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Expectant Prayers ®

Jennifer Jo Weiss

Sprouting Seeds, Breakthrough to Victory

"Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.” 
Zechariah 9:12


In the past week, I have talked with several friends via e-mail about various struggles they are going through; financial, job related, relationships, etc.  None of us are immune to life’s troubles.  That’s just life.  What strikes me is the magnitude at which these trials seem to be reaching.  It’s enough to wear down the strongest of Christians.
Many are weary; tired of the cares and trials of life that victory (overcoming) seems like a far away dream.   One battle is fought and subsides only to have another close on its heels.  It’s easy to start feeling like you’re imprisoned by your circumstances.  

Prisons are places of “no hope”.  My husband used to work in a few prisons, and let me tell you…it’s no day at the amusement park.  They tend to have a “dark” feeling to them, they seem “rough”, and definitely confining.   You can’t leave, you don’t have the freedom to move around like you might like to…everything is regulated and restricted.

In Scripture, we can envision Paul and Silas as they were shackled in prison, as well as other accounts of godly men who found themselves in prisons.  Their lives testify to the power of God to set them physically free, but the Lord also intends for us to view it as an illustration of what He can do in the Spiritual.  These accounts also bear witness to a positive outlook regardless of circumstances.

It’s time for us to break out of our prisons and come back to a safe place, which is only found in Christ Jesus.   Jesus came to set the captive free – we just forget that means everything that can possibly enslave us, not just sin and death.   He is also concerned about our common life problems that get in the way of us walking in 100% commitment and obedience to Him.  He wants that freedom in our lives so that we are productive (or being free to move) in our gifts and in the body of Christ.  God has good plans for you and wants to bring blessing where there is bondage.   The Scripture verse also tells us that He wishes to bring double the blessings for all the troubles we have to go through.

A parable came to mind when I was praying for my friends this week…the parable about the seeds.  In some of their personal situations, they felt like the enemy had taken something from them.  It struck me so much that I figured there were more people out there that needed to hear this word.  

Refer to Matthew chapter 13 if you want to read the entire parable, but here is Jesus’ explanation of the seed parable:

“The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.  The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.  The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.  But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.  The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Obviously, we know that the seed represents the Word, but when thinking about it, it came to life when I realized the “seed” can represent anything God has given us (sown into our lives):  money, jobs, our health/ a healing, a church, a ministry, etc.   Think about it!  Haven’t we all had times where we see the Lord move in an area of our life and:

1.) The devil immediately comes and tries to take it away.

2.)  We are happy about what God is trying to do, but we don’t let it take root.  We lose whatever God began working in us as soon as we run into a problem or people pressure us.  There are even times when we listen to others instead of God.  Even other Christians can cause us to question what God is doing in us, eventually becoming a stumbling block to us.

3.)  God sows “seeds” into our hearts and lives, but all too quickly the worries of life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things makes us totally miss it!!!  

Now you fill in the blank.  What is your “seed”?  Go back and read 1-3 and let it hit home.  Do any of those describe what you’ve been going through?

See, friends, God wants to sow seed in our lives that will produce a harvest; a harvest of righteousness for these end times.  He wants those seeds to keep multiplying in our lives so that they can spread, bringing blessing to His kingdom and GLORY to His name.

If you feel like your seed hasn’t been sprouting, don’t lose hope. Keep your eyes on Him and not the circumstance.  God can make a way where there seems to be no way.  We become imprisoned when we think there is no answer, but I am here to tell you we serve the God who holds ALL the answers.  Keep praising Him and refresh yourself with the Word daily.  God will keep sowing into your life!  Eventually you will begin to see things grow.

REMINDER:  We need to uphold the arms of our brothers and sisters in Christ more than ever, just like when Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses to "win the battle".   There is power in agreement and intercession for one another. 

The Word of God tells us: “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.  For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”    Matthew 18:19-20 (NLT)

Your breakthrough is coming!!!



 I wanted to wish my Mother a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! 


Love you, Mom!

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