Come to Him, your 'Master Gardener'

A few days ago, I was tending some of my houseplants that got attacked by bugs. Suddenly the Lord spoke and said, “My people have been suffering from the attack of the enemy and they need to come to Me.”

This attack may be in the spirit, when one is being confined, limited, or restricted by the ‘enemy’ (from expanding and moving forward in life, career or ministry). It may be in the soul or mind, such as oppression (due to fear, guilt, resentment, regrets, self-condemnation, or disappointments), obsession (in lust, greed or pride), or through people (verbal abuse, manipulation, threats, etc). It may also be in the body when one suffers from physical sickness, pain, or physical attack (i.e. robbery, snatch theft, molestation, etc).

No, I’m not writing about prevention of ‘spiritual attack’ in this article (though there is a place for this), but I’m writing for God’s people in the Body of Christ who have been suffering from ‘spiritual attack’ and are currently helpless to overcome it.

Whatever you are suffering at the moment, I believe there is hope for you, because you belong to His garden and God is your foremost Master Gardener. He is, because He created the first garden. Genesis 2:8-9 says, “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden… and out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight…” This same Master Gardener taught me how ‘spiritual attack’ can be ward off by looking at how a plant is washed, trimmed, repositioned, fed, and shielded by the person who tends it.

You see, there are many reasons why a plant gets attacked by bugs or disease. Whatever the reason may be, saving the plant is of the utmost importance to the person who tends it. So it is the same for you if you have been ‘attacked’. He is here to save you too. Whatever happens has already happened. Blaming or finding fault with oneself or others will never solve the problem. The most important thing now is to let Him help you and then move on with the life God has intended for you.

As you come to Him, your Master Gardener (the presence of God), here are the things He will help you:

1.   Wash

A gardener would wash an infested plant leaf by leaf in detail to clean away bugs, larvae, eggs and dust so that the leaves will be clean and able to ‘breathe’ again. Clean leaves are able to carry out the process of photosynthesis effectively and receive ‘food’.

Titus 3:5-6, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Whatever kind of ‘attack’ you are facing, come to Him and let Him remove those ‘attacks’ one by one as well. Because Jesus Christ has already taken all your ‘attacks’ at the cross, you can now therefore come to Him without fear and let Him wash and renew you. When you are washed, you can hear Him again and receive new guidance to walk into a new chapter of your life.

2.   Trim

A gardener would trim away any leaf that is beyond rescue so that it won’t spread to the whole plant.

John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” 

It is normal that when you are in the presence of God, the Holy Spirit will guide you to reflect on certain things in your life. Certain habit, attitude, interest, or influence that He prompts you to ‘cut away’ is for your long-term benefit. Listen to Him and let go. The good things (that had been blocked or hindered in the past due to your clinging to the ‘old’) will then start manifesting in your life.

 3.   Reposition

A gardener might re-pot a plant for further growth. He would also adjust the water content in the pot and place the plant where it may receive the amount of sun it needs to grow healthily.

John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” 

After letting go of the things in the ‘old’ (or in the past), you are ready for a new direction in your life. Allow the Lord to re-align your understanding with His and give you new strategies. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in your decision-making and actions, and walk through new doors and opportunities.

 4.   Feed

A good gardener would put good fertilizers in order to strengthen his plants. Strong plants will not easily be ‘stressed’ and therefore able to endure ‘attacks’. Strong and healthy plants are also more likely to blossom and bear lasting fruits.

Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” 

Come to Him in worship, feed on His Word, and pray in the spirit often. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the understanding when you read the Word of God.

 5.   Shield

A good gardener would also spray organic insecticides (or insect-repellants) on the plants in order to protect (shield) them from further insect attacks or disease.

Colossians 2:6-7, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” 

Ephesians 6:16, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” 

Psalm 91:4, “He shall cover you with His feathers and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” 

God’s Word is truth, and this truth shall be your shield and buckler. So, walk in Him, rooted and built up in His Word and be established in the faith.

It has been a ‘drought’ season for some of us even in the natural realm, and many plants by the roadsides are drying up and dying due to lack of rain. However, I notice the plants in some gardens (or nurseries) are still fresh, green, and healthy (even in a time like this), because somebody is tending these plants.

People of God, the same it is for you, because your Master Gardener is also here tending you. You belong to His garden (you don’t belong by the ‘roadsides’), and therefore, you too can be rest assured that you will not be left to dry up and die, even in the face of adverse circumstances or ‘attack’ against you. Amen.