His glory. The best part about having bountiful fruit, is sharing it with those who don’t. I want to flourish, I want to be heavy laden with fruit, so now I know what I have to do. I have to focus on sending down my roots!
I pray that as God directs, you begin to send your roots down deeper, in the secret places. I pray that as you mature and grow, God sends up fruit to bless and prosper your lives. I pray that you have a strong root system to steward all that God has for you, in Jesus name, Amen.
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. Psalm 92:12-13 (NIV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22 (NASB)
Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord,and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. Psalms 1:1-3 (AMP)
written and posted by Daniel Poggensee | 2017
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