Where are You Rooted?

Luke 17:5-6

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Have you ever tried to uproot a tree?  It is difficult because through time a whole network of roots have developed keeping that tree from being uprooted.  Roots prevent the tree from being moved.  Jesus uses the illustration of a sycamine tree. As you can see this is a big tree. This tree has been there for some time.  He mentions with a little faith (size of a mustard seed which is the smallest of all seeds), this tree that has been there for so long can be uprooted.

I wonder today, what are the things in your life that have been there for so long, that need to be uprooted.  Perhaps it is a generational curse- something that has been passed on to you by your parents. When a father or mother has a sinful lifestyle, his or her children are likely to practice the same sinful lifestyle. Whether it’s sexual sin, having kids outside of marriage, addiction of some sort, laziness which leads to poverty, not keeping a job, greed, these are all things that take root in so many lives.

These things gets passed down from generation to generation continuing the messed up cycle.
Generational curses are not only sin, perhaps it is high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes. People make the statement all the time “My parents have it so will I.” Sure you have to eat right and take care of yourself, but I wonder if so many are suffering because they accepted and believed the lies.

You’re going to be like your father… You’re good for nothing… You’re going to have diabetes and heart disease like the rest of us… You’re never going to break free from your addiction… Your whole family are a bunch of alcoholics it’s in your blood…This is the way of life accept it!

These are all root systems that been deeply embedded in you and they are keeping you from experiencing true freedom. You wonder why you can’t worship freely, or why you’re not experiencing a break through, why you keep going back to the same old habit.

My mother was constantly reminding us to guard the words which we speak over our lives. She would get on us if we ever confessed anything negative over our lives. Why? Cause she believes in the power of words. Jesus does too.  Let’s look at vs 5 again “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, You Could Say! You don’t need a preacher to say it, nor will Jesus do it for you.

You have to declare, you have to open your mouth

Speak to the Root of the Problem

You don’t have to have much faith but you do have to speak to the root!  There is something powerful that takes place as we speak it out.  You can begin to speak to that root system which has kept you on infertile ground, that stronghold that has been there for a long time. That lie that you have believed for a long time.

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
You can “Say So” and you must! Jesus says at the end of verse 5, if you stepped out in the little faith that you do have, that tree will obey you!

You can speak over your future.
You can either speak life or death.
Speak to the root of your problem.

Now look back at verse 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say (speak to the root of your problem) to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.  One more thing about the tree being uprooted is that, the tree represents you. God wants you planted by seas, or by flowing waters. In other words he wants to take you out of the environment, conditions, or the mindset that you have been controlled by or that you have allowed to take root for so long and He wants you to be planted in new places.
(story of working out at gym conquering new weight limits and breaking the mindset)

Plant Yourself in New Places

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NLT)
“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD
and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.
8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.

And the same is true of us. We will have to plant in new places.

An example is that my dad has high blood pressure and people have spoken that word over my life that I will be just like my dad. I speak a different word and also chose to plant myself in new places by exercising and drinking lots of water.  Jesus’ goal for you is that you would be planted in his word. That you would believe what his word says about you. That your roots would go deep, trusting hoping and having confidence in your God.

The only way to do this is to plant in new places. You can’t just speak it, you have to live it out. Realizing when you are planted by water, you are where the best soil is. That is where the roots can branch out the best.

Here is what happens when you have been transplanted by the water…
Your roots branch out and you become firmly fixed. Immovable.
You will feel the heat but will not be affected by it.
Your leaves will stay green, you will never stop producing fruit. People will see godly character.
Not only in you but for generations to come. You children. Your grandchildren.

What needs to be uprooted in your life? What needs to be spoken to?

The next question is where are you planted? What kind of soil are your roots growing into? What environment are you allowing to feed your tree?

Today we encouarge you to speak to the root and plant yourself in new place that will allow you grow in Christ and produce much fruit.