Sweetness

Yes. the sweetness of the Lord. Not candies. His sweetness enraptures us in His presence. Above and beyond any earthly experience.

There is an interesting story about sweetness and goodness in Judges 9 that I will like to share with you. The story was about what Jotham, the Son of Gideon (also known as Jerubbaal) did after his step brother, Abimelech, killed all his brothers. Let’s read from verse one.

¹Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, ²“Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.” ³And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” ⁴So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. ⁵Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal (Gideon), on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.⁶And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.
⁷Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them:
“Listen to me, you men of Shechem, That God may listen to you! ⁸“The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us!’ ⁹But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, With which they honor God and men, And go to sway over trees?’ ¹⁰“Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us!’ ¹¹But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, And go to sway over trees?’ ¹²“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’ ¹³But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, Which cheers both God and men, And go to sway over trees?’ ¹⁴“Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us!’ ¹⁵And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me as king over you, Then come and take shelter in my shade; But if not, let fire come out of the bramble And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’

Jotham said, “…the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go to reign over the trees?”

The fig tree understands what’s going on inside “him.” It bears good fruit because the Most High placed sweetness within it. It wasn’t ready to give up its sweetness and good fruit in exchange for dominion over the trees! He knew its life’s purpose.

Just like the fig tree, there is sweetness from the Father on High which He has put inside us. His word mentioned the sweet fellowship of the Holy Spirit…in 2 Corinthians 13:14. Yes, it’s there. And by His Spirit He has also put the good fruit of the Holy Spirit in us. You need to know that.

Knowing this, why do you choose to be bitter towards others? Why do you consciously or unconsciously give up God’s sweetness in you and good fruit for anything else in this world?

Do you not understand? You have no idea what you are giving up! You have no idea what you are missing out on by not seeking a private moment to simply lay down before Him. In the presence of the King of kings. Simply lie down there. Nothing but adoration for Him. I’m not asking for anything, just basking in His glory! Oh! Nothing on earth compares to His sweetness! Nothing! I mean it! Go in there and allow Him to cleanse you of your bitterness. Allow His word to wash you clean.

If you think your pop stars drive you crazy, wait until you get caught up in God’s heavenly presence by His Spirit. You will not settle for anything less. You will also comprehend the Lord’s greatest dimension of sweetness. Don’t say, “I’m happy for you!” No! No!! No!!! It is a place that we all must aspire to be.

If you haven’t grasped it yet, I urge you to seek quiet time with the Holy Spirit. Don’t leave His presence until He tells you to. It may not come on the first try, but if you keep looking for Him, you will eventually find yourself sensitive to Him. He will reveal Himself to you through His words and possibly through His experiences.

The sweetness of the Lord. In His presence is fullness of joy; and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. And He will show you the path of life. Psalms 16:11

He will clothe you with your habitation which is from His presence. Anytime you get in, He clothes you with your habitation before the foundation of the world. He clothes you with an ancient cloak! Oh glorious God!

In His presence, everything natural disappears. You gaze into the eternal realm; filled with dazzling great lights. A heavenly realm where the Father sits on His throne with His Son on the right hand surrounded by host of angelic beings. Oh what a glorious scene! The Son is back home from sojourn on the earth, having wrought redemption for all mankind through His blood.

“Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemy Your footstool,” the Father said to the Son in Psalms 110:11.

Friends, you think the earth is more real? Then you haven’t seen the other side of eternity. Wait until you get drunk by His Spirit. You will see what no eye has seen, nor has entered into the heart of man. May the Lord open your eyes to know there is an incomparable glory on the other side. Rush to the Book of Revelations and you will see for yourself.

My emphasis is: will you give up His sweetness and good fruit of the Holy Spirit for anything on this earth? Will you extol anything above Him? Will you? Will you relegate Him to the background in anything you do?

Let me ask you: Why is He your backup plan and not the first? Sit in front of Him and worship Him. In Judges 9: 13, “The vine replied, Should I leave my new wine, which rejoices God and man, and go to rule over the trees?”

Ponder on that. Our Lord Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” So you have the vine nature in you. You have the wine in you. You have the joy of the Holy Spirit in you.

So why will you leave the new wine in you for any other thing? Why will you ignore the Holy Spirit in you? Why? Why will you not stir up the wine within you and delight the Father on High?

He seeks true worshipers that will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). He seeks those that will pour out the new wine before Him; that will gladden His heart with worship. That will rejoice before Him in the spirit!

Put Him in front of you. Please! Put Him in front of you. He is all that matters far and above every and anything both on earth, beneath the earth and in heavens above.

Let Him fill you up daily. There is an inestimable experience awaiting us all in the Father of glory. Oh my goodness! That we may be filled with You, Lord!