Sermon Tone Analysis

We’ve been */talking about/* getting to */know/* our */Lord/* in a */more personal/*, intimate way, getting to know Him */better/*.

*/As we find ourselves in the presence of the Lord/*, we’ll */experience/* the */Fullness of Joy/*, we’ll experience the */Peace of God/*, but we’ll also experience the */Power of God/* and the */Blessings of God/*.

*I) **(PSA 81:13-16)* From the */NIV/* Says, *“If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.

But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”*

*A) *The Lord tells us */if we would listen to Him/* (you could */insert/* the word */fellowship/* there).

If we would */fellowship with Him/* then we’ll */receive God’s best/*.

!

*B) *HOSEA 10:12

*1) *In this */verse/* the Lord says, *“Break up your fallow ground.”*

*2) *There are */2 types of Christians/*.

*a) *The */Christian/* that */represents/* the */FOLLOW GROUND/*, and the */Christian/* that */represents/* the */PLOWED /*and */CULTIVATED GROUND/*.

*3) **/FALLOW GROUND /*is* **/uncultivated/*, */unused/*, */idle/*, */dormant/*, and* **/inactive/*.

*a) **It’s possible* that */it was plowed/* at */one time/*, *but* *because* it */remained untended/*, *because* of the *natural things*, it */hardened and became crusted/* until *finally* it */needed to be broken up again/* in order */to receive seed/*.

*b) *In the *same way*, the */fallow life Christian/* is *content with* whatever *fruit he may have produced/ in the /past*.

*c) *He is *tolerant of those* that are */seeking God 1st/*.

*/But/* he is */unmotivated/*.

*(i) *He */always complains/* */about how things are/* */and/* */how things should be/*, *BUT DOES NOTHING TO MAKE THING BETTER*.

*(ii) **This person* is *someone* that has */lost their 1st love/*.

They become */more focused on/* */rituals and traditions/*, */than/* the */move of God/*.

*d) **They have lost their passion for the presence of God* in their lives.

*(i) *He is *satisfied* with the *glory that once was*.

*e) *He */no longer/** /presses in/* to the */things of God/*.

*/No longer seeking God’s face/* and */many times critical to the true move of the Spirit of God/*.

*(i) **/They become hardened/* and */bitterness begins to creep in/*.

*(ii) **/They want things/* */their way/* and */not God’s way/*, though they’ll never admit it.

*C) *The *PLOWED LIFE *is the *life* *that has remained prepared for* the *fresh activity of the Holy Spirit*.

*1) **They are not content with INACTIVITY*; they */want to continue going on in the things of God/*.

*a) **The plowed life Christian* *is the Christian that yearns* *to be cultivated and developed* *in order to receive seed* again and again.

*b) **He sees* that *he is to be* *A HABITATION OF SEEDS*.

*(i) **Without the proper environment*, *seed cannot grow.*

*The miracle of growth* *can only happen in cultivated ground.*

*2) **God’s Word is seed*.

And *with the Holy Spirit cultivating our lives*, *that cultivation** **produces* *the proper environment* *for* that *seed to grow*.

*a) *All of *God’s Words** **contain* the *power** **necessary to cause them to bear fruit* in your life.

*b) **But they need the proper environment* *and** **cultivation* *to grow*, *which is brought by the Holy Spirit*.

*3) **When you plant a flower seed* in the ground, *the color of its bloom*, *the size of the pedal*, *everything about that flower* *is contained in that seed*.

*a) **It’s the same thing** **with God’s Word*.

*(i) **The seed might be*, *“By Jesus stripes you are healed.”*

*(ii) **Within that seed** **contains the full manifestation of that seed*.

*b) **The LIVING BIBLE says, **“PLOW THE HARD GROUND OF YOUR HEARTS.”

**Only the life that is plowed and cultivated* *with* the *Holy Spirit* *and* the *presence of God* *is eligible to see* *the* *miraculous **growth of God’s seed*.

(The promises found in God’s Word.)

*4) **/Diligently seeking Him is the open door to breaking up/* the */hardened/*, */unusable ground/* in your life.

*a) *Listen to what the *MOFFATT’S TRANSLATION /says/* of our text, *(HOSEA 10:12)*  *“Break up your fallow ground, by seeking knowledge of the eternal.”*

*b) **The way you break up that fallow*, *uncultivated*, *unproductive* *land* is by */getting to know the Father/*.

*5) *The word *“SEEK” *in *(Hosea 10:12)* when he says, *“Seek the Lord.”*

The *Strong’s* concordance *says* it *means* *“SPECIFICALLY TO WORSHIP or** **TO SEEK IN PRAYER AND WORSHIP.”*

*a) **If you want to break up* that *unproductive ground* in your life, *spend time in God’s presence*, *communicating to Him* and *ESPECIALLY WORSHIPPING HIM.*

*II) *Turn with me to *PSA 42:1–2.*

*A) **/There is a longing and a yearning/* of your */inner man to know God/ **/and His ways more intimately/*.

*1) *According to the *Hebrew*, the word *“PANTETH”* means *“TO LONG FOR.”*

*a) **He’s saying*, *“My soul longs for the Lord.”*

*2) *The word *“SOUL” *here *usually means* *“MIND,”* but */listen to what the /**Strong’s/ says/* that */it can mean/*.

*a) *(*/It can mean/*) *My SOUL longs for the Lord*, *LIFE*, *PERSON*, *MIND*, *HEART*, *BODY*, *WILL*, *DESIRE*, and *APPETITE*.

*(i) **That reminds me of* *(Mark 12:28)* *in which Jesus was asked* *which is the greatest commandment?*

*He answered*, *“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.”*

*B) **(PSA 63:1–2* Says from the *AMP*) *“Oh God, you are my God; earnestly will I seek you, my inner self thirsts for you, my flesh longs and is faint for you, in a dry and weary land, where no water is; (2) So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.”*

*1) **/How far are you willing to go to quench the thirst that is within you/*?

*a) **Some people are just* *not determined enough* to seek Him.

*b) *(Hosea 10:12) */Those who are willing to seek God till He comes and rains righteousness upon them will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a new dimension/*.

*c) **/The more deeply you yearn for God to pour Himself through you/*, */the more deeply He will cultivate you/*.

*(i) **/Fruitfulness is always preceded by cultivation/*.

*/Seek Him until you experience the rain/*.

*(ii) **/Then you’ll truly be able to give testimony to what it says in/* *(MATT 6:33)* *“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”*

*III) *Turn with me to *2 CHRON 16:9*.

*A) *A *“HEART PERFECT TOWARD GOD”* */is a /**PERSON *who has *DEVOTED *himself *TO GOD’S WAYS*.

*1) **It’s someone* that has *forsaken* *his own ways* *when* they *conflict/ /with God’s ways*.

*2) **/It’s someone who is/* */pure in motives/*, */dedicated/*, */sincere/*, and */committed to Him/*.

*3) **/God is ready to show Himself strong in this person’s life/* */and/* */to anyone who will open his heart with unqualified devotion to Him/*.

*B) *But* /When God/* is */allowed only limited influence/* in your life; He is */limited in what He can do/*.

*1) **/Many times/* */people seem to be doing the right things/*, */but have/* */very little success/*.

*2) **/They’re confessing/* the */Word/* of God, */they’re giving/*, they */seem to be/* standing */in faith/*, */but/* they seem to */have very little fruit/*.

*C) *The */prophet Haggai/* */received/* some */insight/* from the Lord on this subject.

*1) *Turn to *HAGGAI 1:6-7*.

*a) **/When your ways are not in line/* */or/* */corresponding to God’s ways/* */you will not experience His power/*.

*b) **/God/* is */always trying to reveal His ways/* to you.

He’s */reaching out to guide your ways/* and */bring stability into your life/*.

*c) **/Some people want God’s presence and power/* in their lives, */but/* are */not willing to press in to get to know Him/*.

*(i) *That means */commitment in prayer/*, */commitment in reading the Word/*, */commitment to worship/*, and */commitment to fellowship/* with the Lord.

*2) *But the */flesh wants to put a stop to commitment/*.

*a) **/Commitment/* is */hard on the flesh/*.

The */flesh does not want to commit/*.

*b) *In *(GEN 6:12)* God stated*, “For all flesh had corrupted his (God’s) way upon the earth.”*

*c) **/On a personal level/*, */yielding to the flesh corrupts God’s ways in you life/*.

*(i) **/When we fellowship with the world/*, */we’ll begin to accept the flesh dominating in our lives/*.

*/We become accustomed to it/*.

*(ii) **/The world feeds the flesh with/* */immorality/*, */sexual sin/*, */dishonesty/*, */back biting/*.

*(iii) **/Your flesh will follow after what it is surrounded with the most/*.

*3) **/That’s why we need/* */to fellowship with the Lord/* and */with the HS/*, */as we do we will discover how to yield to our inner man/*, our */spirit man/*.

*a) *Turn to *ROM 8:12-13*.

*(i) *The *20th Century Translation* says, *“Put an end to the evil habits of the body.”*

*(ii) **/How are we to do that/*?

*b) **Romans 8:26a*.

*(i) *The word *“INFIRMITIES” *means *“OUR WEAKNESSES.”*

*(ii) *Our */weaknesses/* */could be/* the things of the */flesh/*.

*c) *The word *“HELPETH” *from this same */verse/* means, *“TO TAKE HOLD TOGETHER WITH SOMEONE AGAINST SOMETHING.”*

*(i) *The *Holy Spirit* is going to */take hold with us against our weaknesses/*.

*D) **/The more you fellowship with God/*, */the more your flesh/* (*/bad habits/*) */will fall off/* */and/* */your ways will /**line up with God’s ways*.

*1) **As you pray in the spirit*, *listen to the Lord*, *wait on Him*, *worship Him* *and* *Praise Him*, *the power of God will be released in your life.*

*a) **/You’ll begin to walk in the Spirit/* */and/* */you’ll begin to walk in God’s ways/*.