Walking Trees - Mornay Johnson

Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, "I see men like trees, walking." Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, "Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town." Mark 8:22-26

The popular interpretation of the above verse is that the blind man received his healing in two stages – stage one, partial, blurry sight, and stage two complete restoration. I've always had a problem with this interpretation. As if Jesus, who'd raised dead people, empowered paralytics to take up their beds and walk, cleansed lepers, caused mute to speak, and liberated countless demon possessed folks, somehow didn't have enough power to perform a perfect miracle the first time with this fella.

Jesus, teaching about the character of the heart, makes this proclamation: "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit"(Matthew 12:33). On another occasion, He admonishes us to discern prophets by their fruit (a.k.a. character), citing "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). Again, in another famed passage of Scripture (John 15), He likens Believers to branches on a vine.

In fact, as we explore the Scriptures further, the comparison of people to trees becomes very apparent. From the two trees in the Garden of Eden, "the tree of life" (representative of Jesus) and the "tree of knowledge of good and evil" (representative of religion); to the olive, fig, vine and bramble trees of Judges 9 (representative of four leader types); to the well-known tree of righteousness in Psalm 1; to the wheat and tares spoken of in the Gospels.

There is thus no doubt that men are likened to trees, either bearing good fruit or bad. My personal opinion is that when Jesus touched the blind man's eyes the first time, He imparted so much power and revelation into him that his spiritual eyes were instantaneously opened. He was thus able to see the end of the age, where people would be walking as trees. The second time he was touched, Jesus had to diminish the impartation to make his natural eyesight become more prevalent than the spiritual.

The healing of the blind man gives us a brief glimpse into the end of the age. I believe that as we march toward the final curtain call, we're going to see the "ripening" of fruit on the trees. Those that are wicked are going to become more wicked, and those that are righteous will become more righteous. As the fruit (content of the heart) ripens, it will become further evident. This is clearly explained in the parable of the wheat and tares (Matthew 13). Note that this parable is specifically referencing the end of the age, when the content of men's hearts will be revealed.

There is therefore a greater distinction between the sons of darkness and the sons of the light occurring in this hour. As darkness intensifies across the earth, the sons of light are beginning to shine brighter and brighter, as the following Scriptures substantiate:

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Proverbs 4:18

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:6

Rise up and shine, for your light has come. The shining-greatness of the Lord has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

I believe the earth is about to see the ushering in of the true Bride of Christ in this hour, a Bride without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). Our fruit will showcase which tree we're rooted in (Jesus). The tree spoken of in Psalm 1 is about to become a widespread reality.

Prophetic "Roots"

The reason you've been going through the hardships, pain, and suffering these past years has been to facilitate the growth of your spiritual root system deeper into the Lord. In arid, dry terrain, where rain and water are sparse, trees will invariably grow their root systems deep into the earth to find the water they so desperately need to survive. Some of you have felt as if you've been in a wilderness, where water has been scarce. All around has been parched topography. In addition, you've been stripped (pruned) of many things, and it's been painful.

Your tree may not look like it has much fruit or foliage on it right now, but what you don't know is that all this time as you've been pressing deeper into God (out of sheer necessity), your roots have gone down deeper and become stronger. And you're about to tap into a dimension of the Holy Ghost that is going to cause your tree to blossom and bloom seemingly overnight.

"Where there appeared to be barrenness, where the branches seemed almost dead, where the leaves were brown and brittle, there is about to come new life into your tree," says the Lord. The nourishment of the Holy Spirit is going to flow up the root system and bring newfound vitality and refreshment.

Your root system has gone down deep enough and is about to hit a vein of untapped living water that is going to flow up the root system, through the tree trunk, and into the branches. The part of the tree that is visible to the naked eye is going to start growing at an exponential pace. Lush, green leaves are going to appear, and oversized fruit that is wholesome and healthy will fill your branches. Your boughs will be heavy-laden.

The fruit of your tree is not for self-consumption. God is making you fruitful so that others can eat and be sustained in this hour of famine – your fruit is for the nations. Your lush, green leaves will also serve as shade from the scorching heat that is about to befall the earth. God has set it up so that many can assemble around you to find the protection they need. When they sit under your tree, you'll then be able to share with them the love of One who would also have them flourish – if they choose to put their roots in Him.

The following Scripture substantiates this prophetic proclamation:

Thus says the Lord God: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it." Ezekiel 17:22-24

Hence this is the hour for your tree to flourish. This is the era for the Church to arise. This is the age for Believers to have solutions to the world's ever-increasing problems. As natural acumen and human logic is exhausted, we, the children of the Light, will be endowed with supernatural wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

It will be "everyday" Believers that get called into political circles to offer solutions to crises that seem impossible to solve. It will be Christians that are called into corporations to offer strategies for sustainability and growth.

Men and women who tap from the invisible River of endless power and might are going to be at the forefront of every sphere of society. It's our time to rise up and take our rightful place as the head and not the tail. The head is where the brain resides; it's the epicenter of where decisions are made. Get ready, because God is about to put you at the center of things. You've felt as if you've been on the backside of the desert, forgotten about, but God has not forgotten you. I prophesy "suddenlies" to come your way.

"You've paid the price and laid the necessary groundwork," says the Lord, "and you're about to get ushered from the background to the forefront."

Just as Joseph was ushered from the prison to the palace in a moment (Scripture says he had just enough time to shave and change clothes), there are those who are about to get taken from the proverbial prison and put into places of great favor.

Like the blind man, we need our spiritual eyes opened to see ourselves as the trees of righteousness we are.

Get ready to bear much fruit!

Mornay Johnson
Mornay Johnson Ministries
Email: info@mornayjohnson.com