How's Your Soil? Breaking Up Fallow Ground by Kim Potter

Dayton, TN

Have you ever been given a word from God that you didn't want to hear? Perhaps a hard word or a word concerning something you didn't want to have in your life? I know I have. Only a few times, but I have definitely had those type of words, and they were words straight from God.

I think about Moses when God told him to go to Pharaoh and demand he let God's people go. God said, "But he won't listen to you." That is not an encouraging word at all. Or Abraham, when he was told to sacrifice his son, his only son. The list goes on and on. It is a truth that we don't always want to hear what God has to say. However, we must humble ourselves and receive that word if we desire to see God's perfect will in our life.

Recently, I received a word like that. I knew it was God when I heard it; it was not the first time it had been spoken to me. The first time I rejected it and said it must have a spiritual application. However, over the past couple years, God has been giving me words here and there, reminders here and there, preparing my heart to receive what HE has for me. Tilling up the soil of my heart, so to speak.

It Wasn't the Seed...It was the Soil

I have found that there are certain promises of God that we can easily believe and receive...then there are others that we don't receive as easily. It's the same seed...the Word of God...so then why does it not take root the same way the other promises do? I will tell you what I learned: The problem is the soil.

A few years ago I planted a big garden. As I did, I imagined rows of potatoes, corn, onions, green beans, and peppers. My aunt and uncle were helping me, therefore I bought the same seeds they bought from the same place. At the time of harvest, their garden was bursting with huge potatoes, green beans, onions, and much more. Mine produced some, but nothing like theirs...it wasn't the seed, it was the soil.

You see, they had worked their soil for many years; this was the first year my soil had been tilled. It did not take the seed as well and, therefore, didn't produce as well. Their soil was prepared, cultivated over and over again; it was ready for seed, and ready to produce a great harvest.

The soil must be prepared to receive the seed.

The same principle applies to the soil of our heart. We must prepare the soil of our heart to receive the seed of the word of God. I have found my heart has been prepared to receive financial seed, healing seed, miracle seed, and many other seeds...but there was one seed my heart was not prepared for...and this was the word I kept hearing over and over again. Therefore, there was something I needed to do to prepare my heart for what God was wanting to sow into my life.

Jeremiah 4:3 says, "Break up the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns." The fallow ground is uncultivated ground; it is also hard ground. If your ground is hard and uncultivated, it will not receive seed. If the ground of your heart is hard and not pliable to God, it will not receive the seed of the Word of God and all of His promises.

Perhaps you have trouble believing God for provision; if so, you need to break up the fallow ground of your heart. But first, you need to get out all the weeds and thorns – those thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God concerning provision. Weeds and thorns only grow in uncultivated soil. You need to rid yourself of all doubt and unbelief concerning God's provision. You do that by spending time in the Word of God. You break up the fallow ground by putting in the Word of God concerning provision.

Perhaps you have trouble believing God for debt freedom. Do the same thing: Get rid of all doubt and unbelief and sow the Word of God into your heart concerning debt freedom until you believe nothing else but that you are free from debt.

Perhaps the place you have fallow ground is much deeper and more personal than that. Perhaps the ground of your heart has become hardened by life, rejection, or being hurt so deep you can't even talk about it. Perhaps your heart has become hard because you thought if you didn't harden yourself to it you would never survive it. Perhaps you don't want to break up the fallow ground. Perhaps you have found yourself finally in a place where you think you are fine and at peace and there is no reason to change it now.

Still God says, "Break up the fallow ground of your heart." You see, we can't allow places of hardness to stand between us and what God has for us. We must, absolutely must, keep our hearts pliable and receptive before God. We must humble ourselves before Him and receive whatever He says is His best for our life, in spite of our past, in spite of hurts and disappointments.

I was thinking just the other day how we trust God with our eternal salvation, our very life and soul, but we don't trust Him with other things, like finances, our kids, or our hearts...that's just plain goofy. If we can trust Him with our eternal salvation, we can trust Him with anything, don't you think? Even our hearts.

How's Your Soil?

So, I guess my question today is: How's your soil? Does it need tending to in one area or another? I know mine does. Allow Jesus to help you break up the fallow ground of your heart and prepare it to receive all He has for you. He can do it! You are not alone; give your heart to Him, allow Him to break up the hard places and bring a pliability in your heart that can receive all He has for you.

Jesus changed the water into wine. Jesus raised the dead and calmed the seas. He can prepare your heart to receive His seed. All you have to do is cry out to Him today. Psalm 10:17 says, "Lord, You have heard the cry of the humble; You will prepare their heart." Prepare you the way of the Lord today; He is coming and His reward is with Him. Be prepared to receive it.

Prayer for Today: Father, I thank You for hearing us today. We cry out to You and ask You to prepare our hearts to receive all You have for us. Give us instruction in this area; we will listen and obey. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Kim Potter
A New Thing Ministries
Email: kpotter@anewthingministries.com
Website: www.anewthingministries.com