The Keys To Understanding The Kingdom

In 1988 archaeologists found the tomb of Charlemagne, the great and emperor of France. When the tomb was opened, after being closed for many centuries, the men who entered it found something amazing . They found certain treasures of the kingdom. But in the center of the large vault was a marble stone, and seated on the throne was the skeleton of Charlemagne, with an open Bible on this lap, and a bony finger pointing at Matthew 18:26, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

This was a lesson from an earthly king with a earthly kingdom. Charlemagne is saying to us, “All of my power, riches, and glory are not enough. There is another Kingdom which you must come to understand. Th good news that Jesus taught us was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus made some great statements about the Kingdom and I would like to tell you seven keys to understanding the Kingdom.

The Kingdom Must Be Sought

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you are well.

Matthew 6:33

All of us are restless soul, you just made the statement about seeking first the Kingdom in the contacts of our worrying about what we have to eat or drink or clothes we have to wear. These things represent our daily earthly and physical life. To be sure, these concerns feel our days with all of the necessities relating to the body. in the midst of all of this energy spent on these things, Jesus is teaching us to get our priorities right and seek to be part of His Kingdom – and when we are part of His Kingdom – the Father will provide all the things we need.

People are constantly seeking for truth. That is why philosophers have given us such great systems of thought. That is why so many different religions have developed. But in the process of their search count with millions have been led astray by the evil one believe systems that can never satisfy the deep hungers of the human soul.

The kingdom of God must be sought. But the seeking person will have to find that God has been seeking him or her long before the search began. When a person is truly seeking to know God He will be found.

When you seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, “declares the Lord,” and I will bring you back from captivity.

Jeremiah 29:13-14

The Kingdom Is Not Of This World

Jesus said, My Kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my service would fight to prevent my arrest from the Jews. But now My Kingdom is from another place.

John 18:36

That’s truth that Jesus is talking about cannot be found in man’s philosophies. It is far more superior there anything we can have in this world. Why did we fill our days with that which is temporary at best and unsatisfying at work? Why do we try to fill that big empty hole in our hearts with things that were designed not to fit it? We must look beyond ourselves to those realities that are trying descendent of the answers that this world offers.

We have to understand ourselves in order to grasp this. We are body, soul, and spirit. To keep your body strong and healthy requires a lot of attention. To keep the Seoul, which is made up of the mind, emotions, and the will balanced and bright is a constant struggle. But the third part about trinity, which is in the image of God, our spirit, is where we will find the answer to our spiritual hunger. This is the part of us that enables us to perceive and know Gods and lifts us beyond the limits of earth.

The Kingdom Can Be Seen

Jesus declared, I tell you the truth, no one else and see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.

John 3:3

Look around you. Can you see it? Those who have been born again can you see it in the lives of others. There is a divine quality in the believers life that is evident to other believers. I love going to church because I can see this divine quality in each person. Why? Because they have all been to the cross and experienced the cleansing of our their old nature and the birth of their new nature. Even the ones that have had not been worn again have a goal to them because they’re working on it. Being around believers in Christ enable us to to be brothers and sisters of a family – the faith Kingdom. No one can be part of this except through the birth which opens our spiritual eyes.

It is interesting that unbelievers cannot see this truth – But they can surely spot a phony.

The Kingdom Must Be Entered

Jesus said, I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.

Mark 10:15

When our spiritual eyes are open to our need of redemption because we are on a course of an eternal hell, we get serious with God and pray in desperation, “Father, take your sin and death sentence off of me. I now believe Jesus took it upon himself on the cross and I now receive him as my savior and Lord. With that simple faith of a child I climb into your arms and trust you with my life and destiny.” And a father says to me, “You can now enter the Kingdom of God on earth and the Kingdom of Heaven and eternity.

This is the only way to enter the Kingdom. Think of all the ways that people are trying to enter the Kingdom. The Buddhist seeks to suppress every human desire and enter into a blank state of mind which they believe produces peace. The Muslim seek to please God by strict disciplines in prayer and forced observances. Even some Jewish are seeking to know God through the old covenant and are rejecting the completed new covenant made with by the Messiah. Many legalists I’m trying to please God with your good works and reject the accountability that He requires of them.

Unless the Kingdom is entered through repentance and faith – a person is still outside of the golden doors. If the Kingdom is not entered a person is lost and all alone in the great cosmic order.

The Kingdom Can Be Possessed

Blessed are the poor in spirit, or theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

Even as a child we desire to possess things. We learn early that certain things, such as our toys, are ours. Watch children playing and soon one of them will be saying, ”Mine, mine!”

When we enter the Kingdom we can on a totally different level exclaim, “Mine, mine!, Poor in spirit is another way of saying one who see his or her spiritual need. Those who see the need and come to Christ are the one who will be given the possession of the kingdom. Well I am writing this I walked out my back door I see a small portion of my little kingdom and I thought, “ I possess these blessings of the Kingdom Of God which are unlimited in scope for this life and unimaginable for the next life.

The prophet Daniel spoken this kingdom: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven, he approach the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was giving authority, glory, and sovereign power; all people, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed… the saints of the most high will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever yes, forever and ever-Yes, forever and ever (Daniel 7:13-14, 18).

The Kingdom Of God Is WithIn You

Once, haven’t been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God will come, Jesus replied, “ The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, here it is, or there it is, because the kingdom of God is within you.” Jesus was saying that while we are on earth the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of believers. The Pharisees were expecting an earthly kingdom with the rule that would free them from Roman oppression. They wanted a structure that they could see. But because their eyes were blind and their religious hearts were hard they could not see the revelation of God in Christ who stood before them. Where is the kingdom of God today? It is right here in our hearts. It lives in us God is using us to plant in the hearts of others around us.

St Augustine, who lived from 354-430 A.D., regarded as one of the towering intellectual geniuses in history, wrote more than 1000 works on philosophy, psychology, theology, history, political theory, and other subjects. His confessions, from which the following passages is taken, has remained a popular and influential work for almost 1600 years.

“ I entered into the inner most part of myself… I entered and saw with my soul’s eye (such as it was) an unchangeable light shining above this eye of my soul, and above my mind… He who knows the truth knows that light, and he who knows that light knows eternity. Love knows it. O eternal truth and true love and be loved eternity!

I do like when I find my soul and the light of God whenever I can relax for my necessary duties I have this recourse of pleasure. A state of feeling which is quite unlike anything which I am used to, I kind of sweet delight which if only I could permanently remain would be something not of this world, not of this life,But sadly the weight of the world falls upon me again and I have to swallow up the normality of it.

The Kingdom Of God One Day Will Arrive With Great Force

Jesus said, “Or I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comesuntil the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:16).

Jesus said this as He was having His last supper with His disciples the night before His crucifixion. So far as we know, He did not drink of the fruit of the vine after the resurrection while He was still on the earth. He is waiting for what He called “ The marriage supper of the Lamb.’ This is after the return of Christ, and the judgment. In revelation 19 John says, “ after this I heard this sound like a great roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and Josh are His judgements. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Then a voice came from the throne saying: “ Praise our God all you His servant, you who fear Him, both small and great!”

“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, life roar I’m rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder shouting;”

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come and Hid bride has made her self ready.”

“Then the angel said to me,“ blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” The church is the bride and the Lord Jesus is the groom and he will sit down with us and we will partake in his glory forever!

Praise be to His Name!

Signs Of Demonic Oppression

We know from Scripture that demonic activity is real and there should be no debate about that. As a Christian, I don’t beyond don’t believe believers can be possessed by demons. However, that does not mean you cannot experience demonic oppression. Many who are true believers in Jesus Christ have experience demonic oppression, and surprisingly some may have not been aware that is what they were experiencing. As we consider this topic , it is helpful to identify the signs of demonic oppression so we are able to fight back. I’m looking at this from the perspective of a Christian facing oppression because those who are true followers of Christ have a different way of dealing with this than those who are not.

What Is Demonic Oppression?

Before we identify the signs of demonic oppression, it makes sense to define exactly what it is. Demonic oppression is a spiritual attack from a demonic spirit which seeks to influence a person’s thoughts, emotions, and even their actions. Since a demon cannot possess a Christian to control them, then oppression is the next best option. Because of the way we are created as humans, these attacks will often begin in our mind because this is the central hub that dictates what we think about, how we feel, and ultimately what we do. The goal of demonic oppression is to keep a person trapped and bound. The desire is to paralyze the believer so they become I effective.

What Are Signs Of Demonic Oppression?

To understand the signs of demonic oppression you must understand the way Satan operates because he is their leader, and they follow his cues. One of the chalk In identifying this is many times the areas attack may not appear demonic at all.

For Example: the first time many years back I was at a concert at my church, I was singing and worshiping, and I said something and I heard the lead singer in the concert tell me, I was not worshipping God and that I should just leave. Then I heard the pastor of the church say “Ya you should just leave.” I was so angry that I walked out, I cried all the way home, by the time I pulled in my driveway I knew I couldn’t go back to “that church.” I was thinking what churches were near me that I could go to, and then I had convinced myself I wasn’t going to any church at all, that I would stop being a Christian. Satan in an hours time had me convinced that I hated my pastor and every one who went to my church, I was so upset I stayed inside my house for 4 days and I had not slept. The bad thing was I believed everything that happened was real. Satan and his demons are very tricky. All this time I kept asking God what I should do. I prayed for 4 days and then decided to go to a woman’s prayer meeting, and asked their advice. That next Sunday after church I talked to my pastor and his wife about being oppressed by a demon.

I’ve heard people tell stories of sensing an evils Spirit in a room or recognizing their presence. So I knew I had to pray about what happened to me, and really get to the bottom of what happened that night. Satan had me angry with God, hateful, and confused and afraid. And he had me thinking it was all God’s fault.

I was to address 3 signs of demonic oppression that are possible to overlook as attacks from the enemy:

1. Abnormal Fear

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring Lion looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

Satan loves to operate in the realm of fear and intimidation. These are two of his greatest weapons and can be indicators of demonic oppression. This does mean that if you’re afraid, you are experiencing demonic oppression because we all experience fear at some point in our lives. You can begin to suspect demonic oppression is a play when this fear escalates beyond what is normal or usual. Remember, the attacks are often in your thoughts, which work their way into your emotions and actions. A person who is under attack in this way shut themselves off from interactions with other people, this type of fear tends to look irrational, but to the person experiencing it, it feels very real. A person just experiencing fear may not be facing demonic oppression, but if it escalates, that is something that must be considered.

2. Inability To Rest Or Have Nightmares

One of the thing we must recognize in this spiritual battle that we face is Satan is often willing to play the long game. This means he had no problem extending an attack over a long period of time with the hopes of wearing you down. If you remember the story of Samson and Delilah, she was relentless in her pursuit of finding the source of his strength, and Samson eventually wore down. This sign of demonic oppression was to attack he ability to rest. This can be an attempt to attack your dreams or, again, to cause you great fear and worry that prohibits rest. The reason this works is because without rest we become fatigued, and when we are tired , we are vulnerable. If you have ever watched a boxing match, sometimes the strategy of the opponent is to make the other fighter work hard in the early rounds until all their strength and energy is gone. When this happens, this can ultimately take away their opponent’s Will to fight. If there is a prolonged inability to rest, a real extended period, then you must consider demonic oppression. This can be especially true if the inability to rest cannot be justified by any circumstances that are happening in a person’s life. Should these signs appear, it is time to consider that you may be under attack,

3. Prolonged Periods Of Uxplained Depression

As I said earlier, demonic oppression is often an attack that begins in the mind. I an not a licensed psychologist so I want to choose my words carefully, but there can be instances where depression can be a sign of demonic oppression. There are some people who have a clinical diagnosis of depression and have been treated successfully under a doctor’s care. However, in spiritual warfare, depression is one of the weapons of the enemy. Remember, the goal is to paralyze you and when depression sets in this can be a great paralyzer. However, this also calls for caution before you start diagnosing depression as a demonic attack. This may not be the first place to go if someone is depressed, but if it persists over a long period of time, with normal understanding of why it is happening, then it is something that you cannot rule out either.

How Do You Overcome Demonic Oppression?

Regardless of the form it comes in, we must understand how to overcome it. I am a firm believer that spiritual battles require spiritual weapons, and thankfully, God has given them to us. As you search through Scriptures, you will begin to see all God has provided so we can fight back against any type of demonic oppression. I will turn your attention to Scriptures that talk about the “Armor Of God,” the Power of God, the work of the Holy Spirit in you. As you begin to read these internalize them, you will begin to see that God has equipped you and you do not have to be overcome by demonic oppression. Let’s look atone scripture to encourage you:

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit that lives in you is greater than the sprit who lives in the world.

1 John 4:4

One thing you must realize is that if you are in Christ then the Holy Spirit lives in you. By this fact alone you now have dwelling inside you the Spirit of God which is greater than any demonic spirit that would try to oppress you. However, to fight back, you must know these things are true, which means you must take God’s Word and study it, and apply it to your life. As you begin to do this, you will begin to grow stronger and more confident in who you are in Christ, and this will give you what you need to fight back against demonic oppression.

Demonic oppression is real, and it isn’t something that should be taken lightly. I also know God is real, and He is greater than every thing and every thing in this world. Most importantly, when you are in Him then His authority is In you. Your responsibility is to take what He has given you and use it so that you can be victorious in every spiritual battle. Eve if a demonic spirit tries to attack you,God has equipped you so you can overcome.

The Stronghold In Your Mind

In this life, we all face many battles, but the hardest and longest battle we fight is the battle in our minds. The words we speak to ourselves along with the word we allow to fester help create stronghold in our minds.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says. “For though we walk according to the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down our strongholds and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.“

At a Bible study I was at this morning and this was made this more clear than ever to me. There was a young lady who was struggling with loss and heartache. She wanted to know, Why? It is in the importance of the power of our words along with talking to God that answers this question.. Dealing with grief is the hardest things our mind has to endure. It is crucial for us all to be mindful of our emotions and the way of minds work. There is nothing more powerful in our lives than self-talk, it is more powerful on us than God-talk. God-talk is only powerful in our lives when our self-talk align a with it.

The Bible says in Proverbs 23:7, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” It doesn’t say as God thinks or what God says- it says, “as man thinks.” When the Bible says this, it is referring to your self-talk.

There is so much power in the words we repeat to ourselves that they can either break us down or build us up. Satan understands the power of our self-talk and he uses it against us. Self-talk is what builds negative or positive strongholds.

Think of a stronghold as a castle.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds

2 Corinthians 10:4

Castles (Strongholds) are built one brick at a time. These bricks represent our thoughts and therefore our self-talk. This means the strongholds in our minds are built one thought at a time – just like a castle is built one brick at a time.

It is our responsibility to build our strongholds with either positive thoughts or negative thoughts. The enemy aims to make us self-destruct by getting us to talk about ourselves negatively, We must resist, we need to stop focusing on what others think about us.

What other people say about us (or to us) can move us to the left or the right, we will be destroyed because we will become trapped by negative thoughts.

Ultimately, it should be more important what we say about ourselves, which must align with God’s truth about us. We must understand the impact of our self-talk so we can use it, and maintain it, to build positive strongholds in our minds.

Remember, every stronghold isn’t negative; the scripture says in Psalm z94:22 that “the Lord is our stronghold.

So What Happens When You Build A Negative Stronghold?

You might have been told negative things as a child, when you were very impressionable. You then took it into your spirit, and began to confirm what that person said by repeating those words to yourself. (My mother said it so it must be true) which resulted in you living your life according to those words….those sentences.

This means some people are serving a life sentence and they are not even in prison. Instead, they are living according to the negative word that were sown into them by others.

Serving a life sentence is different from having a life of sentence. Having a lif sentis what you’ve heard and have got inside your mind, but serving the life sentence is when you start making choices based on that lie or that life sentence…that life sentence then becomes a death sentence! I lived almost 30 years in prison, because of lies others told me.

The Bible says that death and life are in the power of the tongue…the power of your words! (Proverbs 18:21). This means a negative stronghold in your mind can lead to the death of your future, your destiny, your relationships, your confidence, your courage…etc.

How Do You Overcome This?

To overcome this, you need to sow new, positive seeds into yourself. You have to speak positively to yourself, whether out loud or in your internal to yourself. (I wrote positive notes and placed them all over the house to inspire me). You must remember that death and life lie in the power of the tongue, meaning the power of your words! (Proverbs 18:21). As Jesus did in Matthew 4, you can use scripture to combat and speak against those lies that have infiltrated your mind – the word of God is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). I urge you to find out who you are in Christ,

Scripture talks about what things you should aim to think (or meditate) on, which is the equivalent of your internal conversation. Things which are true, noble, just pure lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). You need to think about these things rather than the lies you have believed about yourself which do not, and can not, come from God.

You must also draw near to God. If you become overwhelmed with negative self-talk you need to draw close and listen to the still small voice of God. If you are struggling to bear someone, the first thing you do I move closer to them. So draw nearer to God by inclining your ears to the voice of our Heavenly Father. It is your proximity to God’s voice that tells you what to speak to yourself.

You must also pray. Prayers reach further. Your prayers have a long reach. David has a small weapon, but that small weapon (the stone) that he had, had God behind it. That is an example of what our prayers can do. Our prayers overcome, transform and renew. By praying and speaking the word of God, you change the negative stronghold that has trapped your thought life into a positive stronghold that rejuvenates and strengthens you.

Why Is Faith Important?

When you hear the word “faith.” what do you think of? Whether you realize it or not, faith is an essential part of life. It’s not just about faith in God. For example, every time you sit down on a chair, you have faith that the chair will hold you. You are trusting that the chair won’t collapse under you.

That’s faith – being sure of what you’re hoping for – being certain of what you don’t see or have experienced yet. The Bible defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen( Hebrews 11:1).

Without Faith, It’s Impossible To Please God

Why is faith necessary? Because without it, we cannot please God.

Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is a reward of those who diligently seek Him.” Let’s face it – believing in a God we cannot see and believing that He is who He says He is takes faith!

Without faith in God, I would have never believed I could have come out of the very dark place I was in because of the circumstances in my childhood or early adulthood. Without faith, I would have never believed I could be cured from Cancer.

Jesus Notices Our Level Of Faith

In the book of Matthew, we see different people who have different levels of faith.

Matthew 15:28 says, “Then Jesus answered and said to her, O’ woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire. And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

Again in Matthew 14:31, “And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, O’ you of little faith, why did you doubt?’

The woman was a Gentile who had faith that Jesus was her only hope for her sick daughter. She wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer from Jesus, so Jesus moved by her faith and granted her request. Imagine if we would not take ‘no’ for an answer when asking God for anything.

The man with little faith was Peter, Jesus’s own disciple. Jesus was walking on the water and invited Peter to come to Him. Peter had the faith to walk to Jesus on the water, but his eyes focused on the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus insyof our circumstances – this will keep our faith strong during difficulties.

Faith Moves God To Act

Why is faith important to God? Because faith – not need, doubt or fear moves God. Mark 2:5 says, “When Jesus saw (His friends) faith, He said to the paraplegic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven you.” “The lame man got up, grabbed his mat, and went home! When Jesus saw the faith of the lame man’s friends, He moved on their behalf and healed their friend.

As believers, we often petition God, asking Him to meet our needs, to heal our bodies or relationships, or to give us wisdom. But as James 1:5-7 says, unless we ask in faith without doubting, we won’t receive what we’re asking for,

Faith Strengthens Us During Trials

Because we live in a sinful, fallen world, we face difficulties. But our faith is what helps us remain strong during hard times. We have an enemy, and it’s our faith that acts as a shield to protect us from his schemes and plots, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16).

We should not be surprised when our faith is tested. James 2:3 says that “the testing of your faith produces patience.” As we stand firm in faith through trials, God gets the glory: “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Faith Fuels What We Do

We demonstrate our faith in God by what we do and how we live. James 2:26 states, “For ad the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Faith and Works are each an oar in your boat of life. They work together to move you forward. Genuine faith is validated by action that follow, likewise,actions done without faith are useless. We must always act in faith!

Our Faith Can Encourage Others

Unshakable faith is noticeable, and it can encourage others to be firm in their faith too. Colossians 1:3-4 says, “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints.” It’s easier to stay committed to faith in God when you see others doing the same. Choose to stand in your faith and inspire others to do the same.

Timothy was a young pastor who was being mentored by the Apostle Paul. Paul states in 2 Timothy 1:5 “when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded in you also.” When our faith is strong and true, it can be passed on to others including our family and friends making a difference in their lives as well.

Faith Is The Foundation Of Salvation

When Jesus walked the earth, the Jewish people were sure they had to keep all the rules of Latin order to be acceptable to God. But when Jesus came, He redefined righteousness” …a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law…” (Galatians 2:16).

While God has His laws that we should follow, we are not defined by works. We are made right with God through faith in Jesus, God’s Som, we are not made right before God by what we do or don’t do, This was a radical shift for the Israelites. They were used to earning their salvation. But as Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,”

We must guard our faith. 1 Timothy 6:11-13 reminds us “But you, O man of God flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called…”

We must be prepared to fight to maintain our faith during the storms of life which will try to derail us. In fact, as we preserve our faith inGod, it will sustain us through the toughest trials, for the glory of God.

Side Note: People have asked me why I put so much time and energy into this blog, for free, I tell you it’s because it’s what God called me to do. Profit means nothing, when you do something for God. I try to write about subjects that it took me quite a bit of time to find out on my own. My aim is to encourage people to find God and learn as much as you can about a relationship with Him. Every day this world gets crazier and crazier. We all need to have faith and hope there is something more when people ultimately destroy themselves. Souls are eternal flesh is not. God bless you

The Hope Of A Mustard Seed

And He said to them…”for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’and it will move ; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Matthew 17:10

A mustard seed is about one to two millimeters in size. Yet, the brush can grow upwards to 20 or 30 feed tall and wide.

The picture the Lord painted for the disciples was one of Hope! Our faith doesn’t need to be outwardly large to have a large impact.

The tiny mustard seed hold the potential of a 30-foot bush! A seemly inconsequential speck of faith can move mountains!

As a mom, my days were filled with lot of small acts that I did with faith. Faith that God entrusted a family to me to nurture, and serve. Yes, someday I didn’t feel any faith. But it was there, Faith that my children would someday be successful, Faith the I was able to get out of bed, even though I felt some days I couldn’t. Faith that growth would happen. Faith that the witness of our family is part of a larger tapestry of testimony to God’s love and grace.

Small acts done with the Hope that mustard seed-planting works will grow into the Lord’s glory.

When I begin to think of mustard-seed planting my mind immediately finds my heart invigorated for the tasks at hand! When I listen to a person in the grocery store line who freely offers her non-mustard-seed thinking advice about what their teen ought to be doing, it’s like someone pulled the plug on their energy. I can almost see the pain in their face.

What Is Faith Of A Mustard Seed?

So often our perspectives are shaped by the glossy cover of a magazine and social media’s highlight reek. We can lose touch with the great gifts small acts can be in our life or someone else’s.

Regardless of where your at in life, your faith matters greatly in this life and eternity. You don’t have to be Billy Graham to be a great witness. You don’t have to be rich to give greatly. A seemingly small act of kindness, or saying a faith-filled prayer for someone, or whatever faith motivated act we take, no smaller how small, can have an eternal and mountain-moving impart on someone else’s life.

Mark 12:41-44 tells of an account where He sat down opposite the treasury and beg an observing how ti people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums of coins. A poor widow came and put in two copper coins, which amounted to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, Truly I say to you, this poor widow Put in more than all the contributors to the treasury, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.

Jesus’s teaching regularly highlighted small acts of great value. From the widow’s mite to the woman washing His feet ( Mark 14: 6-9), small gifts in the gospel are highlighted because they have significant and eternal value.

How To Have Faith Of A Mustard Seed

When we consider our life and our faith, are we using what we have to the fullest or have we decided that it is for someone else with bigger or better faith to do the witnessing, or praying, or the giving? Have we figured that our contribution could never be enough to make a difference, so we hold back? Have we considered that what God has entrusted to us is meant to grow large and wide, like a mustard bush? Do we tend our faith with that sort of expectation?

Our faith is meant to grow and go!

It’s Not Punishment, It’s Pruning

4 Purposes Of Pruning

We don’t magically become like Jesus – Which is a transformation all believers are undergoing. It’s a process to become patient, getting ability to have joy in difficult situations or have power to remain sexually pure until marriage. You have to be developed by God and that’s where pruning comes in.

What Is Pruning?

John 15:1-2 Jesus tells us “I am the true vine, my Father is the farmer. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. Every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes, that there will be more fruit.

In nature, pruning is a process down to fruit bearing plants to facilitate healthy growth. As believers, Jesus compares our spiritual growth to that of a vine plant. Like a gardener chance to his plants, God is overseeing your growth so that you will mature in Christ and live the life He created you for.

There are four reasons for pruning. If you have any pruning season right now or aren’t sure, take a look at this list. God prunes us for our good so that we may be spiritually healthy and fulfill the purposes He has for our life.

Why Does God Prune Us?

1. To Remove What’s Dead or Dying

As you mature in Christ, there will always be things that you lose the desire for if you desire for God increases. There may also be things that you try to hold onto that God wants you to let go of. In both these cases, God will remove those things from your life sometimes by isolating you or placing you in new surroundings. Or He may give you insight and revelation about someone’s true intentions toward you so that you can take the necessary steps to cut ties with that person. It’s crucial to remove dead things there is space for new things to grow.

2. To Remove What’s Infected Or Diseased

An area that is sick will never be able to grow to its full potential. Until it’s healed, it will always be bound and restricted in someway. God will reveal the roots of your vices, insecurities, and fears to you, and instruct you how to walk in freedom. It may mean forgiving that person who abuse you, finding love and acceptance in Christ instead of romantic relationships, or seeking counseling to learn how to stop believing the lie that you’re not good enough or will never be enough. This type of pruning can be especially painful because it’s like surgery. God has to open the wound to heal it.

3. To Remove Things That Are Hindering You

Hebrews 12:10-11 tells us “ God disciplines us for our good, an order that we may hear his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

When God started healing me from all the abuse, all the sadness, and all the pain. I knew it was going to be a hard road, all of this pain I have been feeling for over 40 years what’s going to come rushing back into my life. I admit some days I felt like just giving up on life, saying what’s the use if I have to go through all of this again. I had put up a huge blockade around me so I would never feel pain or anything else again. And now it was going to come tumbling down all around me. I was weak and honestly I didn’t think I could take it all again. But God was definitely giving my beauty for my ashes.

Pruning is solely for removing things that are overly bad for you. Sometimes God has to remove things that aren’t good for you in the current season. For example, you may be praying to God for a better paying job so you can become financially stable, but God’s saying, “No, not yet.” Dismissing that God doesn’t have your best interest at heart, but trust me He does.

Maybe you’ve been unfaithful with stewarding the income you have (not tithing, racking up credit card debt, etc…) and he knows you’re not ready for the responsibility to handle more. He doesn’t want to give you more money because he knows you’ll just dig yourself into a deeper hole. You may think if you had more you’d manage it better but more money doesn’t equal more discipline. God is using this to improve your discipline and self-control. Often, the things that hold us back aren’t people or places, but habits and characteristics.

4. To Keep You Focused And On The Right Track

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “ trust in the lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will and all you do and He will show you which path to take.

Without pruning, a tree branches grow in any and every direction. There is no focus. For a season, those branches grow leaves and bear fruit, But eventually, the weight of all those branches takes a toll on the tree and becomes more of a burden than a blessing.

We have to allow God to lead us so that we don’t become burdened or overwhelmed with things He never told us to take on; things that will distract us from His will. For a while, it may look like you have it all together, but in the end, your faith will suffocate and you’ll crumble from the pressure. Allow God to set your priorities and focus. Don’t burden yourself trying to keep up with society’s expectations. Surrender to Christ and take on His yoke. After all, His burden in easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Do Not Resist It

Pruning isn’t comfortable but it’s nature and necessary part of following Christ. Sometimes it will be easier to endure another time it may be excruciating, but it’s for your good. The pain has a purpose. Stay focused on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). In Him we can do all things that strengthen us (Philippians 4:13).

For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and make requests for you, that you will be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding, that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:9-10