I had this vision a few weeks ago and was hesitant to share due to its somewhat obvious simplicity. However, as the Lord has been working out in me some very poisoned mindsets, the relevance has become something I believe may not be so obvious.
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A large snake is slithering through the Garden. It bites in the ground and when it does, you can see the venom seeps deep into the dirt and poisons the whole ground.
A seed is planted in this ground and as it grows, you can see a tree being formed. The root system and all of the inner fibers of the tree are affected by this poison, however it grows in natural stature and outward appearance. But, as time goes by, this tree is never able to produce any fruit.
A hand comes down and cuts off one of the branches and it falls to the ground. Winter comes and covers the branch with snow, and the branch appears dead. This is when the hand once again reaches down, but this time picks up the branch and transports it to a completely different garden.
Here, there is an enormous tree with hundreds of different kinds of fruit blooming all at one time. The fallen branch is grafted in to this tree and secured with a white tape. As time passes, still no fruit is produced from this branch. But, after a season, the mending tape begins to naturally fall off. Once it is all gone, you can see that the grafting process has been completely healed and the branch begins to bloom.
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The very first sin was that of pride when the Lucifer decided that he wanted to be like God, but apart from God. He was cast out of heaven and poisoned the very ground of the earth. When Eve believed the tree could make one wise, she ate off this forbidden fruit, breaking the original design of knowledge coming from an intimate relationship with God and thus planting the seed of mankind into this poisoned soil. From that moment on, we have grown in an environment where we center our lives around ourselves. (Pride) We make God’s wisdom small in our own eyes. We exalt ourselves above God and others. This poisoned way of thinking has infiltrated every aspect of our culture. The enemy has been very crafty in creating a counterfeit to what God had originally designed for His creation. In Mark 7, Jesus explains that it isn’t what is outside of a person that defiles him, but what is inside. What is in his heart?
The proud live as though they are kings in their own kingdom, but the humble recognize they are a Son of the King of all Kings. What is your identity? What fruit are you producing?
The opposite of pride is humility, which acknowledges the truth of your position as a Son, yielding to God in your proper place. Humility is the only soil in which His grace can root.
Are you preoccupied with yourself and the things that personally affect you, or do you first consider the Father’s business. Pride is very sneaky in the way that it gets into the very way we process life. Our root system( thoughts) have been poisoned, and therefore our perception of the reality of our identity opposes of God’s design.
Do you feel the need to promote or justify yourself?
Do you degrade or demote yourself?
Do you feel complacent?
Are your agitated or grateful?
Do you hold grudges, or forgive easily?
Are you impatient or long- suffering?
This list could go on…
The lack of humility is a sufficient explanation of our every defect and failure. Our thoughts, words and feelings are a very good test of our humility before Him.
In order to right this poisoned way of thinking, we must be cut off completely from pride. This can only be done with the presence of God. This is clearly seen in the vision where the branch is cut off the poisoned tree and left as a completely empty vessel. This lowly position was shown through Jesus as He humbled Himself to the point of death; yielding Himself to God.
Only in this place of absolute surrender of our will, can we become an empty vessel to be used and partnered with the plans of our Father. Not our will, but His be done.
As seen in the vision, when this cut has been made, there is still a time of winter. When God humbles the proud, it is an act of His grace. But, often times we pray for deliverance from the very things that have been placed in our lives to make us humble. Like Paul, we have to take pleasure these thorns in our flesh (weaknesses) as opportunities yield to the work of the Spirit in our inner man. We must cast aside our own desires(pride), and lay low before our King. As we submit to His Kingdom work, He will pick us up from this position and graft us into a new tree. One not only without the poison of pride, but also one that will produce His blessings, power and joy to all of creation.
“So I’m not defeated by my weakness, but delighted! For when I feel my weakness and endure mistreatment—when I’m surrounded with troubles on every side and face persecution because of my love for Christ—I am made yet stronger. For my weakness becomes a portal to God’s power.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 TPT
Even in this place, a grafting tape must be used. This is a time for observation, healing and inner growth in understanding of our new identity. The consciousness of God will take hold and the tape will slough off. Out of our nothingness, the power of His Spirit will take over the branch and it will bear fruit of our new identity. This humble change will be evident in the way we live our unguarded, every day moments. Bless the Lord!
