WE ARE HIS RESOLUTE PLANTATION

by Tammy Phillips
June 1, 2021

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me because the LORD has anointed… To comfort all who mourn, ³ To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isa 61:1,2,3 NKJV)

The month of June brings beautiful, big green trees and lots of growth.  Their color alone announces to us, “Let’s go.” They are ready, and willing to cover, protect and produce lots of fruit.  When the Lord first revealed to me that we were called trees of righteousness, I promptly and proudly responded, “Not me!”  I was like Peter when he told the Lord in John 13, “You shall NEVER wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:8 NKJV).  At that time, I thought sin had delivered too many ugly gifts to my life for me to be a mighty tree in the kingdom of God.

Sin brought distress and worry. 
Sin brought depression and disturbance.
Sin brought ugliness and offensiveness.
Sin brought pain and sadness.
Sin brought blame and shame.
Sin brought devastation and destruction.

BUT GOD!

He graciously showed me differently.  What we must realize are the exchange words that tell us the good news of the salvation of the Lord.

Jesus overcame:
To comfort and console
To give beauty
To give the oil of joy
To give the garment of praise
That we may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD,
That He may be glorified

We are not called trees of righteousness because of anything we did.  It is all about what Jesus did for us when He was persecuted, put to death on the cross, and rose from the dead.  He paid the price for our wrongs and reconciled us to God.  Our Father sees us and calls us trees of righteousness because of Jesus. The word “call” is important.  It’s the Hebrew word qara’, meaning, to cry out with the idea of accosting someone; proclaim; summon; invite; commission; appoint.  We are not called trees of righteousness because of anything we did.  It is all about what Jesus did for us when He was persecuted, put to death on the cross, and rose from the dead.  He paid the price for our wrongs and reconciled us to God.  Our Father sees us and calls us trees of righteousness because of Jesus.   Do you get the idea?  The Lord is roaring, “Jesus did all this so that YOU can be CALLED  trees of righteousness!  Strong, mighty, supporting, just, straight, upright, aligned and plumb, the way you ought to be.   It is how I see you.”

We are “the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” He calls us, chooses us, and plants us.  We are His plantation. The Hebrew word for planting is a derivative of the word nata’ which means to plant, to place, fasten, establish, and to set anything upright, so that it is fixed in the ground.  We are planted that He may be glorified. We align and reflect His glory. He sees the righteousness, beauty, and strength of His Son in us, and it glorifies Father God.

I enCOURAGE you to accept all the finished work and good news of Jesus.  Be healed. Be whole.  Be complete.  Be free. Be loosed. Be favored. Be comforted. Be consoled. Be crowned. Be beautiful.  Be joyful.  Be clothed in praise.  Arise, throw your shoulders back and declare the word of God over your life.  Repeat: “I am a tree of righteousness!  I am firmly planted and rooted in Christ.  I am His resolute plantation!”

For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. (Psalm 149:4 KJV)