This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
(Luke 13:6-9 NKJV)
6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it.
9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that, you can cut it down.’ “
Yesterday, I talked about Jesus interceding for us. I will continue to flow in that vein today.
So, what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying for you!
Let’s look at Romans 8 and glean some powerful truths about Jesus and the Holy Spirit interceding for us.
(Romans 8:26-29 TPT)
26 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, sometimes, we don’t even know how to pray or the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.
27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.
28 So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.
29 For he knew all about us before we were born, and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.
(Romans 8:34 TPT)
34 Who then is left to condemn us? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for us, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn us since he is continually praying for our triumph?
Here are a few things we can learn from this passage:
— According to scripture, we have all been predestined to be conformed into the image of Jesus. So, everything God does for us is working towards that end.
— God considers it a weakness for us, as humans, to often NOT know what to pray for.
— Since we often do not know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes, He prays for us. The text says that He pleads to God (the Father) with emotional sighs too deep for words.
— The text goes on to say, “the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.”
— The Holy Spirit is praying for us to align with the will of the Father.
— This is what happened in the parable of the fig tree. The owner of the tree came for three years, looking for fruit, but found none. So he said, “Cut it down!” But the vinedresser (who represents Jesus) interceded on behalf of the tree. He wanted to work on the tee (digging around it and providing it fertilizer) so the tree could CONFORM the will of the OWNER!
— Jesus and the Holy Spirit pray for us. What are they praying? They are praying for us to CONFORM to God’s predestined will!
— Since we have the Holy Spirit praying for us, the text says, “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. For he knew all about us before we were born, and he destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son.”
— Paul was saying, “The reason I all things work together for your good is not because of you. It is because God predestined you before you were born, he worked with you long enough for you to accept His Son as your Lord and get saved, and He is not interceding for you, so you can CONFORM to His will!” It’s not about you or your performance! It’s all about Him and His amazing grace!
— After all of this, verse 34 says Jesus “is continually praying for our triumph.” Wow!
— Verses 26 and 27 say the Holy Spirit is making intercession for us. Verse 28 tells us that all things work together for good. Verse 34 tells us that Jesus is making intercession, and He is praying for our triumph!
2. You can find peace in knowing that God predestined you and He is praying for you.
In the parable we have been studying, the owner of the tree had a picture of what He wanted from the tree. That’s why He was upset when the tree was not CONFORMING to His will. Thankfully, the vinedresser (who represents Jesus), interceded on behalf of the tree. The vinedresser wanted to work with the tree to get it to CONFORM to the will of the owner. Jesus does the same for us every day.
(a) You are predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son.
— Every believer is predestined to be molded into the image of Jesus.
— Every divine action God takes is aimed at achieving this transformation.
— God is always working with us and through us to help us align our lives with His predetermined will and purpose.
(b) As humans, we often do not know what to pray for.
— the Bible calls it a “weakness” or a “frailty” for us, as humans, not to know what to pray for.
— This is why we should humble ourselves before God, especially in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal His will to us.
— And we should be thankful that the Holy Spirit and Jesus Himself intercede for us. When they pray for us, they know exactly what to pray!
— Understanding this, we should be dependent on divine intervention. We do our part, but we acknowledge that there are things we just don’t know, so we need God to step in for us in ways only He can!
(c) The Holy Spirit intercedes for us in a powerful way.
— The Passion Translation of Romans 8 tells us that the Holy Spirit doesn’t just pray for us; He super-intercedes with emotional sighs too deep for words.
— The Holy Spirit provides a deep and passionate intercession that aligns with God’s will and our destiny.
(d) The goal is to get us to live in harmony with God’s plan.
— Just like Jesus, in the parable, wanted to get the tree to align (or CONFORM) with the plan of the owner, that’s what God wants for us as well.
— The Holy Spirit prays in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny, ensuring that our lives, even amidst uncertainties and trials, are being steered according to God’s divine blueprint.
(d) Jesus is our intercessor and advocate.
— Jesus, who sacrificed His life for us and conquered death, is now in a position of authority, at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.
— The Passion Translation of Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is praying for our triumph!
— He wants us to win. But just remember that winning, in God’s eyes, is aligning with His will!
— If what you want is a selfish desire, then just know that what Jesus and the Holy Spirit are praying for you is DIFFERENT than what you are praying for yourself. They want what the Father wants for you. If you want something else, your prayers will not be answered. This is why aligning your heart with God’s will is so important.
Meditate on these two passages for a moment:
(James 4:3 TPT)
And if you ask, you won’t receive it for you’re asking with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires.
(1 John 5:14,15 NIV)
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
15 And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.
(e) God wants us to want grace-centered triumph.
— Our triumph is not performance-based.
— When you understand how to live #TheGraceLife, you realize you are not performing to get God to bless you. You are simply living by faith to receive what God has already provided.
— The grace of God, in your heart, is rooted in the continual prayers of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
— Understanding this, you will know that your victories, successes, and breakthroughs came to you by the grace of God. They are grace-centered and divinely orchestrated.
— This way, you don’t take God’s glory, you don’t allow your heart to be filled with pride, you remain humble in God’s sight, and you remain thankful for ever aspect of your journey in Christ Jesus, knowing that if God only gave you what you deserved, you would be miserable!
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
Father, I am predestined to mirror Jesus’ image.
I trust the Holy Spirit’s intercession in my moments of prayerful weakness.
I am assured that every life detail is woven for my good and Your glory.
Jesus, my advocate, continually prays for my triumph.
My triumph is not my own, but a testament to Your boundless grace.
My heart aligns with Your will, ensuring my prayers are in harmony with Your desires.
I embrace a life not about my performance, but enveloped in Your grace and love.
Humbly, I navigate life, attributing every victory to Your grace, not my deeds.
Living with this mindset, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
