A grain of mustard seed.
In Mark 4 Jesus is talking to the disciples about the kingdom of heaven and He says, starting in vs 30, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
The royalty, the rule, the power, the righteousness, the peace, the joy of God is like a mustard seed? What?
Have you ever seen Aladdin? The genie comes out of the bottle and he says, “phenomenal cosmic powers in an itty, bitty living space.” That’s what comes to my mind when I think about a mustard seed compared to the kingdom of God! But why compare it to a mustard seed?
Here’s what I feel like Holy Spirit began to show me today. It’s a mindset thing! Listen to me for just a moment! It literally takes a tiny seed to be planted into our hearts, our minds, our inner being and when we cultivate that it grows up and becomes large enough for people to sit under our shade… our influence… wisdom… revelation!
The kingdom of God is planted in us when we become a child of God, by believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave! When we have received Him then immediately there is a seed planted in us that needs to be nurtured and grown into maturity. In that seed there is MUCH power, MUCH authority, MUCH strength, MUCH knowledge, MUCH revelation! In the seed there is righteousness, peace and joy.. but they must be cultivated. It is through the knowledge of His kingdom that we begin to rise up, to grow up and come into spiritual maturity of our identity! But it takes a mindset shift!
Jesus says in the verse that once the seed is sown or planted it becomes larger than all the garden plants! It becomes larger!?! Larger is the word megas (where we get our word “mega” from) and it means – exceedingly, great, strong, mighty, large and loud! We become courageous the more we cultivate the culture of heaven within ourselves and others!
The church, that’s you and me, is an expression of God’s kingdom here on earth! Are we doing a good job expressing all that He is about? LOVE, KINDNESS, HOPE, SELF-CONTROL, etc.???
He goes on to say that after it becomes larger it goes on to shoot out or form large branches! It forms – bands together, brings forth, produces – even larger branches – young tender shoots, kind of like offspring – and that produces fruit in our lives! What is the fruit? In this instance it is Shade – this is an image cast by an object and representing the form of that object!! Our fruit is disciples that produce disciples! Think about it!
The kingdom of God is planted deep within us, we continue to grow in that, become larger and mature in Him. When we allow Him to shift our mindset, to come to a place of knowing without a doubt HE LIVES IN US AND WE CARRY THE SAME POWER AS HE DOES we cast a shadow that represents Jesus Christ and this is a place others come to sit and rest under as they learn about Jesus (be it from our testimony, the revelation He has planted deep in us, the wisdom dwelling in us, the Holy Spirit!) then they in turn go back out and represent Jesus to their sphere of influence… an image cast by an object and representing the form of that object! We are called to disciple nations! The word of God is very clear about that! If we don’t cultivate the culture of God in us, we will not be able to be that expression of Him to this world. We will simply be walking around living a life that is NOT an expression of Him, although you are saved!
I want to remind you of a verse that I mentioned in the first teaching of this series… “For the kingdom of God does NOT consist in talk but in POWER!!” We have too many church folks going around “talking” about the kingdom of God but let me tell you this… if there is no power fruit coming from them, it’s not the kingdom talk you need to listen to!
Let that mustard seed cultivate and grow within you! How?
SALVATION!
HOLY SPIRIT INFILLING!
BREAK PRIDE and FORGIVE!
PRAYER and INTIMACY with God!
STUDY, STUDY, STUDY His ABSOLUTE Truth - the Word!
OBEDIENCE to His directions!
BELIEVE YOU ARE POWERFUL!
Father I thank You for such amazing revelation today! I thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to breathe a breath of freshness over your children right now! I ask that you continue to reveal to us WHO YOU ARE IN US and WHO WE ARE IN YOU! Continue to guide our footsteps, our words, our hearts and our wills! I say… Have Your way in me!! I love you and give you ALL the glory. In Jesus name! Amen!
July 12, 2018