Teachings

Cultivating Hearts and Planting Spiritual Seed

The heart is God’s garden. It is here where He calls us to join Him as co-laborers.

"My work was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos' work was to water it, but it was God, not we, who made the garden grow in your hearts. (1 Corinthians 3:6 TLB)

Jesus, the Master Gardener, taught the Apostle Paul to plant and Apollos to water. He’ll also teach you to cultivate the heart as well.

What is the heart Paul refers to?

According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, "The heart stands for the inner being of man, the man himself. As such, it is the fountain of all he does. All of his thoughts, desires, words, and actions flow from deep within him."

Your heart is who you are.

While the Lord made each personality unique from others, He desires each person to take on the character of His Son. We find this in Romans 8:9 in the Amplified Bible.

"He destined you from the beginning to be molded into the image of His Son (and share inwardly His likeness)"

Paul understood this and it is why he labored through his prayers and preaching until Christ was completely formed (molded) in people. (Galatians 4:19)

Called to Pray

We are called to pray for loved ones until their hearts are formed into the image of Christ, for then they will bear much fruit. Begin by praying the Heart Scriptures listed in our Prayer section.

The heart must be cultivated in order to be receptive to the seed of God’s word. As you pray the heart scriptures, the Holy Spirit will till the soil of the heart making it easier for them to hear God’s voice and to receive the truth of His word. He will soften areas of hardness, and break down barriers of resistance and unbelief. Over time He may even reveal hidden obstructions such as unforgiveness or painful memories that have been stuffed for years.

When dealing with your own heart, you must be the one to respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit. However, when aiming for someone else’s heart, they must be the one to respond to His hand, but your prayers will open the door for the Holy Spirit to cultivate and soften their heart.

As you continue to pray, the Holy Spirit convicts them of sinful behavior and attitudes, and the weeds of sin and the flesh lose its grip so their heart will be receptive to His voice and to the seed of God's word.

Once you cultivate the heart you can begin planting scripture seeds of love, peace, healing, provision, or whatever the need may be.

Plant the Seed

Even as the gardener plants his seed in the soil, so you must plant a spiritual seed in the heart by praying a Scripture promise, personalizing it as you speak it out.

For example, for a financial need find a verse such as Philippians 4:19, which says, “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus".

Pray it this way: “Thank you, God, that You promise to supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

By personalizing scripture you take possession of the Word and hide it in your heart where it can sprout. As you continue to proclaim the Word and believe it has already happened, though unseen, the power of God is unleashed to bring forth the results.

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be {granted} you. (Mark 11:24)

In our Prayer section you will find an abundance of personalized scriptures to help you do this.

Print page

Garden of the Heart Ministries
2267 Oakhill Drive
Green Bay, WI 54313