"No Roots - part 2"

"They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away." Luke 8:13

Yesterday we talked about having full churches but many of the individuals who sit in the pews don't have a spiritual root system. They are "surface" Christians. There is no evidence of the born-again, surrender life. This morning I want to talk about developing a strong "root" system.

Temptations, offenses, trials and persecution will come and if we don't have a root system, if it is not a strong one, if we do not protect it, we will fall.

In the natural every plant has some sort of root, but it won't thrive and grow if it is not planted in the right soil. When we were born, our lives were already "planted" in the soil of sin, but that soil will bring death. We have to be planted in "life". We must be born-again and planted in Jesus. When we are, He gives us a new root system.

Plants have to have water and fertilizer (plant food) to help make them strong and healthy. We too have to "feed" and "water" our spirits if we are going to have strong, healthy roots. We feed and water them through God's word. This is done by hiding His word in our hearts, by meditating on it, by being a doer and not hearer of the word only.

The roots of plants have to be protected as well.  Several years ago, we planted a garden and experienced something that had never happen to us before. Healthy looking plants were just dying. We watered, fertilized and kept plenty of dirt around them. After pulling a few of the dead plants up we discovered that they had no roots. We also discovered a little bug in the ground that was eating the roots. So, we got on the attack against it. We have an enemy (the devil) who is out to destroy our root system. If he can weaken us in our faith, he can destroy our lives. Through times of testing, temptation and tribulation he is working at destroying your roots so that you have nothing to hold you up and keep you alive. When we had this happen to our garden, we were on the lookout for something to kill these insects-- we found it.  Likewise, there is something that will defeat the enemy that is attacking our lives-- it is the Blood of Jesus and the power of His Word. When satan attacks, you have to continually apply the Word of God to the situation. You have to pull out your weapon-- the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God- and combat him with it. It will defeat him and protect your roots at the same time.

Are your roots planted in Jesus the life giver? Are you feeding and watering them with His Word? Are you protecting those roots by using the weapon of God's word against the enemy that is trying to destroy them?

Have a great day. How is your root system?

For further reading:

Romans 3:23; 6:23
John 3:3-5
Revelation 12:11
2 Corinthians 5:17
Ephesians 6:17