As we continue our look at spiritual gardening, I would like to re-visit the topic of pest control. I write primarily for my own benefit and from my own life experience. This is the area of my greatest weakness, thus it is the area of my greatest need, and I hope it will profit you as well.
If you’re wondering about my fervent interest in gardening, both natural and spiritual, remember that God Himself is keenly invested in gardening. When the heavens and the earth were completed and man was formed from the dust of the earth, the next thing that God did was to plant a garden (Gen. 2:8-9). Unfortunately, even this garden paradise, Eden, had pest control issues, and we all know the outcome. Pests that are not properly dealt with will eventually destroy the garden.
God is still in the gardening business, and will be for a very long time. Jesus tells us in John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser”. We are His garden, as we see in I Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building”. Isaiah 61:3 tells us that we are “…trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified”.
The story of God’s quest for a Bride for His Son begins in a garden with a tree of life and a lovely river flowing through it. Remember also that God’s plan to secure our rescue was signed and sealed in a garden called Gethsemane, when Jesus uttered the words, “Not My will, but Yours, be done”. The final chapter of our love story depicts another garden with a tree of life and a river flowing through it: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Rev. 22:1-2.
So, what about those pests? Perhaps like me, your garden is infested with large, visible pests of the chipmunk or mole variety. Or maybe your pests are so small as to pass undetected at first glance. If you are faced with an invasion of obviously harmful pests, be sure to act quickly so as to gain control.
Keep your eyes open for early signs of trouble in your garden, such as, wilted foliage, decreased fruit production, deformed or unopened flower buds, or spots on leaves. If you discover such evidence of pest damage in your spiritual garden, check out these helpful hints from God’s Word:
Wilting Foliage:
One of Satan’s primary tactics is the wearing down of the Saints (Dan. 7:21, Rev. 13:7). We all too often aid him in his mission by running ourselves ragged doing “good” things rather than “God” things. We are in constant need of discernment in knowing how to profitably use our precious, limited time. The church at large seems to have forgotten God’s wonderful provision of Sabbath rest, much to our detriment.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:28-30
Decreased fruitfulness:
Perhaps you have been trying so very hard to bear fruit for God, that you have forgotten that it’s all about abiding in Him. If we abide in the Vine, we won’t be able to stop the fruit from growing. To abide, meno (men'-o), means to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry. If you are trying to squeeze Jesus into your day, or even setting aside substantial time for Him, then getting on with your day, don’t expect to bear much fruit. It is in constant, utter abandonment to Him that we will be fruitful.
Perhaps you’re root-bound (stuck in your ways) and you need to ask God to dig around your roots (soul) and apply fresh fertilizer (oh boy, more dead stuff!). We don’t like the digging or the dying, but the consequences of not bearing fruit are dire indeed. We must allow, even invite God to work on our souls to bring us back to the place of fruitfulness. Warning: Inviting God to dig around your roots and use fertilizer to work on your soul almost always involves a trip to the wilderness (a place I’m learning to love). A life of fruitfulness will, and rightly should, involve many trips to the wilderness.
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor (trouble) as a door of hope; she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt”. Hosea 2:14-15
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. 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?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'" Luke 13:6-9
"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. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:1-8
Deformed or unopened flower buds:
Are you a good starter, but a lousy finisher? Does your zeal run out before the job is done? Have you watched too many dreams and visions die before they become reality? All too often, our inability to finish that which we begin is due to our failure to fully count the cost. Anything worth doing in our service to God will cost us. The greater the undertaking, the greater the cost. I have planted several gardens, and later decided that they just weren’t worth the effort. Laziness is an open invitation to pests that a garden is theirs for the taking.
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it, lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26-33
Hopelessness is another invitation that will signal the enemy of your garden that the welcome mat is out. You must take back your hope before you can take back your garden.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.”
Prov 13:12
“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.”
Ps 31:24
Spots on leaves:
We don’t need to look any further that Leviticus to see God’s principals for dealing with spots (leprosy). In Leviticus chapter 13, we have such a beautiful picture of what we are to do when we have spots (sin) in our garden. We go to the Priesthood (our brethren) and allow them to examine us (transparency) and walk us through a cleansing and healing process, all the while being examined (accountability) on a regular basis until the work is finished. Thanks be to God – our High Priest, Jesus, has already made the sacrifice required for us to be cleansed.
All out invasion:
I told my family that I wanted to buy a gun to deal with my chipmunk invasion; their response was to dive for cover. My son, Caleb, gave me a gun that fires plastic B.B.’s, and I still haven’t managed to hit a single chipmunk (though I have nailed my husband three times – once accidentally and twice on purpose). I’m sure I’ve heard the sound of chipmunk laughter more than once. While the pest invasion in my natural may cause me some frustration, it will not lead to any spiritual loss. The pest-control issues in the garden of my soul, however, most surely will if not dealt with promptly.
I Peter 5:8 warns us to “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Ephesians 4:27 tells us not to “… give place to the devil.” In both your natural and spiritual gardens, letting pests have a foothold will eventually lead to an all-out invasion. If you are into organic gardening, spray the garden with water soaked in spices the pests don’t like. Try soaking the garden of your soul through the washing of the water of the Word. Mix in a large measure of praise, and lots of humility, and I guarantee you that the pests will begin to run for the hills, and you will reap a bumper crop of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Eph 6:11-13
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