He Wants to Show You What He Can Do!

By Alexandra Copeland

In Matthew 21, Jesus Christ cursed a fig tree, and to many people this seems a very curious thing. One morning, he was returning to Jerusalem with his crew of disciples, and he noticed this fig tree beside the road. He was hungry and went over to see if there were any figs on it. There weren’t any. There were only leaves. When Jesus saw this, he cursed the tree and said, “May you never bear fruit again!” Many find this curious because of what they know about growing and harvest seasons. It was not the season for the fig tree to produce fruit, so many people don’t understand our Lord’s expectation. But we must know that our Lord is perfect in every way, and he never makes a mistake. This means you and I must study a bit further, so that we understand a little bit about the background of why he did what he did in this record. When we do, we’ll also understand more of the amazing truth of what he wants to do in our lives as well. 

The fruit of fig trees typically appear before the leaves. The premature fruit is green and blends in with the leaves until it is almost ripe. So, if a person sees the leaves on the tree, quite naturally they’d assume fruit is present, even if it’s not readily visible. It is also worth noting that fig trees would produce fruit even when it wasn’t in the typical growing season. So this tree was not going to prove fruitful in the present nor in the future. It was taking up space and nutrients needlessly. The evidence of this particular fig tree having leaves and no fruit was proof positive that it was living with death inside of it. Jesus spoke forth the nature it was hiding. He spoke truth, and the tree withered and died. Being physically alive but spiritually dead was representative of the condition of his people during that time. It also speaks to the spiritual condition of those today that are professing to love Jesus Christ, but really have no relationship with him. 

The relationship that God desires with us represents everything He created us to be. Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are made in His image, and we were created to be like Him. Just as a good parent hopes their children will learn lessons and use them to do well in life, God expects the same. He created us from His very own essence. He took from Himself and wove His spiritual essence into our existences. His desire is that we will learn spiritual lessons from Jesus Christ and use spiritual wisdom to do well in the life He’s given us. 

This becomes even more paramount as we learn how incredibly challenging life can be. We have an enemy, satan, who is combating the liveliness that Christ has made available. Jesus told us in John 10:10 that the devil is a thief who desires to kill, steal, and destroy; this is who he is and what he wants to do to the believer. One of the ways that the enemy tries to destroy us is by blinding us to the Word of God; he does this so that people will remain like the fig tree that Jesus cursed. This is a person that looks the part of Christ-liveliness, but there’s no inner connection to Christ at all; and there is no production of real and lasting fruit. 

Jesus Christ tells us in John 14:6 that he is the way, the truth, and the life. He made it possible for us to be connected to God, so that we would come alive spiritually AND eternally. God commands us in Galatians 5:16 (NLT), “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” He tells us to live by the Spirit because we are in partnership with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.  God is God all by Himself. He doesn’t need anything in order to be more than what He is. He’s all powerful, all knowing and magnificent in every way. It is because of His overwhelming, unconditional, and never-ending love that He wants to partner with us. 

We don’t do the heavy lifting in life, God does, if we’ll let Him! He tells us in Ephesians 3:20 that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think, but it is according to the power that we allow to operate in our lives. God wants to show us what He can do through us by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within. He wants to receive the glory from our victories, because He deserves it! This is His delight. 

In and of ourselves, we can’t do anything. Jesus Christ said in John 15:5(NLT), “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” The fig tree couldn’t do this; it couldn’t produce fruit and therefore had to die. But with you and I, it’s a different story. Jesus Christ came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Our faith in him will help us to overcome any adversity, and our love and commitment to him will produce much fruit. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.