E48: Dig Around Your Roots | Part 1

This week Todd and I look at the concept of digging around our spiritual roots.

Jesus tells a story in the Gospels about a man who had a fig tree planted in his vineyard.  However, it  wasn’t producing fruit and he wanted to cut it down.  But the keeper of the vineyard said, “Let me dig around it and fertilize it in hopes that it will bear fruit next year, but if not, then you can cut it down.”

Most of us have places that used to be very fruitful but aren’t any longer, or so they seem.   Sometimes God wants us to revisit those places and “dig around our roots.”  It’s possible that He will bring a new harvest of fruit from them as we do so.

Todd shares that as a young adult he went with his wife Darlene to a camp in west Texas where he grew up.  She had been there many times but it was a first for him.  He saw all kinds of young people praying and being filled with the Holy Spirit.   He went forward with Darlene and lifted his hands.  Instantly he was filled with the Holy Spirit and was gifted with the blessing of speaking in tongues.

Many years later Todd was in Nicaragua on a missions’ trip going door to door.  At one home while the was praying for a lady, he began to pray in tongues.  Later his daughter told him he was praying fluently in Spanish over her, even though he hadn’t known what he was saying.

In 2017 I went back to Living Water Ranch near Manhattan, KS in response to God telling me to dig around my roots.  Over 30 years before I had given my life to Jesus and was filled with the Spirit there.  I had been given a vision of Jesus and saw Jesus for who He was and myself for who I was without Him.

Having the gift of spiritual language has led to many other encounters for me as well.  Shortly after receiving the gift of tongues I was on a missions’ trip in Mexico.  While there I found myself praying with some veteran missionaries over a lady who was demonized.  After the session they told me that while I was praying in the spirit I was praying in Spanish.  I prayed things I didn’t know and had commanded demons to come out.

This week I encourage you to dig out some stories where you have encountered Jesus.  Tell those stories to others.  In the process God will give you fresh revelation.  Ask Him to open your eyes and cause your roots to go even deeper in Him.