How You Can Grow Like The Cedar Tree

The psalmist has likened God’s people to the cedar. So, without delay lets now see what it means to grow like the Cedar in Lebanon. As we will learn shortly, it is not for nothing that the cedar was known in biblical times as “the king of trees.” So bear this in mind here: God’s plan for you is to be a majestic tree that will grow like the cedar of Lebanon.

(1) THE CEDARS OF LEBANON GROW HIGH UP ON THE MOUNTAIN

They are found nowhere else except upon the Israel- Lebanon-Syrian range of snow-capped mountains

6,500-8,000 feet above the Mediterranean Sea in an atmosphere of purity. They are not found on the

lowlands. Take note that the Hebrew for Lebanon means “whiteness” and white means “pure.” Also note that mountain means “kingdom.”

LIFE LESSONS

• From the geographical location of this tree, it is clear: God is purifying us and making us as white as snow so we may be fit for participation in His eternal Kingdom (Isaiah 1:18).
• As a people redeemed by the sinless blood of the Lamb, we have a lofty exalted position of glory, honour and authority in the heavenly places in Christ

to rule and reign with Him (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3: 1-3).

(2.) FIRM, DEEP ROOTS

The word cedar comes from a root word meaning “firm” and the adjective of the word for cedar means “firm, strong.” The cedar is known for firmness of roots. The tips of the roots are equipped to be able to drill through the toughest of rocks.

Life Lesson

• We will only grow as tall as we are rooted deep. To grow spiritually, we must be rooted deeply in God’s

truth, watered by His Word and His way of life Hosea 14:5 KJV

Israel.. . shall grow… and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

• Because of their position on the mountain, cedars naturally encounter very fierce winds-yet they are

not uprooted. Why not? Because of their roots that penetrate deep into the rocks. So it is with the righteous: we are securely anchored to the Solid Rock of the foundation of Christ Jesus. We are sure and steadfast, ever abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). And because we are established on the sure foundation, we are enabled to resist successfully every evil work, scheme or operation of the enemy and remain where we are.

(3) THE CEDAR GROWS TALL AND IS EVERGREEN

This tree grows tall up to about 120 feet and, like the palm tree, it is evergreen, growing all year round even among the snow near the highest part of Lebanon.

Life Lessons

• The slow growth of the cedar tree illustrates our steady growth in grace day by day and growth in knowledge and strength.
• The righteous are to be known as full of life light longevity and vitality.

(4) THE CEDAR TREE IS STOUT OF TRUNK AND MAKES FOR EXCELLENCE BUILDING MATERIAL

The wood is strong, without knots, not liable to decay and, therefore, long lasting. This is why it has many uses: building, furniture for adorning the temple and royal palaces, and ship masts. And the cedar wood is so very costly and a rare thing these days. For instance, the costliest of everything was used in building Solomon’s temple and it was furnished with cedar (1 Kings 6:9-10, 15-16, 18, 20, 36). So also did Zerubbabel bring cedar logs for the temple from Lebanon (Ezra 3:7).

Life Lessons

• We are the temple of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19) and God wants the very best for this temple-strong and beautiful for His glory and service-seeing as He purchased us with the life of His only begotten Son. We are to have the “cedar quality,” fit for the Lord’s glorious habitation.
• Like the cedar built into the temple, we are to be used by Christ to build His church and establish His

Kingdom on Earth.

• As the cedar wood is not consumed by worms or time, neither will the true church of God. Even the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16: 18).

(5) CEDARWOOD IS RED AND FRAGRANT

Life Lesson

• This signifies the blood of Jesus and how we are washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are to God the

fragrance of Christ, sweet in His nostrils (2 Corinthians 2: 15).

(6) THE CEDAR HAS AN AROMATIC ODOUR OFFENSIVE TO INSECTS

No destroying insect will go near the cedar tree because of its natural repellent.

Life Lesson

• There is something about the righteous man or woman of God that is offensive to the enemy. They would avoid association with and would not go near such a saint.

(7) CEDARS ENTWINE THEIR BRANCHES

The branches are wide-spreading and go straight out horizontally 30-50 feet from the trunk. The branches of one grow right into the neighbouring tree and sometimes grow together as one because they have an affinity for each other. So even if one tree dies, its limbs will be sustained by merging with the surviving tree.

Life Lesson

• So too are the righteous of God to bond and entwine with such winsome affinity of love because they are all one in Christ, born again of the same Spirit of their one living God and Father of them all.

So there we have it, beloved. This is the way God wants us to grow: majestic, strong, grand as the cedar tree, as tall as our roots are deep, firmly planted in God’s presence, white and purifIed-and, most importantly, always growing, always

green-just like the cedar.

KILLERS OF GROWTH

Within and without us are ruthlessly unrepentant killers of growth. Yes, the growth that is our inheritance in Christ; the growth we are all yearning and striving for. Be prayerful then as you go through the list below. For many of us, we don’t have to look too far as the enemies, the very killers of our growth, are right within us. We owe it to ourselves then to carefully identify these killers in the following list and kill them before they kill us, our dreams and our destiny.

For growth killers from the camp of the enemy of our soul (satan and his demonic and human agents), you are to put on the armour of God and begin to fight the good fight offaith to enforce the overwhelming victory Christ won for you on the cross.

(1) Self is the sin nature we all inherited from Adam. It is our inner humanity that is always inclined towards evil, towards actions of independence from the will of God (Romans 6:1-2; Jeremiah 5:25)

(2) Disobedience (2 Kings 5:10-14)

(3) Indiscipline (Genesis 39:7-10)

(4) Evil dreams (Ecclesiastes 3:15)

(5) Evil pronouncement (Deuteronomy 23:5; Isaiah 54:17)

(6) Witchcraft (lSamue115:23)

(7) Witchcraft parents (2 Chronicles 33: 6; 2 Kiogs21: 6)

(8) The spirit of Pisgah (Ephesians 6:12; Jude 1:9; Proverbs 11:22)

(9) Evil monitoring (Isaiah 65:4; 1 Samuel 28:8)

(10) Wrong parentage (Ephesians 6: 1-4)

(11) Birth through incest (Genesis 19:33-36)

(12) Birth through a concubine (2 Chronicles 11:21)

(13) Perversion through living with the wrong people (Leviticus 18:23)

(14) Exchanged stars (Matthew 2:1-3; John 10:10)

(15) Evil prophecies/pronouncements (Lamentations 3:37)

(16) Curses from a genuine man of God (Acts 13:4-12)

(17) Parental curses/neglect (Exodus 33 :7)

(18) Battles through dreams (Matthew 13 :25)

(19) Swallowed occult materials (Ezekiel 4: 14; Deuteronomy 14:3)

(20) Attribute of a demonic nature (Psalm 106:37; Deuteronomy 32: 17)

(21) Witchcraft by proxy (Revelation 21 :8; Galatians 5: 19-21)

(22) Demonic concoction (Mark 16:18;Acts 28:4-5)

(23) Incisions (Leviticus 19:28; Jeremiah 16:7)

(24) Blood covenant (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:14)

(25) Evil hath (Exodus 2:5)

(26) Family or town idol (Isaiah 2:8; Jeremiah 2:28)

(27) Membership ofthe occult (Leviticus 19:31)

(28) Trafficking with or consulting diviners (Micah 3 :7)

(29) Unfulfilled vows (Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes

(30) Serving under wrong leadership (Exodus 1:11-14)

PRAYERS

Song

There is power mighty in the blood …

(1) Anything struggling with my growth, be removed, in the name of Jesus.

(2) Character defects and failures attacking my growth, be removed, in the name ofJesus.

(3) Any power drawing energy from the heavenlies to restrict my growth, be detroyed by fire, in the name of  Jesus.

(4) From unfulfllled vows hindering my growth, O Lord my God, deliver me, in the name of Jesus.

(5) Any family idol restricting my growth, catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

(6) Every wrong association and friendship restricting my growth, scatter, in the name of Jesus.

(7) Evil dreams attacking and restricting my growth, be cancelled, in the name of Jesus.

(8) Evil pronouncement restricting my growth, be cancelled, in the name of Jesus.

(9) Witchcraft judgment against my growth, be cancelled, in the name of Jesus.

(10) Spirit of Pisgah following me about in order to restrict my growth, I bend you, in the name of Jesus.

(11) Every monitoring power restricting my growth, be paralysed, in the name of Jesus.

(12) Satanic transfer from my parent(s) restricting my growth, be terminated, in the name of Jesus.

(13) Evil exchange restricting my growth through my parent(s), 0 Lord, deliver me, in the name of Jesus.

(14) Evil controversy attacking and restricting my growth, be nullified, in the name of Jesus.

(15) Any blood covenant restricting my growth, be nullified by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.

(16) Witchcraft arrow attacking and restricting my growth, back to sender, in the name of Jesus.

(17) Evil marks on my body restricting my growth, be cancelled by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.

(18) Any unknown restricting my growth, be nullified by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.

(19) Sexual pollution restricting my growth, be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.

(20) Every occult material I have swallowed restricting my growth, melt by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(21) Occult materials in my possession hindering my growth, catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

(22) Every controversy surrounding my birth hindering my growth, O Lord my God, by Your power, settle them, in the name of Jesus.

(23) Every problem in my life from serving under the wrong leader, by the mercy of God, in the name of Jesus, disappear!

(24) Anything attacking my growth, be destroyed by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(25) Anything diverting/reducing my growth, scatter by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(26) Anything hijacking my growth, be destroyed by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(27) Anything covering my growth, be removed by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(28) Anything erasing my growth, be destroyed by fire, in the name of Jesus.

(29) Henceforth, my growth, in the name of Jesus, reject restriction.

(30) Father Lord, let my growth receive divine speed forthwith, in the name of Jesus