Hearing God (Part 10) – Good Fruit Comes From Good Soil

Don’t judge the harvest by what you reap, but by the seeds that you sow!

The heart is like a garden

There is Majestic Oak Tree in Every Acorn

Did you know that no man has ever been able to produce a seed from nothing? Man has only been able to genetically modify seeds that have already come from an original source. Humans have been fascinated with the mystery of seeds since the beginning of time. Perhaps you’ve heard it said that there is a magnificent oak tree hidden within every acorn? All it needs are the right conditions to grow and develop from that seed into something strong and majestic.

You Need Good Soil & The Right Conditions

Any seed will only grow into a strong plant and produce good fruit when it’s planted into good soil and it experiences the right conditions consistently over time. Have you ever thought about the Word of God being seed and your heart being the soil that it’s sown into? Jesus said it this way:

But he that received seed into the good ground [the heart] is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Matthew 13:23 (KJV)

What Fruit Are We Producing?

This principle of seed becoming fruit is determined by our hearts’ spiritual conditions. The fruit we bear is a product of not just the quality of the seed, but the condition of the soil of our hearts. The fruit we produce and give out to others reflects the conditions of our hearts over time.

Spiritual Growth Takes Time & Nurturing

Although Jesus used a farming parable to explain the seed in his day, spiritual growth can be compared not only to a seed but also to a building or a child. Each requires our participation! When planted, seeds must be watered, fertilized, and protected. When erected, buildings must be maintained. When born, children must be cared for, taught, and given loving correction. Getting the idea? Now, effort has nothing to do with our personal salvation, (it’s not Jesus plus something), but effort has everything to do with our spiritual growth.

Cultivate The Ground

To have good fruit, you need to have the ground cultivated and fed with good things. We can’t grow and bear good fruit in hard  and dry ground. Or ground filled with contaminates (the ground representing the condition of your heart and your mind). You first have to be transformed! The Greek word for transformed is metamorphosis, which describes the amazing way in which a caterpillar morphs into a butterfly. It’s a picture of what happens when we spend time in prayer, feed on God’s Word, allow Him to direct our thoughts, and learn to hear His voice.

Develop New Habits, it Creates Character!

As you take on the beauty of Christ’s character, you begin to grow and soar to new heights. You must clothe yourself each day with the character of Christ. How do you do that? By developing new habits. Your character is made up of the sum of your daily habits. What you do, is what you become! Why? Because through your own transformation you learn how to do things through experience. Then you can gain wisdom and insight into in these areas you then become able to reproduce—just like a plant begins to reproduce as it bears fruit. As we mature in Christ, we begin to reproduce when we share and speak into other people’s lives.

Renew The Soil of Your Mind

Good ground nutrients start by the renewing your mind each day with God’s Word, instead of just filling it with junk. Use your talents and treasures to build His kingdom instead of your own. If you do, you’ll discover that God gives “seed to the sower” (2 Corinthians 9:10 NIV). The more seed you sow, the more seed God will give you. And the more fruit you will start to bear for yourself.

Sowing A Legacy

How about making time to disciple somebody in your workplace, church, or college? That way, your legacy will be greater than your lifespan. The words you speak into their lives starts to create seeds of life for them and allows their hearts to be cultivated to receive all the goodness of God through what you show them and declare over them.

Words Are Seeds – Make Sure You’re Planting the Right Ones

The greatest fruit of prophecy is to show others who they are in the Father’s eyes. When this happens, their value becomes based on their worth in the Kingdom, not the world. When your words carry His heart, it allows them to draw closer to God, so He can draw closer to them. Nothing can transform lives in a better way than demonstrating and releasing the love that you have been showed by a God who loves you unconditionally! It’s about pointing them in the direction of the source of life—Jesus!

Create an Eco-System Wherever You Are

This, in turn, creates an eco-system where people’s hearts are nurtured to receive the greatest gift of all – everlasting life through Jesus. This environment allows them to gain a greater understanding of who they are, but also to see others through these same lenses. This then creates a culture of growth and more fruit. Over time, instead of being a single tree, we then become an orchard of honor and grace, able to change a workplace, a town, a city, and even a nation!

So what are you doing today to prepare your soil to sow Kingdom seeds that can change the future for yourself and others?

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