Often we can feel discouraged because of the evil that surrounds us in this age. It seems wrong has gotten a stamp of approval while trying to live righteous is mocked.  Simple morals and kindness have been kicked to the curb as trash and worthless ideals. Lies are spoken, vulgarity runs rampant, and the guilty are set free, while the just are tried with vengeance.

I’ve heard some people state that evil is triumphing because of what they see and hear. Do you notice how evil is proudly flaunting its corruption?  I remember reading how Lot was disgusted and vexed by the depravity of sin in his day. (2 Peter 2:7) It seems it is continuing to surround us with threats of destruction.

I was reading the parable in Matthew 13:24-30 in the New Living Translation titled, “Parable of the Wheat and Weeds”. I’m sure you are familiar with it, but bear with me as you read the following:

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

The farmer’s workers went to him and said, “Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?”

“An enemy has done this!” the farmer explained.

“Should we pull out the weeds?” they asked.

“No,” he replied, “you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.”

The passage that was highlighted to me was, “Let both grow together until the harvest.”

“Hmm“, I thought to myself, ‘the wheat and the weeds grew TOGETHER.” This thought lingered in my mind.

You may see more filth on TV. You may hear depressing lies of defeat. You may watch people choose lifestyles that are controversial, yet glorified. Your child may be taught questionable “facts” and be challenged with ideas that you never faced.

It is because the weeds are growing WITH the wheat. The weeds that were planted by our enemy are not stronger, just perhaps louder. Yet the wheat is growing in hidden strength deep in the soil of God’s righteousness.

I believe that people who are searching for God and are hungering for HIM, WILL walk in a greater power and anointing in these last days. As the harvest grows near, the followers who choose to seek the Lord will become stronger in their testimony as they walk in their God-given authority. The miracles that follow them will be powerful; even supernatural.

You may not be hearing this on your local news station. You may not be hearing it in the social media frenzy. But God is raising up an army! He plants them, waters them and is watching them grow. The weeds are simply a pesky and annoying distraction. (Weeds are invasive plants that try to steal the nutrients and water from the soil so that the intended plant will starve.)  BUT they do not have more power; they are just louder and more demanding.

Yet, the Lord allows the weeds to grow with the wheat in spite of their destructive behavior because he knows that if they are pulled too early the wheat could be uprooted with them. They both grow. And though the weeds try to suffocate the wheat, the wheat grows in quiet strength.

Do your remember when Jesus said, “greater things than these will you do” in John 14? He was speaking to his followers stating that if they believed in him they would do greater things than he did because he was going to heaven and would send the Holy Spirit.

Jesus did mighty things on this earth. He healed the sick and broken-hearted, mentally ill and demon processed. He raised the dead, calmed the storms and prophesied of things to come, all in obedience to his heavenly Father. He did so many things that the Bible states that perhaps there would not be enough room in the world for all the books. (John 21)

With that said, most Christians are definitely not walking in the realm that Jesus has available for them. Timothy warned of these people in his second letter. He states that in the last day Christians will have a form of godliness, but deny its power.

There is SO much more available to those who want to walk in his glory. Note: this is not a super hero power. This is a humble, suffering, total surrender to the Creator of our Universe, listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, POWER. This is walking in the authority of Christ with miracles that will change hearts and minds, that will heal the sick and raise the dead. This isn’t about people who want glory for themselves. This army is a made up of people who love the Lord with all that they are: mind, body and soul.

It is all about bringing people to Christ so they can be set free from the power of this dark world and live in eternity with HIM. It is about showing and walking in the love of Christ.

Please understand: The Lord DESIRES that all will find him and be set free. Those that are weeds in the garden of life can become wheat. (1 Timothy 2:4).

I cannot get the image of the weeds and the wheat growing together, side by side, from my mind. One desires to cause havoc to their own demise, and the other is deeply rooted in the word and truth of the Lord.

Soon, very soon, the workers will harvest the field. The weeds will be burned BUT the wheat will be placed in his barn.

Soon very soon we will be with HIM in all of his glory.

Until then, you and I can grow as we choose to abide in HIM.  We don’t need to live in defeat and be entangled by the whispers of the weeds that surround us. Instead, we can be the answer for those who are lost.

We CAN and WILL do greater things in this hour.

Be encouraged. Get prepared.

God bless.