Foxes in the vines

“CATCH ALL THE FOXES, THE LITTLE FOXES BEFORE THEY RUIN THE VINEYARD OF LOVE, FOR THE GRAPEVINES ARE BLOSSOMING” SONGS OF SONG 2 VS 15.

When I first came across this verse, I went on research to find out how foxes can ruin a vineyard, and I found out that because of their small size, they can`t reach the fruit of the vines, so they chew at the base of the vine until it breaks, then they cart away with the fruits that drops along-side the broken-down vines. Most farmers consider them a threat because they not only steal the fruits, but they ruin the vine completely, thus ruin the entire effort of the season, so you see the need, why they should be caught.

In our journey of maximizing our gifts to the point of fruit bearing, they are tendencies for foxes to come at our lives and ruin our efforts at self-development, we would be discussing some of these foxes.

Foxes in the context of our lives are not animals but are character traits that hinders our transformation in Christ, some of which are.

DOUBT AND FEAR

In the bible when God gave the instruction for the Israelite to go the promised land, they started the journey believing God, but when a few were selected to go and scout the land, their feedback put fear in the people`s mind, which lead to them doubting God and even promoted them to start contemplating going back to Egypt, a land of bondage and the end result was that for everyone that doubted, they didn’t enter into the promise land. Doubting God just simply means that you don’t think he has the ability to make you into what he said he would. Doubt is a time waster it delays you from taking the necessary step to achieving destiny.

PRIDE AND ARROGANCE

Pride is a state of mind, while arrogance is the outward show of pride. The bible speaking in proverbs 11 vs 2 says “when pride comes, then comes disgrace”.

Every time the bible recorded a proud person, it was followed closely by a report of downfall and disgrace, using Vashti as a point of reference, in  the days of king Xerxes, the king wanted to throw a huge banquet, to celebrate his reign and show off his wealth and splendor, so he throw threw a feast that lasted 180days, that is approximately 6 months, but that wasn’t enough, he must have thought to himself what more can I do to exalt myself before all these people, what can be used as the crowing jewel for all these I have displayed in the last 6 months, then it popped into his head, my beautiful queen Vashti, but because of her pride, she couldn’t see past the insulting image she had created in her mind, in a bid to show self-worth, pride robs you of the gift of honor, both towards others and when it is being offered to you. God hates pride, I know this because the bible said so in James 4 vs 6 it says, ‘GOD RESISTS THE PROUD”, imagine the creator of the whole universe opposing everything you do just because of a character in you, I don’t know about you, but trust me it is not worth the trouble, so let go of your pride today.

UNFORGIVENESS
 

Jospeh was sold into slavery by his brothers, into the land of Egypt, he encountered betrayal from different people, he served as a salve for 13 years after which he became a leader in Egypt, but he still didn't let unforgiveness break his spirit, let us assume that Jospeh didn't see that all he was going through was all a part of the process God was taking him through, imagine he let bitterness to fill his heart, then he wouldn't have been excellent everywhere he went because it is difficult to function properly with that much angry in your heart. God needed Jospeh in Egypt`s palace and the process and people that he used to achieve that is irrelevant compared to the purpose of finding a system of rescue for the children of Israel during the period of famine, imagine if Joshep didn't forgive his brothers or every other person, it would have been a big obstacle in the plan of God, forgiveness allows you to heal and move on into the next phase of God's plan for you , unforgiveness makes you hold on to the past.

INCOMPETENCE AND UNFAITHFULNESS

This is a system the devil uses to steal favor from you. Favour is unmerited access, but it is competence that maintain the access, in the journey of maximizing our gifts, favor is one of the gifts God gives us to move forward, but how competent will you be, imagine that after Joshep was made prime minister, he decided to lay back and enjoy himself without doing the work that was given to him diligently, he would have been replaced, after favor is given to you there is work to be done, slouching in your diligence is a big sign of incoming doom.

SUCCESES

A wise man one said that your past success is no longer your potential, dwelling in it robs you of the possibilities of more. in Joshua's lifetime he killed 31 kings, that is a total of 31 lands conquered, but when God spoke to him , he said that there were still so many lands to be conquered, but after his death the children of Israel decided to not conquer the remaining land but coexist with the people of the land which angered God, God's plan is total dominance but as believers we can also decide to coexist and live alongside what we were meant to conquer. You wrote a book, wonderful, but God is telling you to come with him, there are more books to write, but you rather bask in the glory of the book that you have written, that robs you of the ability to experience more of God's plan for you.