Uprooting Illegal Trees

We have been discussing this week the importance of bearing fruits of the spirit. Today we will look at those fruits or plants that don’t originate from God and discuss how we uproot them. Let us look again at what happened to the fig tree that Jesus cursed. “As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots” (Mark 11:20). I don’t believe that Jesus had any personal issues with the tree. Jesus wanted to demonstrate to his disciples the authority which they had to dispossess anything in their lives which did not serve a purpose.

Here was a tree that was drawing nutrients from the soil but was not producing anything in return for the nutrients it received. Similarly, there are many things that take up space in our lives and draw energy from us but does not necessarily edify us. ““All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up” (1 Corinthians 10:23). We have to constantly examine how we use our time and resources and assess the long term benefits. Many things feel good in the moment but do not yield fruits of righteousness.

There are other conditions and circumstances that may have been handed down from past generations. There are things that we have inherited and were told are family traits that we need to command to be uprooted. Whether these are bad habits, sickness or disease and infirmities, we curse them at the root and command them to dry up and die. There are dead circumstances in our lives that are pretending to flourish but they do not bear fruit. There are dead relationships that do not yield any substance. These dead situations simply drain us of our energy and need to be uprooted.

We cannot allow sentimentality to keep us bound to things that do not serve a purpose. We have to be ready to move when God says and sever ties that no longer come in alignment with God’s plan for us. We daily submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit so that he can show us those things that do not bring glory to God and be willing to get rid of them. “Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom” (Song of Solomon 2:15).

A.P.-Y.