Study 3
Continuing on in our studies on the fruit of the Spirit, we read in Psalms 92:12-15,104:16, about the righteous flourishing like a palm tree. In V13 we find a key as to how this happens. It says that they are the ones planted in the house of the Lord. In the Old Testament the house of the Lord was likely to be thought of as the physical location that was used as a place of worship and prayer. For us as New Testament believers today it’s the gathering of those who are called out of the world by God, for fellowship/teaching/ prayer and worship together. This is the House that God dwells in. Ps 104:16 promises that this person will be full of sap (KJV version) like the trees of Lebanon are, these trees are very green and bear fruit till their old age.
Sap is the blood of a tree. The sap that trees produce is made up of water, hormones, minerals and nutrients. Tree sap flows through sapwood, which produces carbon dioxide. Sometimes this carbon dioxide causes pressure to build up within the tree. If there are any wounds or openings, this pressure will eventually force the tree sap to ooze from the tree.
Oozing tree sap can also be heat related. In early spring, while many trees are still dormant, the fluctuation of temperatures may affect the flow of tree sap. For instance, warmer weather produces pressure within the tree. This pressure can sometimes cause the tree sap to flow from the tree through openings produced from cracks or injury.
During cold weather, when temperatures fall below freezing, the tree pulls water up through the roots, replenishing the tree sap. This cycle continues until the weather stabilizes and is quite normal.[i]
I believe God uses nature as a metaphor to teach us about our lives. A tree is a metaphor of us, our own spirit, and the sap is a picture of blood. Now we can see that there are many lessons that we can learn from the relationship between trees and sap. Sometimes the pressure of life builds up within us and it finds an outlet or opening. This can be a picture of open doors to sin (our own, or done to us by others) in our life the pressure will come out through an opening or wound in our life, that then gives opportunity for it to be healed by the blood of Jesus, just like the sap oozes from any openings or wounds within the tree when there is pressure.
Alternatively, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and we are experiencing the pressure of life, we will find that it is the fruit of the Spirit that will be made manifest, it is often in those areas of our lives where we have been healed from wounds and have the areas of our hearts submitted to God. We will find that leaves and branches have grown in those places and that healthy fruit will be on display.
The tree is affected by seasons in life, and so are we. Just like the warmer weather produces pressure, in certain seasons we also find that the heat pressure has been turned up in our lives. The tree has seasons of cold weather when it needs to pull up water through the roots and replenish its sap, in that season some trees are often pruned. We have seasons in our life like that, when we need to stop and dig deep into our relationship with God and draw on Him to refresh and replenish ourselves after been through the warmer seasons and allow him to prune us when necessary.
Study Questions
Are you planted in fellowship with other believers?
Are there any wounds that you need the blood of Jesus to heal in your life? Is there someone that you need to forgive to get that healing?
Do you need some rest and replenishment? Take some time out and allow the Holy spirit to fill you afresh!
[i] https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/what-is-tree-sap.htm
Spiritual Warfare Bible Study 