Planting of the Lord
Planting of the Lord
As a child I dealt with depression, anxiety, and inferiority, but at the time I did not know that such things even existed. These things were not talked about much back in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I am grateful that I met Jesus at a young age so that a relationship with Him began early in my life. In the beginning I did not know that this way could be so beautiful and wondrous. I wish I knew then what I know now, I could have lived a life of fullness. I wasted so many years living in anxiety/depression, low self-esteem, and inferiority. It was many years later before I began to be freed from the oppression that kept me as an emotional prisoner. I tired of trying to figure it out on my own and cried out to Abba Father to come to my rescue. That day I repented of doing things my own way and yielded to His will for my life. I literally felt the arms of God encircle me that Sunday afternoon. You see, I was a Christian, but I was a bound, oppressed Christian. There had been seeds sowed in my life, some good and some not so good. I watched a movie many years ago and the main character of the movie said something like, “it is easier to believe the bad”. This was true in my life too. The bad, evil things spoken over me took greater root than the good things of God and produced fruit that created a shy, anxious, pressed down little girl that carried these emotions into adulthood and effecting my life in the church, school, relationships, workplace, as well every area of her life.
That day I repented of my running the show and yielded to Abba Father and His will for my life. From that day forward things started to change. It was not overnight; it was a gradual process. Every time I thought I was doing pretty good; Holy Spirit would reveal another root/area in my life I needed to deal with.
Over the next few weeks, we will talk about the different fruits that may be produced in our lives from the seeds that have been sown lives. There is freedom found by applying the Word of God to our lives.
A scripture that I pray often is:
Psalm 139:23, 24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Whether we realize it or not, there has been seed sown in our lives. Seeds that have taken root and produced fruit. Seeds that have produced fruit of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, immorality, addictions, feelings of inferiority and list can go on and on. Yes, there has been good seed sown too, but so often the bad seed attempt to choke out the life of the good seed. Praying a prayer asking God to search our hearts and reveal to us anything that is binding us down, will produce seeds of freedom! Behavioral Health professionals often only treat the symptoms and rarely go to the root of the issues in our lives. I remember years ago when I worked as a care manager, a client that I was visiting was diagnosed with Bipolar. She had not been taking her meds because she did not like how they made her feel. I remember her just wanting someone to listen to her, instead of listening to her they just kept her medicated to control the symptoms of the disorder that she was dealing with.
The Bible talks about us being a planting of the Lord.
Isaiah 61:1-3
Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
My dear friend, God has a plan for your life. Right now, everything may seem to be hopeless, but God has plan for good and not for evil for your life. You are the planting of the Lord. Without a doubt there may have been seeds of confusion, doubt, frustration sown in your life, but as you yield to His loving hand, He will give you strength to dig out the roots that have led to oppression in your life. There is freedom through the Word of God and spending special time with Him. He sees you today and every day. He has not forgotten you and He has not forsaken you. He is just waiting for you to yield to His purposes for your life. I will end with this:
Isaiah 30:18 KJV
Isa 30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Isaiah 30:18 (AMPC)
18 And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!
Friends, this scripture says it all! He is waiting and longing for you to make a move toward Him. He loves you with a love that cannot be expressed by mere voice of man. As you move toward Him, He lifts Himself up in order to show you mercy, grace, and love beyond description. His desire is for you to experience His joy, His victory, His favor, His love, His peace. He wants unbroken companionship with you today! Just call on the name of Jesus today. He is waiting for you!
