Throughout the Bible, God gives us revelation using parables and stories. One of the main things He does is relate spiritual things to natural things. There are many similarities between how things happen in the natural and how things operate in the spirit.
I recently came across an article about five reasons why seeds do not grow in the natural. I want to show you how these same hindrances occur in the spirit with spiritual seeds. These will give us the wisdom and the understanding of God.
The first reason seeds do not grow is because they are planted too deep. Many people overcomplicate their spirituality, and they become too deep to reproduce. Also, many times we allow other people to push us down by speaking negatively over our lives and throwing dirt upon us. If a seed is planted too deep, it takes it too long to reach the surface, and the seed dies. We cannot allow others to throw things on us that will choke out the seed God has planted within us.
The loudest voice in our lives should always be the Holy Spirit. Many people are so close to their breakthrough, but in order to break through to the surface and begin to grow, you must separate yourself from people who are constantly pushing you down. Negative people will try to keep you down because they know when you break through, the favor of God will hit you. They do not want you to grow because they refuse to grow.
The second reason that seeds are unable to grow is because they are planted in bad soil. Most of you are good seed and some of you are great seed, but you are planted in bad soil. The problem is no matter how great a seed you are, if you are planted in bad soil, you will never have what you need in order to grow. I have seen so many talented people with powerful callings who are planted in bad soil. Therefore, they will never get the nutrients they need in order to grow. What I like to do on Sunday morning is equip, train and encourage people to go do all that God has called them to do. A lot of you are just in the wrong kind of environment. That’s your problem. You are good seed! And when good seed gets planted in good soil there is a good harvest. Good seed in bad soil will never grow. If you are not growing, you’ve got to go! You are too valuable to God to not get yourself planted in a ministry that will help you grow. You must plant yourself around people who are not intimidated by you or insecure. You are not called to just go to church, you are called to grow the church.
The third reason seeds do not grow is because of weather conditions. If the environment you are in is not the right temperature you will not grow. You cannot stay in an ice-cold church if you are burning for God. You cannot grow under a pastor or a leader who has no prayer life. If the leadership of the church you are in refuses to come to a prayer meeting, you are wasting your time. I’ve heard many people use the excuse that God has them still at a dead church because they are called to pray for revival in that church. There are too many people who are good seed hanging on in frozen, dead churches. They will give of their time and spend many hours in intercession for their cold church. But I am here to tell you, my friends, if you are not the head, you are wasting your time. Many of you are good seed and you feel discouraged because you have been faithfully praying, but you’re praying into bad soil. You’re praying into soil that has poor weather conditions that cannot support growth.
Another way weather conditions can affect growth is if it is the wrong season. The Lord is walking some of you through a winter season, and you’re trying to blossom. In order to see growth, you must be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. Wait for the right season!
The fourth reason seeds do not grow is because birds and animals come in and steal the seed. You may be running with people who are after your seed. Don’t put your seed around people who do not value it. There will always be people who want to steal your seed because they do not have their own harvest. You need to get toxic people out of your life. People who only want to take from you need to be removed from your life. They are only there to try to steal your seed. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friends.” The Bible does not say one pours out and the other takes all the time. That is called an unbalanced, unhealthy relationship. Any healthy relationship requires give and take. You must surround yourself with people that are not seed snatchers.
The fifth reason seeds are unable to grow is because the gardener or caretakers do not tend to them daily. You must have a daily, consistent walk with God. You also need to surround yourself with those who are willing to intercede for you daily. You must make sure you are planted in a place where people will pray for you daily. Think about it in the natural: If you do not water a plant for several days, it will start to wilt. You need to find good friends who will help water the seed God has placed inside of you. Friend help friends grow. Some of you are not growing because your pastor or your apostle has given you everything they possibly can and it is time for you to go. This is why as an apostle, I must grow every day of my life so the people aligned with me can always grow. If you are a pastor or an apostle, you must always stay fresh and current with God so you can grow and help the people around you keep growing.
Ultimately, seeds do not grow when they are limited by the container and environment they are in. But when there is no limit and no measure put on a seed, it can always keep growing and producing. Always make sure that in your life, your ministry and in your business, you are constantly in a place where you can grow and flow with the Holy Spirit, every day of your life. {eoa}
Joe Joe Dawson is the founder and apostle of ROAR Apostolic Network and ROAR Church Texarkana. Joe Joe is married to the love of his life, Autumn Dawson, and they have three children, Malachi, Judah and Ezra. The Dawsons live and teach a lifestyle of revival and awakening. Their desire is to see every believer fulfill their God-given destiny and live life to the fullest in God. Joe Joe is also the author of Living Your God-Sized Dream and Recipe for Revival. To connect with Joe Joe or for more information, visit joejoedawson.net.
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer