THE MYSTERY OF THE OLIVE TREE

The olive tree is also known as the king of trees (Judges 9:8-9).

In our previous messages, we have defined the olive tree and tried to explain what it represents. David, after Doeg had annihilated all the priests of God and Abiathar had escaped to join him in his stronghold (1 Samuel 22), wrote what we read in Psalm 52.

Ordinary-looking but full of treasure
The olive tree may appear ordinary and even looks ugly during some seasons but it is full of great substance. From its appearance it doesn’t look like it can produce anything meaningful but in spite of what it experiences, there is an oil in that neglected tree. This is how the child of God is. I may be going through dark times in my life; situations may hold me back but I know that there is an oil on the inside because the God I serve is an immediate-acting God. When he works, we don’t see him but he works either for me or in me. That which he works in me is going to come out and I’m gong to see the effect in my life.

Olive trees are evergreen
They live and produce fruit in spite of their circumstances. Whether the season favours them or not they produce. They produce in wet and dry seasons; hot and cold seasons. When the ground is hard and thorny it produces. No matter where you plant it, it will bring oil. Today, I submit to you that the God we serve is an immediate-acting God. You will bear fruit regardless of where you are located. You will bear fruit regardless fo your circumstances.

Olive trees can look fearsome and dreadful
When the olive tree becomes old, the trunk of the tree acquires a unique pattern of twists and turns. That means at certain times in the ageing of the olive tree, it becomes fearsome and dreadful. What that means is that if a child of God matures with God, God will release oil upon his life that will make him fearsome and dreadful so that the devil cannot do anything to twist his life.

Every child of God planted in the house of God becomes fearsome and dreadful. When a child of God is fearsome, the enemy is afraid of him. I pray that this oil comes upon the church for we have a lot of olive trees planted here. God made Moses a God to Pharaoh. And that is what God has made you. As we come to this table, may the Lord bring us to a place where whatever we decree shall be heard. In Joshua 6:1, we are told that the city of Jericho was securely shut up. The enemies of the Israelites wanted to prevent them from going to the promised land. Anywhere Gods appear, the devils begin to shut their gates.

Olive trees produce fruit no matter their age
There are olive trees in Israel estimated to be about a thousand years old that are still producing fruit. It is in old age that the trunk of the tree thickens. They can grow to a circumference of about 20 feet.

Isaiah 54:2 says enlarge the place of your tent. May your tent be enlarged. Situations may look bleak but when God wants to act, he does it immediately. He does not go through a zigzag process but goes directly to the outcome.

Olive trees sprout up again when cut—you can’t kill them
The trunk of the tree is used for furniture. When it is cut down, it is cut close to the ground. They ensure that nothing is left behind because the trunk is short—nothing can be wasted or left behind. It has been proven that the roots from the stump continue to grow even though the trunk has been cut. When you cut it and it begins to grow, five different shoots spring up around it. From this, five new trunks will come into being. Simply put, the olive tree never dies.

You may cut it down but you can’t kill it. You can cut my health and my business but as long as I enjoy the presence of God, I shall live. And I will do so five times better. Whatever the enemy has taken from you, may he give you five back. This is a geometric progression with a a growth rate of 5. Whatever is restored is restored five-fold. May your healing come five times. May your breakthrough come five times.

In Genesis 30:23-24, God remembered Rachel and gave her a son. She should not have asked for just one in addition. She should have asked for multiples of that. Hannah did something different. When God remembered her and she gave birth to Samuel and Hannah gave him to the man of God, Eli, she prayed for the Lord to give her more children. Eli, the high priest said, “May the Lord give you more and more children.” When the olive tree is cut, God will give you five. When the devil takes your hope and destiny, God will give you five.

What God is going to do this year, we haven’t seen it before at PIWC, Atomic. All I have to do is to keep myself in the presence of God. When you are planted in the house of God, you are secure. So Job said in Job 14:8-9 that there is hope for a tree when it is cut down that it will sprout again.

In the last section of the message, I will talk about the crushing and the beating of the olive. This is about the sufferings and trials of the child of God.