Let The Trees Wither

"I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found." Psalm 37:35-36

So when I read this I immediately thought about Jesus and the fig tree.

Jesus had just arrived in Jerusalem, and He went to Bethany for the night. The next day, on His way back into Jerusalem, Jesus was hungry. Now there was a fig tree on the way, and Jesus saw an opportunity to teach His disciples. He looked for the figs, and but there was none, because they were not in season. And Jesus said to the fig tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And His disciples heard it.

The following day they passed by the fig tree, and the disciples saw that it was withered to its roots! Peter pointed this out excitedly. Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whenever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses." (The referenced story is from Mark 11.)

What do these two stories have in common? A tree. One that withered away.

How do these fit together? Spiritual warfare. The devil uses so much against us. He will put many obstacles in our path. He will use anything in anyway to hinder your relationship with God.

Believe what you pray. Let all the doubt in your life wither away. Let it die. Let the voice that whispers doubt die. If you believe what you pray, then the devil can't manipulate it into doubt and unbelief in your life. You CAN overcome any obstacle because you have God in you. You CAN do what Jesus did and more because you the same Spirit that Jesus had in you. Believe it. Stop praying for it. Believe it.

Believe it and let the stress that have taken root in your life wither away.

---Joy