“Growth is not just a function of where you are planted, it is your disposition to where you are planted.”  

 

In order to understand how to flourish in the kingdom, there are two key words I would like to expatiate as the Holy Spirit helps me to communicate His inspired thoughts through this writing. The key words are flourish and kingdom.

 

What does it mean to flourish? It means to grow vigorously, to succeed, to thrive or to prosper if given the right environment or conditions. Another word for flourish is to grow. So, for growth to take place or for there to be a blooming experience, the conditions that favors growth must be put in place. I also see flourish as to be at the peak of development, activity, influence or production.  

 

Luke 2 verse 39 and 40 explains it better. It says; “And when they had done everything [in connection with Jesus’ birth] according to the Law of the Lord.” [AMP] Another translation says; When Jesus’ parents had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

 

I would like us to note that word done everything in connection with Jesus birth and according to the law of the Lord, see what follows next; It says; “And the Child continued to grow and become strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom; and the grace (favour, spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.” When the right conditions, requirements where fulfilled, the Bible says the child grew. Jesus said to John the Baptist; permit it to be so for now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. And then as soon as He was baptized, the Holy Spirit came and rested upon Him.

 

So, what have I been trying to say in essence; until the required conditions are met, until the principles are followed, there won’t be a desired outcome. Until process is followed, there won’t be a desired result. Take for example, a plant that you don’t remove weed around it, or expose to sunlight, or apply manure, such a plant will not grow well. And the reason why there is a need for flourish is so that a tree or a plant can bear fruits. Did the Bible not say we are the planting of the Lord and so that we would bear fruits of righteousness?

 

Having looked at flourishing, what about kingdom? What is kingdom? A kingdom according to Merriam Webster Dictionary is a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen. But in the context of this article, we could see a kingdom as a sphere, a realm, a space or a domain in which the influence and the will of God the King of kings is done, enforced or sustained.  

 

Now what is the relationship between kingdom and flourish? The Bible says in Psalm 92 verse 12 and verse 13; “The righteous will flourish like the date palm [long-lived, upright and useful]; They will grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic and stable]. 13Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.”

 

I want us to note the word planted in the house of the Lord. It says certainly it shall flourish because it was planted in the courts of our God not elsewhere. If you will flourish, if you will grow correctly then you must be planted in the courts of God, in the kingdom of God. This is the requirement; it is a law that you must fulfill. Growth that is not under God will be abnormal, scattered and uncoordinated.

 

And this is the crux of the message the Holy Spirit wants to covey through this article. Having being planted in the courts of God, there are six necessary conditions or dispositions our Heart must have if God will foster our growth in the kingdom. This means that growth is not only tied to where you are planted, it is ultimately tied to your disposition to where you are planted. Let me give us an example; in Psalm 1:1-3, the Bible says; “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ^[a]ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he ^[b]meditates day and night.³ He shall be like a tree planted by the ^[c]rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”  

 

The experience and fruitfulness of this man was likened to a location of planting but it all began with the kind of posture he took.  It says he didn’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly, he didn’t stand in the path of sinners, nor did he sit in the seat of the scornful. So, he grew because the posture and dispositions of the Heart were correctly aligned. So, what are the dispositions we must have to where we have been planted?

 

#. Number One: Hide the word of God in your Heart. David said; in Psalm 119:19; “Your word have I hidden in my Heart that I might not sin against you.”  Jesus for example never considered the word of God as an opinion, He sees it as a law. What does it mean to hide the word of God in your Heart? It means to meditate, to treasure, to keep to remembrance the word of the God, to pay attention, to value it and to obey them to the latter.  It is the word you hide in your Heart that produces lamp to your feet and a light to your path. If you will flourish in the courts of God, you must be a keeper of the word and a doer of the word.

 

#. Number Two: Have a loyal Heart.  The Bible admonishes us to have our Heart fully devoted to God all of our days. In 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9, The Bible says; “The eyes of the Lord move to and fro the earth mighty on behalf of those whose Hearts are loyal to Him.” A man whose Heart is loyal to God is a man that God will defend, he is a man that will grow lavishly.

 

#. Number Three: Have A broken spirit and a contrite Heart. Psalm 51:17 says; “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite Heart— These, O God, you will not despise.”  What does a broken spirit mean? It means to have a repentant Heart. This is a Heart that is fully alive and active to the word of God willing to take a turn around at the coming of the word of God. A contrite Heart is a Heart that is humble and willing to go through God’s process.

 

#. Number Four: Have a Heart that trust in the Lord. The Bible says in Provers 3:5-6; “Trust in the LORD with all your Heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” A Heart that trust God is a Heart that believes in God, a Heart full of faith even it seems foolish in the eyes of men, this Heart hopes, believes in God.

 

#. Number Five: Have a Heart with pure conscience. See what Hebrews 10:22 says; “Let us come forward to the Holy of Holies with a true Heart in full assurance of faith, having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” See what it says; having a Heart sprinkled from an evil conscience. The Nkjv version says let us draw near with a true Heart’ so, a true Heart is a Heart with pure conscience.

 

#. Number Six: Have a Heart that loves. This is the last but the most important. Jesus admonishes us in Mark 12:30 saying; “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ^[l]This is the first commandment. ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  The Bible says there is no other commandment greater than this.

 

Our Heart is at the center of our relationship with God and with men. And if we will grow or flourish in the kingdom, we must have a Heart that loves. Jesus said it is by this that people will know that we are indeed His disciples.  If God is love, we also ought to love like God because, we have been created in His image and in His likeness. But having this kind of Heart, or posture of Heart and growing in the kingdom is not possible outside the help of the Holy Spirit. So, partnership with the Holy Spirit is very important.

 

The Bible says in Romans 8:26 that Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; helpeth our weaknesses. He is a quickening Spirit.  The reason why these six factors were highlighted is because, it is not enough to be planted in the courts of God, it is important and necessary that these dispositions of the Heart are correct by the quickening of the Spirit. We cannot do it by power nor by might, we must be yielded because, no man accomplishes much in the flesh except the grace poured upon the man.  And I pray the Lord help us all to be rooted and grounded in love as His planting; to manifest the fruits of His Spirit and to grow into the fullness of the stature of His Son Jesus Christ. Amen.   

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!

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