Confession: So basically I was “venting” (aka complaining) earlier about the state of the US Government, and frankly “airing out’ my frustrations did not help at all. It was like seeing someone doing something wrong, and pointing and saying this is wrong. Not stopping the injustices, not affecting the situation for better… just yapping about it. Be honest with yourself, you may have had a similar dissatisfaction in regard to some unfairness, oppression or opposition that is occupying your attention. Even worse is when it is something that you can only observe and not even speak on it, intercessors and prophets know about this… God shows you something by revelation, and it’s so profound and changes your perspective, but there is no release to say it yet. You may sense that the download from God is not complete, or you just do not have peace about releasing the Word of the Lord. Regardless of the situation, this message is to alert you that it is Growing Season! Some of the uncomfortable situations that we are experiencing personally or observe around us are just indicators that we have some tests to pass, some battles to win, some trials to overcome and the only we will come out of this season victorious is to grow. It sounds so played out and phony to say stuff like: “Don’t go through it, Grow through it!” or When the going gets tough,the tough get Growing” but it is actually true! In fact if this message is making you uncomfortable, or irritated, you may have some growing to do that you are resisting or not acknowledging.
This message started out describing the frustration and dissatisfaction that I believe many of us are feeling right now for various reasons. What does that have to do with growing? Well, whether it is a plant, living being, or microscopic life form all of these need the correct conditions environmentally, nutritionally, etc. to thrive. Also, all of them have a life cycle = a beginning, growing, thriving, decline, and end. If the conditions are not just right the season of thriving ends up being a season of survival until eventually decline kicks in. Regardless of your age, or station in life, we all want to thrive and not just survive when we are supposed to be in the prime of our lives. A survival season is not to be disrespected or downplayed, because many of us would not be here if we didn’t have to survive some unfortunate seasons. Just because we had to endure a survival season, does not mean that our growth has to be stunted or that we have to enter into decline. Usually, if the nutrition is adjusted, and the environmental conditions are used strategically any living thing can GROW AGAIN. And for many of us that is exactly what we need, to grow again. This is not like a reset or “do over’. We can grow again just like the trees that go dormant in the fall/winter and then have a fresh flush of leaves and blooms in the spring/summer. The tree may have lost some leaves, and may not seem very active while it is dormant, but this is the time for the roots to go deeper, for nutrition to be redistributed throughout, and for energy to be stored for the next season. Maybe that is it, some of us are trying to push out new leaves and bloom, without fully using up the resources that we stored away. What dream, prophetic word, promise, or desire that motivates you have you stored away – and forgotten? Has your “vehicle” run out of gas when you have a completely full gas can in the trunk? Is what was previously your fire now a fizzle? Light it up again and turn your desires over to God!
Have you been recently promoted and now you feel unsure if you can even manage the new level of responsibility? Like new expectations and pressures that you didn’t have to deal with before are closing in on you? It’s time to Grow! Have you messed up and allowed your flaws to be exploited like Samson did, making the strongest man who ever existed feel weak? Samson was not only physically weakened when the anointing left him, he was tormented and tortured by his enemies.. By the same people that used to cower when he flexed his muscles at them. Side note- if people are attempting to torment and torture you, bully you, expose your flaws to assume that you are going to be weakened by this, they are definitely (being used by) the enemy and are greatly afraid of you. Only weak scared people like to try to reveal weaknesses of others to make themselves look strong. Samson went through all of this- betrayal from his lover, exploitation by his enemies, and public shame and embarrassment when people found out that he lost his strength. He had no choice but to endure this, he was weakened and now a prisoner of his foes. The miraculous thing is that from the moment they cut his hair off – which God blessed him from birth to be the source of strength if he kept the Nazarite vow, God was strengthening and positioning him for victory – all he had to do is let his hair grow back. He didn’t even notice it when it was happening, and that was by design because if he caught wind of this he may have sabotaged himself by talking “smack”, acting all “tough guy”, and challenging his enemies again. They would have realized that it was his hair growing back and would have not only cut his hair again, they would have “ended” him to make sure that he was defeated this time. You know, some of us are facing opposition that is not content with having the “upper hand’ or dealing a viscous blow to harm us, some of these enemies want us weakened like Samson was, to be their slave and captive, and have a constant reminder of the mistakes and flaws that brought out our weakness. The good news is that like Samson, God is strengthening us, preparing us in secret to reveal His glory again! God is growing us and helping our “limbs” to reach higher and wider towards His light. At the end of this Growing season everything in our lives will be pointing to God! Revealing His Awesomeness!
Our testimony at the end of this Growing Season will echo Jerem//=t):
“Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord
And whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord.
“For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters,
That spreads out its roots by the river;
And will not fear the heat when it comes;
But its leaves will be green and moist.
And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought
Nor stop bearing fruit.
Notice that last line, “Nor stop bearing fruit.” What is the point of growing and growing and growing (if it is a fruit bearing tree) if no fruit is ever produced?Yes, this message is also to remind us that the “Fruit of the Spirit” is being grown, propagated and established in our lives when we fully commit to this time of growing. We are not growing just to get bigger, more lush, and aesthetically pleasing, all that is great, but our purpose is to bear the fruit(s) that can sustain us now and into the coming season. This patience, endurance, faith, love, grace, empathy, etc. that we are developing now is not just for this season! Even when the season changes and it looks like nothing is going on, we will have sustenance that will feed us and those in our lives. While the responsibility to grow is all ours, what we will produce from this season is not just for us to benefit from. God is generous and abundant when He blesses. However, He is not blessing us just for our own consumption and enjoyment. He blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others, until EVERYONE is blessed! God designed it this way, in the very 1st book of the Bible God gives this promise to Abraham, and I believe that it has been extended to us as well! Genesis 12:2-3 (AMP) states:
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you [abundantly],
And make your name great (exalted, distinguished);
And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];
And I will bless (do good for, benefit) those who bless you,
And I will curse [that is, subject to My wrath and judgment] the one who curses (despises, dishonors, has contempt for) you.
And in you all the families (nations) of the earth will be blessed.”
We are growing the “fruit” that will feed and bless everyone! This is why the enemy wants to keep you constrained, confined, and constricted. He has deceived himself and is trying to deceive you into thinking that there is no space, time, right conditions to grow. Maybe there is still debris and dead stuff cluttering your environment, or someone keeps reminding you of the past season where you were dormant and lost all your leaves, regardless of what is happening in, around, or to you THIS IS YOUR SIGN! It’s time to grow! In the name of Jesus be free from every hindrance, shackle, encumbrance, handcuff or chain that your enemies are attempting to bind you with. In the authority of Christ command your limbs to stretch, leaves to grow, your flowers to blossom, and your excellent tasting, blemish free, nutritionally vital, and life sustaining fruit to come forth in the name of Jesus! In the Mighty name of Jesus we command every pest, disease, evil environmental condition, and enemy to our growth be turned over to God and His wrath and judgment. We agree to grow, stretch, bloom, and bear Godly fruit where we are planted until the Master Gardener transplants us into a new place in the name of Jesus. We agree that we will not give up, instead we will grow up, grow through, and grow on to see what the end is going to be in the name of Jesus! Amen!
“And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.
Special Shout Out to the Gardeners out there!
‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce.
The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.
Thank you for reading this blog post! As always, if this message resonated with you, or you think it will be a blessing to others please send or repost as you wish.
Blessings Always,
Dionne Renae ♥
Lessons 'n Blessings 