The Law of Growth

²⁸For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

Mark 4:28

This scripture refers to a principle that I like to call “The Law of Growth.” Many times God’s laws work in steps, just as natural laws work in steps. Notice: First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.

The Bible says, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way (Psalm 37:23). God orders our lives in steps. However, many times we refuse to listen and try to do it in the quickest way possible. This is not always wise.

I once asked the Lord, “Why don’t You lay the whole plan out for me and let me go with it?”

He said, “Because you wouldn’t understand it fully. I want you to be obedient and perceptive to My

voice, and I will order each step. Then you will accomplish My will for your life.” He went on to say, “I am

going to deal with you just like I deal with the corn: in steps.” This is the law of growth.

That was exactly what took place when the angel came to talk to Mary. Mary received the Word of God. She said, Be it done unto me according to thy Word (Luke 1:38). That Word was planted as a seed, and conception took place. Jesus was not born instantly, but because of the law of growth, The Word was made flesh (John 1:14).

The Lord once shared something with me that was so powerful that it nearly knocked me to the floor. He said, “Son, I want you to realize that the Word of God can be lodged in the womb of your spirit. Once it enters, conception takes place. You will become pregnant with the image of My Word. If you will hold fast to it, then a miracle will be born.” Many of God’s people are expecting some kind of outward manifestation where there has been no conception first on the inside.

Conception always starts on the inside. You see, before I can walk in divine health, the conception of walking in health must first start on the inside. I do not walk in health first and then start seeing myself walking in health. As I see myself walking in health, conception takes place. The moment the Word lodges in the womb of my spirit, it begins to give birth to a miracle.

The Lord also said, “Son, once you plant the Word in the womb of your spirit, you should never allow anything to remove it.” Jesus said that Satan will try to steal the Word out of your heart. Don’t let him

do it! Then He said, “When the devil attacks you with a symptom, if you yield to the symptom instead of holding fast to the seed (God’s Word), then you have just allowed him to perform spiritual abortion.”

That is strong! When you talk about abortion around most Christians, those are fighting words. Yet they do it in the spirit realm all the time. They allow the devil to steal the Word out of their hearts. In other words, the seed has been removed from the womb. Life has been destroyed.

Another problem is a lot of people hear the Word, but they do not act on it. They do not allow conception to take place. They believe the Word until trouble comes.

When you hear the Word of God, it must become more real to you than the circumstances around you. You should become pregnant with a vision. You should be carrying a miracle inside of you! Even when you are right in the middle of a crisis or hard times, because you have conceived in your heart the image of God supplying all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, you will not be moved. It is so real on the inside of you that you feel like you are swelling up. In a few short days, delivery time will come. You will be ready to give birth at any moment.

You can always tell when the manifestation is right around the corner because of the birth pangs. I was in the Armed Forces when my first child was born, so she was three months old when I saw her for the first time. When our second child was born, I was right there by my wife. I was in the hospital room with my wife when it was time for her to give birth. There were signs and there was evidence that it was time for her to give birth. Nature has a way of letting you know! In just a few minutes, she gave birth to a pretty, little, red-headed baby. There was no doubt about it when it was time for delivery!

There have been times after I have carried the Word of God on the inside of me for weeks or months that I have awakened in the middle of the night and just knew that I was about to give birth to the thing that I had been believing for.

I woke up one morning, and as I shaved and got ready to go to the office somehow, I just knew that today was delivery time. I needed some finances in the ministry. I had been holding fast to the Word of God. We were standing on the fact that God would meet our needs. We refused to be moved. I just knew that it was delivery time.

I walked into the office and the secretary that opened the mail said, “Look at this! It’s a check for

$2,500.” That was exactly what I needed. Delivery time had come!

Many people come up in prayer lines without an understanding of how healing comes. Healing does not come from the outside in; it comes from the inside out. It starts in the spirit. You have to conceive a faith image by the Word of God. The Word of God will act as the sperm that will enter the womb of your spirit. Conception takes place on the inside of you; you and God will confirm His Word with signs following. Healing will come!

Some people have asked, “What if I am not healed instantly?” Then you must remember the law of

growth: First the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.

In other words, you must allow the Word to take its full cycle within you. Don’t give up just because you feel worse. Hold fast to the Word, and you will see the signs of the “blade” coming up. Continue to hold onto the Word and you’ll see the “ear” which simply means you’re healed.