Focus: You Will See!

Text: Mk.11:20,21

"And in the morning, as they passed by, they SAW the fig tree dried up from the ROOTS. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou CURSEDST is withered away."

Let me admit from the start that I really have difficulty understanding everything about this story of Jesus. He cursed a fig for finding no fruit on it, when actually it was not yet time for it to yield. This story happened around the time of Passover, which was between late March and early April, whereas the time for the fig tree to bear fruit was still in May or June. I do not also think that the fig tree was barren as many expositors think, otherwise why would Jesus say to it, "No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever" if indeed it were barren? I believe it was the curse of Jesus Christ that rendered it barren forever. By cursing it, it means that it was indeed capable of bearing fruit. Now here is the point. Jesus Christ cursed the fig tree to teach the disciples a vital lesson on faith. What that means is that the lesson of faith is so critical that He could terminate the life of a tree. Remember the story of the mad man of Gadara in Mark 5? No less than two thousand pigs perished in the sea for his sake. All the demons in him ran into the pigs, and the pigs madly ran into the sea and perished. A human soul is worth more than all the animals in the world. The loss of a fig tree means nothing if the disciples would learn faith and use it to do the impossible.

When Jesus Christ cursed the fig tree, Mark says that the disciples heard Him, and when Peter brought up the issue the following day, Jesus said to them, "Have faith in God." Faith is a powerful tool to dealing with life's tough situations. By faith we can banish a fruitless tree and remove a mountain from its place. In another story as told by Luke, Jesus tells His disciples that by the audacity of faith they could say to a sycamine, "Be thou plucked up by the ROOT, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should OBEY you" (Lk.17:6). Jesus terminates problems from their roots. Mark says that the fig tree dried up from the roots. Luke says that by faith you can pluck up a sycamine by the root. Problems are better dealt with from the root than from anywhere else. When roots die, fruits cease to grow. Circumstances bow to believers who have learned to wield the power of their God-kind of or God-originated faith. If you have a modicum of faith in God, nothing shall be impossible to you. Let the problem be like a fig tree, a sycamine, or a mountain, it shall surely give way to the force of your faith. Faith commands obedience.

From Matthew's perspective, the curse took effect almost immediately. He says, "And PRESENTLY the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples SAW it, they marvelled, saying, How SOON is the fig tree withered away" (Mt.21:19,20). I declare that you will soon see your world of trouble collapse before your eyes in a jiffy.

Right now, stand up and exercise your God-given faith. Speak to your mountain. Pluck up your sycamine by the root. Curse your fruitless fig, and get that ugly situation to bow to the power of your faith. Stop being a victim, and start taking charge. Real faith takes charge. God-kind of faith does not yield to pressure; it surmounts obstacles and commands obedience. Don't forget that the Lord Jesus made a fig lose its life for you to learn this vital lesson of faith. Let this lesson produce its blessings. God honors faith-generated words. Let your faith speak.

I declare that you will see God's word come to pass in your life. He said it, and you will see it. What Jesus said to you yesterday is coming true in your life today. You will see it come to pass. His words are real and powerful. That problem in your life is already cursed from the root. Just wait and see! Like Peter, you will soon testify to it.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter