SOWING INTO DESTINY-

  From Promise to Fruition

  Doug Fortune

A promise must be brought to fruition for it to be complete. To illustrate this principle, we’re going to look at Abram and the promise given to him by God. I am going to address a subject that you’ve probably never known me to address before. In the past, I have allowed the abuses of some 'ministries' to keep me from talking much about giving... for this I repent and ask for forgiveness. You see, in my avoiding the subject of giving I believe I have possibly 'robbed' people of a potential harvest.

We’re going to discover the ‘seed’ that Abram planted and see exactly what the ‘fruit’ of that seed is. Remember, God had made a covenant with Abram; “For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be HEIR OF THE WORLD, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13) God’s promise to Abram was that he would be HEIR OF THE WORLD. The word translated as heir means a POSSESSOR. To POSSESS the world, now that’s a pretty big promise. In fact, that is a promise that is still in the PROCESS of being fulfilled. Notice I said PROCESS…yes, I believe there is a process involved as a promise is being brought to fruition.

Any farmer will tell you that the SOIL you plant in is very important to the harvest you will reap. Where the soil is rich with the proper nutrients for the seed, the harvest will be plentiful. So also it is with us.

Let’s look at an account in Genesis involving Abram for a moment: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” (Genesis 14:18-20)

Consider that Melchizedek was the priest of the Most High God. Remember, this was long before the giving of the Law and the Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek’s priesthood preceded the Law and was totally apart from the Law. Melchizedek’s priesthood was based in covenant, for covenant preceded the law; “Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, THE LAW, which came four hundred and thirty years AFTER, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.” (Galatians. 3:17) Yes, the Law came 430 years AFTER Covenant was established, thus establishing that Covenant supersedes and overrides Law.

The word translated as covenant, briyth in Hebrew, means to pass between pieces of flesh; often this is associated with cutting and shedding of blood. At the risk of getting a bit graphic here, consider also that in the birthing process the child passes between pieces of flesh in the birth canal and there is shedding of blood. I believe Melchizedek was one who transcended the temporal, one transcending natural lineage and born of God into Life without beginning or end. I believe that Melchizedek was an ancient Christophony, (an appearing of Christ). He was a foreshadowing of One to come who would bring forth many Sons. As Melchizedek met Abram, he recognized that Abram was a servant of the Most High God of whom he was a priest and he spoke a BLESSING over Abram. The many Sons that God is bringing forth in this day recognize the deposit of Christ in others and they speak words of BLESSING, words of LIFE that call forth the destiny within people. Let there be an end of the sin-conscious speaking words of death and condemnation over God’s people!

Along with the blessing, Melchizedek brought out bread and wine; “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine…” (Genesis 14:18) How interesting that Jesus Christ, our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek did the same thing; “And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25) He said, Do this in re-MEMBER-ance of Me. I believe that Jesus Christ is re-MEMBER-ing His many-MEMBERED Body into the order of Melchizedek to walk as kings and priests in the earth.

In our illustration in Genesis, we find Abram doing something quite remarkable- he gave a tithe of the spoil to Melchizedek. Now then, remember this was long before Moses and the law of the tithe, it was not even a familiar concept like we are familiar with today. I am afraid that we can easily read that and think nothing of it because we are quite familiar with the tithe, but put into perspective it was quite a remarkable thing. After all, Abram did not give tithe to any of the other kings, did he?

Just like the priesthood of Melchizedek preceded the Law and was totally apart from the Law, this COVENANTAL FIRSTFRUIT tithe preceded the Law and was totally apart from the Law. It was a tithe based not in LAW, but rather based in COVENANT. Abram recognized that Melchizedek was the priest of the Most High God whom Abram served. He honored the deposit of Christ in Melchizedek by giving him a tithe of the spoil. This was not to fulfill any requirement of LAW, rather it was a ‘seed’ sown into Melchizedek. This ‘seed’ had a greater purpose than merely as a gift.

Remember, God’s promise to Abram was that he would be HEIR or POSSESSOR of the WORLD. Now what exactly was the BLESSING pronounced by Melchizedek? “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of God Most High, POSSESSOR of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.” (Gen.14:19-20)

So here we see that the Most High POSSESSOR covenanted to make Abraham and his seed POSSESSORS! And what is it that the seed is to POSSESS? “Ask of Me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy POSSESSION.” (Psalms 2:8) Even after his name was changed to Abraham, he did not see the ultimate fulfillment of this promise. The fulfillment of this promise comes in the Seed of Abraham- the many-membered, RE-membered Body of Christ.

Consider the following verses:
“There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are ONE man in Christ Jesus. And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, HEIRS according to promise.” (Galatians.3:29) “Do you not know that the saints, the Christians, will one day judge and govern the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2 Amplified Bible) I believe that Abram’s covenantal firstfruit tithe into Melchizedek was and STILL IS an integral part of the covenant promise coming to fruition. It was a seed that bound Abraham and Melchizedek together.

In a spiritual sense, ‘Abraham’ and ‘Melchizedek’ are still bound together. Allow me to illustrate as we consider the following progression:
1. God, the Most High POSSESSOR, had covenanted that Abraham and his ‘seed’ would inherit or POSSESS the world.
2. Abraham sowed a covenantal firstfruit tithe into Melchizedek.
3. Jesus Christ, the Promised Seed of Abraham was a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
4. It is the kingly / priestly Melchizedek anointing that truly POSSESSES the promise given to Abram. The Melchizedek anointing causes the manifestation into this natural realm, of that which is ALREADY FINISHED in the spiritual realm... namely ALL enemies subdued and under His feet as the kingdoms of this world ARE become the Kingdom of the Lord and His Christ. This is the many-membered, RE-membered Seed of Abraham, the corporate Body of Christ, ruling as kings in the earth and releasing His glory in the earth as priests... “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

Abraham (the one to whom the promise was given) and Melchizedek (the one who receives the fullness of the promise) are still bound together. It is difficult to try to find words to describe this ‘joining’, but I know in my spirit that a primary catalyst which is bringing OUR destiny to manifest is the covenantal firstfruit tithe that Abram sowed into Melchizedek. I’m going to say that again to make sure we really get it- a primary catalyst which is bringing OUR destiny to manifest is the covenantal firstfruit tithe that Abram sowed into Melchizedek! Without that act of honor, obedience, and faith, I do not believe we would be able to receive. Without that covenantal firstfruit ‘seed’ , WE would not be able to reap the ‘harvest’ of the fulfillment of the promise!

I also believe there is a principle here for US. I find myself sowing into those ministries through whom God is raising up mature sons, those who are seeking to activate the calling and destiny of others. It’s not done out of any fulfilling of a requirement of LAW, rather it is done as a ‘seed’ sown to bring a harvest of DESTINY. I believe that the covenantal firstfruit ‘seed’ is STILL a powerful catalyst to release destiny. I am seeing my own destiny literally overtake me! “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the plowman shall OVERTAKE the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt - that is, everything heretofore barren and unfruitful shall overflow with spiritual blessing.” (Amos 9:13 Amplified Bible)

It is also important to note that Abram did not sow into the other kings. He sowed covenantal firstfruit seed into one who was pronouncing blessing, speaking to Abram’s potential.

Melchizedek didn’t say, “Listen here Abram, you’ve got some real issues!… I happen to know that just two chapters back you passed your wife off as your sister, and two chapters from now you’ll be sleeping with Hagar!” Rather, he pronounced blessing, speaking to Abram’s potential. Remember also that Melchizedek was King of RIGHTEOUSNESS (Hebrews 7:2), and it is said of Abraham, “For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Romans 4:3) I believe there was an impartation of the RIGHTEOUSNESS of FAITH to Abram through Melchizedek! Wherever we sow, we will surely reap of LIKE KIND. Any farmer will tell you that the SOIL you plant in is very important to the harvest you will reap. Where the soil is rich with the proper nutrients for the seed, the harvest will be plentiful. So also it is with us.

We must ask ourselves, are we sowing the seed of a legal requirement into those sin-conscious ministries that seek to keep us where we currently ARE spiritually? Are we sowing into those who are keeping us under condemnation by focusing on how far we fall short, rather than calling forth our potential and destiny? If so, let us repent, let us think differently and begin to sow into those who release DESTINY, those who release words of Life. Where we sow, we will surely reap of LIKE KIND!

Remember the progression of the ‘seed’:
1. God covenanted that Abraham and his ‘seed’ would POSSESS the world.
2. Abraham sowed the ‘seed’ , a covenantal firstfruit into Melchizedek.
3. Jesus Christ, the Promised ‘Seed’ of Abraham, was a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
4. The ‘seed’ comes to fruition through the Melchizedek anointing in the many-membered Body of Christ that truly POSSESSES the promise given to Abram.

Let us tap into the covenantal catalyst of sowing firstfruits into those who will bring forth a harvest of God-ordained destiny! Rise up, O righteous many-membered, RE-membered Seed of Abraham, let us go forward in the kingly / priestly anointing of Melchizedek and possess our inheritance! “Ask of Me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Psalms 2:8)