Acceleration Sermon: Pastor Bob Berrios
How to Accelerate your life in hard times.
Is the seed still in your barn?
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Haggai 2:18-19 NLT
“Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord’s Temple was laid. Think carefully. I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn."
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#1 - What is the seed?
A seed is faith. Do you have the faith to receive the promises God has for you?
God's promises come to us in seed form. He will let us know the end at the beginning. He will show us the finished work in the beginning of the promise.
Our faith can start off as small as a mustard seed.
The Book of Haggai is a small book with a big promise.
Haggai 2:9 NKJV
“The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,…
He mentions that if you believe, you can see this promise come to pass.
Has God given you a promise for your family, business or ministry?
What God is asking us today is do we still have a seed in the barn?
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Your seed is the promise and faith to believe for your future.
Instead of complaining, we should try proclaiming His promises over our situations!
Keep throwing out your seed and watch it grow!!
Ecclesiastes 11:6 NLT
“Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.”
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In Luke chapter 8, Jesus tells us a story of what will happen to our seed.
Luke 8:5-8 NLT
“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
This is an earthly example of a heavenly truth!
#2 - God's Word
Luke 8:11-15 NLT
This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved.
How do we prevent the seed from being taken from us?
When people plug in right away, they usually begin to grow sooner than others that keep moving around.
That's why it's important that we plant ourselves in a Bible-believing Church and start growing and produce fruit.
The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation.
No root, no fruit
When you are planted that’s when you’re fruitful, you will begin to prosper and see others prosper as you allow God to bless you and use your life as a blessing to others.
Growth takes time
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.
Other things can become more important than Church and crowd your spiritual life.
You don't have time for God anymore when other things become your priority.
The cares of this world then begin to choke out your seed.
Searching, repenting, forgiving and developing an intimate relationship with God.
The Good Soil
The seeds that fell on the good soil represents honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.
The seed is perfect but it's our hearts that are not.
We need to prepare our hearts (soil) by turning it over and watering it.
Here are some ways of preparing our hearts:
Searching, repenting, forgiving and developing an intimate relationship with God.
Doing these steps will prepare your seed to grow and produce fruit.
In conclusion
Don’t give up on your seed (promise)
Haggai 2:18-19 NKJV
“Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid—consider it: Is the seed still in the barn?"
Do we still have the faith to believe for a miracle?
Your seed is what’s going to feed your family and give you a future.
Is the seed still in the barn?
