You may feel that you have been in a rut, perhaps for years. But the hope offered to you in this message is that this is your year. Stay planted in the soil you are planted in now because this year is going to be different. You may feel fruitless, but your greatest season of producing fruit is here—if you will do two things: 1. Dig deeper than you have ever dug before 2. Allow God to use the dung in your life for greater purposes. THIS IS YOUR YEAR.

♪ ♪

>> Welcome

to Kingdom Connection.

Thank you for joining us today.

I have an encouraging word

that I wanna share with you,

and I believe

it’s from the Lord

to your heart.

“This is Your Year.”

That’s what I’m preaching today.

We will be starting

from Luke 13,

so open up your Bibles.

Let’s go right into the service.

I believe if you’re watching

this program and you are,

that means that this message

can be activated in your life.

Listen to it,

and I believe God

will spark faith to believe

that this is my year.

Listen and be blessed.

♪ ♪

>> If you have your Bibles

I’d like for you

to open them with me, please,

to the Book of Luke chapter 13,

and I have a word

from the Lord today.

Is that all right?

Luke chapter 13.

I’ll begin reading

with verse six.

“He also spoke this parable:

A certain man had

a fig tree planted

in his vineyard,

and he came seeking

fruit on it and found none.

Then he said to the keeper

of his vineyard, ‘Look,

for three years

I have come seeking fruit

on this fig tree

and found none.

Cut it down.

Why does it use up the ground?’

But he answered

and said to him,”

Listen to these words, “Sir,

let it alone this year also.”

In other words,

give me one more year.

Give me one more year.

“Let it alone

this year also until,”

notice the two things,

“I dig about it and dung it.”

How many of you know

what dung is?

And for the young people

that are here it goes

with the word bull dung,

chicken dung.

This is in the Bible.

I’m preaching the Bible.

He said, “I’m going

to do two things.

I’m going to dig it,

and I’m going to dung it.”

For three years

this tree has not produced.

It’s been in the same rut

for three years.

Now, listen to me carefully.

The owner planted the tree

in the soil that he knew

that it need

to produce greatness,

to produce fruit,

to produce what he wanted

to get out of it.

You don’t choose the soil,

the pain, the problems,

the difficulties,

the challenges

that God plants you in,

but if He planted you

in that particular soil

it is only

because He knows

that’s what it’s going

to require.

Not an easy life.

Not luxurious sand.

It may require a pain

and a problem in your life

to produce greatness

that God wants to come

up out of that,

and the soil

is not the problem

because all the other trees

were fruitful

except that one.

It was the response

of the tree to the soil

that it was planted in.

The pain and the problems

in our life

cannot stop us

unless we get in a rut

and we just keep —

and the thing

that got me about

this story

is God kept coming.

The owner is God in this story.

The tree is you and me,

and the tree,

instead of producing

in the soil

that God planted it in,

because He comes back

and check on it.

When He plants you

and allows to go through pian,

through problems,

circumstances,

adversity He backs of

and He comes back.

And in this story,

He came back annually.

He came back

at the first of the year,

and He comes back,

and He’s not expecting whining.

He’s not expecting complaining.

He’s not expecting

a dried up tree

that has become puny

and weaker and barely hanging

on to faith,

just the roots are alive,

there’s no fruit of the Spirit.

He’s not expecting that.

He’s expecting you to blossom

where He has planted you,

to prosper where

He has planted you.

And the thing about this story

that got me

is it’s been three years

and God keeps coming back

at the beginning of the year,

and you still have

an unfruitful marriage,

and last year and the year

before it’s not any better,

it’s not any better?

That could be your family tree.

It could be your family,

and the family

has difficult soil

that it’s in.

And so, the enemy

wants you to accept that,

but God comes back

and He says,

“This isn’t meant

to destroy you.

The place that I allowed you

to go through

is not meant to wipe you out.”

Others are going through

the same thing,

and it forced them

to a fruitful relationship

with me going through

the same rejection,

the same divorce,

the same pain,

the same tragedy

of losing a loved one

and it didn’t wither up

their tree.

It actually made them blossom

and become more fruitful

in long suffering.

The Fruits of the Spirit:

peace, joy, love,

longsuffering, patience,

kindness, goodness.

It had to cover up

in the kind of soil

that was difficult,

not easy.

God doesn’t need you

to be with a lot

of friends right now.

He knows what it’s gonna take

for greatness

to come out of you.

We always want a happy,

blessed, wonderful,

wonderful, wonderful life,

and we don’t understand.

It’s usually more to the story

than a beautiful tree

that’s blossoming.

Somewhere that tree —

if it’s gonna go high,

it’s gonna start low.

And listen to this,

it’s been three years

and the owner said,

“We might as well cut it down

and throw it into the fire.”

And this is what I came

to preach today,

“This Is Your Year,”

“This Is Our Year,”

and the Lord told me

to tell you,

it might have been three years,

and some of you

have been saying,

“I might as well quit.

I might as well give up.

I might as well try

something else

because I’m caught

in this cycle at maintaining

a deferred dream.

I tried and here I am

in the same place

that I was last year,

and I tried and last year

and the year before

and the year before.”

And the enemy wants you

to settle, but God —

just when he said it

might be time to cut it down

and throw it in the fire

up steps somebody called

the Dresser of the Field.

And let me give you

a hint His name is Jesus.

Because I know He’s Jesus

because He put Himself

between an angry God

and a fruitless,

puny tree, and He said,

“Leave it alone.”

Did you catch those words?

“Leave it alone.”

In other words,

He’s saying,

“If you’ve got vindication,

if you’ve got anger,

if you’ve got some problem

with the tree,

you don’t have to talk

to the tree anymore.

Put it on me.

I’ll take the tree’s place.

I’ll hang on a tree.

I’ll take his curse.

I’ll take what he deserves.

I’ll take his wasted life.

I’ll take

the ramifications of that.”

And Jesus in that moment

became the middle man

between the tree,

and notice what Jesus

begged for —

and I believe

that you’re listening to me

at all of our campuses

and all over the nation

and by television

and those of you here

in this room this morning live,

you’re not is this service

by accident.

This year, 2022,

is the year.

I ask God to bring

only the people

who would believe

what I’m saying today.

This is your year

of fruitfulness!

This is your year!

It’s gonna require

some things of you.

You can’t just go through

this year like every other year.

This is the year!

Shout this is my year!

>> This is my year.

>> Turn to somebody

on your other side

and say give it

one more year.

>> Give it one more year.

>> I know you feel

like quitting.

I know you feel like

it’s never gonna change.

I know you feel like

you’re never gonna get free

for that addiction.

I know you feel

like you never gonna

get in shape.

I know you feel like

your marriage

is never gon’ get better,

but I heard the Lord this week

in my spirit say,

“The enemy is lying

to people.

This is the year

of breakthrough.

This is the year

of fruitfulness.

This is the year of winning,

being the head

and not the tail,

above only and not beneath.”

Take a praise break

and give God glory.

Hallelujah!

We praise you, Lord!

C’mon.

Give Him a great praise

if you still believe in times

in soil like this.

Even in soil like this,

pandemic and trouble

everywhere, division,

and crime everywhere,

but even in soil

like this God says,

“That can be your year

’cause, my people,

I know what I’m doing

in the vineyard.”

And He said,

“Don’t quit this year.”

He didn’t say give it

one more year

so we can keep doing

what we’ve always done, though.

We’re not talking about

give it one more year

and cross your fingers

and wish for the best.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

He said you’re gonna have

to have two things happen

to you if you’ll give me

a year.

Notice what He said.

He said, “You gon’ have

to let me dig you

and you gon’ have

you let me dung you.”

[luaghter]

I’m gon’ dig you.

What does that mean?

I’m gon’ tear up the environment

all around you.

You’ve become hardened.

You’ve become conceited.

You’ve become —

you’re not soft anymore

to my Spirit.

I can’t get

the Spiritual nutrients

through to your soul,

and you’ve become hardened

in your soul.

And so what I wanna do

is I want to tear up things.

And a lot of us

know what it is

to have God dig deep

and tear up the environment

all around us.

What in the world

is going on?

But one thing

it does is it softens you.

It softens to you

where you begin to dig.

God knows and what He intends

for you to be

and that’s an overcomer,

but in order for that to happen

you’ve got to dig deep.

God put everything

that He needed in this earth.

He put oil in the ground,

He put gold in the mountains,

coal to keep us warm,

but He put it out

of the reach

of lazy people.

And this year

will have no change

for you unless

you’re willing to dig deep

this year and say,

“I’m gonna do what I can do

and God will do what I can’t do,

but here we go.

I’m not going

into another year of defeat.

I’m not going into another year

of being sick and tired

of being sick and tired.”

I’m trying to calm down

’cause we have guests

here today,

but I feel like screaming

and preaching this morning

because I know

that this is our year,

and we can’t play games.

We’ve gotta dig deep this year!

Dig deep into this Book!

Dig deep into prayer.

Dig deep into your church.

Get in it!

Give Him one year!

You gave hell

when you were in it.

You were tore up every night.

Now God wants to tear you up

another way.

He’s gon’ tear up everything

that is hardened against

what He wants out

of your life: fruitfulness.

I found this,

and I wanna give it to you.

“What does that digging

thing mean?

What are you talking about?

Make room for growth.”

George “Shotgun” Shuba

played seven seasons

with the Dodgers.

He was the first pinch hitter

to hit a homerun

in the World Series,

and he knocked the homerun

in the World Series

and one of the announcers

calling the game

said these words,

“His swing is as natural

as a smile.”

And after the program

or after the game everybody

was using that quote,

and they asked him about it.

He said, “Is that what

he called it?

Is that what he called

that just as natural

as a smile?”

He said, “No.”

He said, “Every day

I swing a weighted bat,

44 ounces,

600 times a day,

and that’s 4,200 times a week,

and what you think

was just natural,”

and that’s how we feel

about people who are Spiritual

and who are fruitful

in their walk with God,

“Well you’re just naturally.”

No, no.

There’s nothing

natural about it.

You pick this Book up,

and you read it.

You get on your knees,

and you pray.

You get you outta the bed,

and you get in church

and you’ll be amazed

at how natural it is

to be blessed

and how natural it is

to have a faith

that believes no matter what

the environment

around is doing!

And then lastly, he said,

“Not only am I gonna dig,

but I’m gonna dung you.”

If you still haven’t figured out

what that is,

it’s manure.

It’s bad.

God can use horrible things

to bring miracle growth.

The one thing

that is so obnoxious

in your life

that you can’t hardly stand it

is the very thing

God takes and throws

on a fruitless tree

to make it come alive.

Without fertilizer

the tree dies,

and fertilizer

is not pleasant.

You go through things

that stink.

There will always

be in every relationship —

sooner or later

your marriage will stink,

your family will stink,

your job will stink,

your finances may stink,

you will go through —

maybe your health stinks,

but God says,

“I don’t waste that,

I take it and use it

as fertilizer.”

People give up.

They give up instead

of growing.

The time that God’s

gonna do the greatest things

in your life,

they give up

because when God starts

tearing up everything

around you,

and then He starts

throwing the mess on you.

It’s just —

here’s why that’s good news.

“Well, this is not

an encouraging,

positive word today.”

[laughter]

Yeah, I’m telling you,

God’s gon’ dig you

and God’s gon’ dung you,

and you can’t do nothing

about it.

But here’s your last option.

There’s only one

other option left.

Remember, He said,

“I’m coming back

at the end of the year

and if you hadn’t let me

dig you and you haven’t

let me dung you,

throw mess on you

and it not turn sour

it actually makes you grow.

I believe in now

more than I ever believe it.

Now that they’re coming

against me I know

that all things

are working together

for the good.

I know that I am more

than a conquer,

and I’m not discouraged.

That’s when your tree

begins to blossom!

But here’s the thing

that we ought to be shouting at.

How many of you feel like

God’s just digging

all around your little tree?

Let me see your hand.

How many of you feel

like God’s even thrown

some dung on you?

Just be honest.

Just be honest.

Well here’s the good news.

This why you ought to shout.

‘Cause the only thing left

is to cut you down

and burn you.

And since —

If —

aren’t you glad

that you’re getting dug

and dunged instead

of cut down and thrown away?

God’s not through with you!

God hasn’t given up on you,

and He’s giving you

one more year.

What if this was the last,

what if you knew,

what if God told you,

“This is your last year

to fix this,

to get real with me.

I’m giving you one more year

to change things

and enjoy your life

like it is in the soil

that I planted you in,

and if I come back

and you’re still discouraged

and defeated

I’mma let you have

what you complain about.”

Now I know this isn’t popular

preaching right now,

and I understand

that you came for,

but sometimes

you don’t just need blessing,

you need blistering.

And I’m a preacher.

This is what I do

for a living.

I have a license,

and I’m up here telling you

and I’m preaching to myself.

My cry is this is my year.

Dig me.

Dung me.

Whatever you wanna do.

Now watch this.

Let me close with this.

The apostle Paul said

in Philippians 3:8,

“Yea doubtless,

and I count all things,”

all things, all things,

all things,

“loss for the excellency

of the knowledge of Jesus Christ

for whom I have suffered

the loss of all things,”

listen, “and do count them

but dung.”

He said, “You know what?”

He said, “Everything

I’ve been through,

I have lost,

I have been beaten with rods,

I have been snake bit,

I have been left for dead,

I have been stoned,

I have been falsely imprisoned,

I have been lied on,

I have been run out of town,

I have been tortured,

but can I just tell you?”

He said, “I counted

all as dung.”

He said, “All it is,

is fertilizer.

God took everything

I’ve been through

and put it on me,

and I wrote half

the New Testament

and I couldn’t have done it

in any other soil.

I had to have the mess

to bring the message!”

[applauase]

The very things

that we wanna hide

when Jesus walked

into the temple and He said,

“Stretch forth your hand,”

the man with the withered hand

could have stretch forth

his good hand

that was all manicured

and he perfect,

but he had to reveal

his weakness

and the ugly part

of his life.

I close with this,

but hear me.

David said in Psalms 83 that,

“My enemies,” he said,

“they because as dung.”

One translation said,

“The very thing trying

to destroy you

God will use as fertilizer.”

I close with this.

In Luke chapter 11

Jesus arrives

at the tomb of Lazarus

and his sister comes out

and says, “Lord,

you’re too late.

You should have come

three years ago.”

But in this case three days ago;

he’s four days dead.

And then she make the statement,

“By now he stinks.”

This is bad.

This is dung.

And Jesus smiles.

In my mind, I could see Him

smile and say,

“You don’t understand, girl.

This is just fertilizer

for the supernatural.

This kind of environment

is just fertilizer for miracles.

I’m gonna dig it,

and I’m gonna take

the most obnoxious things

that life throws at my people,

and if they will stay rooted

and they will submit

to the digging

and the dunging process

and give me one more year.

Don’t quit, don’t give up,

don’t throw in the towel.

Give me one more year.

I will bring fruit

where the tree

is withered and dead.

I’ll turn the puny

into the mighty.”

And you know who said

He would do it?

The Dresser of the Field, Jesus.

He said, “I’m the one.

I’ll take their shame.

I’ll take their curse.

I’ll take their failures.”

And God says, “I’m gonna take

the mess of your life,

the wasted years,

the wasted relationships,

the terrible decisions.

I’ll turn it into fertilizer,

and I’ll put it on

that fruitless tree,

and in one year’s time —

I’m telling you,

if you’ll give God one year.

See, we want the quick-fix,

bam, you got it,

now go do your thing.

That’s not how it works

in the Kingdom.

Give Him some time.

Let Him give you

some miracle growth

in your life,

and He’ll take everything

you’ve been through:

the tears, the brokenness,

the abuse, the hurt,

the horrible decisions,

the failure, the addiction,

the pain, and He’ll use it

as fertilizer.

If you’d let Him

just break you up

a little bit,

you would leave this place

with a faith that is beginning

to grow again

and come alive again,

and before this year is over

you’re gonna have a one year

turnaround in Jesus name.

♪ ♪

>> If you feel like

you’re in the same cycle

and you feel like year

after year nothing’s happening

and you just can’t seem

to get a breakthrough

on your job

or in your marriage,

your family,

you haven’t received that thing

that you’re believing God for,

you’re not watching

this program by accident.

You just heard, I believe,

a message that God

wanted you to hear today,

“This is Your Year.”

Don’t give up now.

Don’t give up

and throw in the towel now.

God can give you

a one-year turnaround,

and it starts

with your relationship

with Jesus Christ.

You see, God sent His Son,

Jesus Christ, to die for you,

not just to save you

from your sins,

but He wants to have

a relationship

and be your friend, and Lord,

today we pray and proclaim

this the year of freedom

and the year of turnaround

and the year of fruitfulness.

So, break up the ground,

Lord, and do the groundwork

in our lives and take

what the enemy meant

to destroy us,

the messes of life,

the fertilizer of life,

and turn it around,

and we’ll give you the praise.

Now pray this prayer.

Say, Jesus,

I don’t want another year

like last year.

Save me.

Cleanse me

by your Blood.

Forgive me.

I have redemption

through your Blood

by faith in your name,

and I believe

in the name of Jesus,

and I receive what you did

on the cross.

Say that, and then say,

Jesus, be Lord of my family

and my life.

I give you this family tree,

and it looks like

it’s withered up and dying,

but would you let my family tree

come alive again this year,

in Jesus’s name.

If you just prayed that prayer,

we would love to hear from you.

Such a blessing when people

reach out and take time

either to call us

by the number on the screen

or visit our website.

We have all kinds

of free resources,

and we wanna give them

free to you,

and you can know every step

that you need to take,

the next step,

in your life.

We even have online programs

that will be

a tremendous discipleship,

blessing, and devotionals

free of charge

that we would love to just sow

into you because

you’re that valuable

to God and to us.

Before we go I wanna say

thank you for supporting

this ministry

and our latest project

I am so excited about.

You can be a part

of this miracle in Israel.

We’re building a fire station,

and we’re gonna get fire trucks,

and we’re gonna have everything,

all the equipment

that they need with your help.

We’re building it in Israel

even as I speak.

Listen to this.

Here’s how you can make

a difference.

[Fire Truck Sirens]

>> ANNOUNCER: Fires caused

by rockets

and incendiary balloons

from the Hamas terrorist

group are a constant threat

to the nation of Israel.

In 2021 alone,

over 4,425 rockets have

been fired into Israel.

When these attacks are launched,

they cause massive fires

that threaten lives,

damage homes and businesses,

and also burn through large

areas of crops and farmland.

Remote places, like Eshkol,

the region in Israel closest

to the Gaza Strip,

are often left fighting

these fires on their own.

That is why Jentezen Franklin

Media Ministries has remained

committed to provided comfort

with grace to these

Jewish people in need.

Our latest initiative

is to provide fire stations,

fire trucks, and equipment

for the volunteer fire fighters

to protect their towns

and families.

By building a local fire

station and providing

the proper equipment,

we are easing the fear

and threat of the damage

that these fires cause.

When you give your

best gift today,

there is a blessing

waiting on you found

in Genesis 12:3,

“I will bless those

who bless you,

and I will curse him

who curses you.”

You can be a part

of the blessing today.

Israel is under constant attack

and your support today

matters more than ever.

These desperate Jewish families

urgently need your help.

Call now or go online today.

♪ ♪

>> We hope you’ve enjoyed

this teaching

by Jentezen Franklin

and thank you

for your continued support

of this ministry.

Your prayers

and financial support

make these programs possible.

For more information

about this message

and other ministry resources,

visit us online

at JentezenFranklin.tv.

♪ ♪