Today we continue our series entitled, “Expecting the Word to Work!” This is part 26.
We have been studying the parable of the sower for over a month now. Within this study we have looked at the first two types of soil and we are looking at the third: thorny weeds. Let’s get back to it this morning. Jesus said:
“Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.” (Mark 4:18,19)
We have been focusing in on the phrase, “the love of money”. The King James Version calls it “the deceitfulness of riches”. This is a very important topic. If you don’t learn to rely on God, over relying on money, you will never operate in the supernatural. Let me give you an example. In Matthew 10 Jesus sent the His disciples with these instructions: “Don’t go to the non-Jewish people. And don’t go into any town where the Samaritans live. But go to the people of Israel. They are like sheep that are lost. When you go, tell them this: ‘God’s kingdom is now very near.’ Heal the sick. Bring the dead back to life. Heal the people who have leprosy. And force demons out of people. I give you these powers freely, so help others freely. Don’t carry any money with you—gold or silver or copper. Don’t carry a bag. Take only the clothes and sandals you are wearing. And don’t take a walking stick. A worker should be given what he needs.”
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
- When Jesus sent His disciples out to do ministry He forbid them from taking any money. He did this for a very important reason. Jesus wanted their total trust and confidence to be in God and not in money. Many people put far too much confidence in money and if your confidence is in something natural, your faith won’t be there for the supernatural. Jesus was sending them out to perform the supernatural, so he wanted them to rely on the supernatural for their provision. If they could not believe God to provide their food and shelter, then they were not going to believe God to heal the sick. If you can’t believe God for a meal, then you are certainly not going to trust God when it comes time to cast out a demon. You must get to the point where your total confidence is in God not this world.
- If the disciples could not see God as their source for money, then how could they rely on God for the supernatural? Jesus was sending them out to heal the sick and cast out demons. The disciples had to totally rely on God to perform acts that exceed human ability. If the disciples could not rely on God for natural things, then how could they rely on Him for the supernatural? God wants you to see Him as your source of all things – natural and supernatural.
- When God sees you doing what He told you to do, while totally trusting Him for the resources, He will prove to you that He is a more-than-capable source. And when you build your faith up by believing God for natural things, your faith will be strong enough to believe God for supernatural power.
- People stay in frustration when God is NOT their only source of expectation. I’ve been there before. It’s frustrating when you are waiting on God for something, but you then shift back and forth between trusting God and trusting man (or money). I’ve learned that when God sees He is NOT your only source — when God sees you vacillating between believing Him to do it and relying your power and/or natural things to bring it ot pass — He steps back. He wants your total confidence to be IN HIM! David said, “I must calm down and turn to God, He is my expectation; he is my only hope.” (Psalm 62:5). God wants to know that your expectation is from Him and Him alone. If you vacillate between trusting God and trusting man or money, you will have a faith-failure.
- Faith is actually a binary equation. It either is faith or it isn’t. If you are in-faith, then your confidence is in God and your expectation is of Him. You believe He said it, you believe He will perform it, and you don’t have a PLAN-B. When you are in-faith you are not moved by the lack of sense-realm evidence to support what you are believing. Further (here comes the hard part), you are not moved by the presence of sense-realm evidence that is CONTRARY to what you believe God said. When you are truly in-faith, even if you have a mountain of opposition to what God said, you cannot allow what you see to cause you to change what you believe. And if you cannot do this where money is concerned, you will never do it where true riches (Luke 16:11), like God’s supernatural power, is concerned.
- If you can’t pass the money test, you will never be trusted with true power. In this world money is the considered “riches.” In God’s realm money is the lowest form of riches. God has true riches that far exceed anything money can buy (Luke 16:11). But if you cannot pass the money test you will never experience true riches.
- Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money” (see Mat 6:24 & Luke 16:13). If your trust is in money and not in God, your plan and your life will fall apart.
Closing Confession:
Father, this is a season of expectation for me. My expectation is tied to Your Word. Your Word teaches me to make You my #1 priority in every area of my life. This includes my finances. I believe everything I need in life is already stored up for me. So my total trust, hope and confidence is in You Father. You are my source for both natural and spiritual things. I don’t trust in uncertain riches. I trust in my certain God. I love You Father and You bless me richly with all things to enjoy. I enter this day convinced that I will accomplish all I was born to accomplish. I will do all You have called me to do; not by my strength, but by Your grace! Not relying on my bank account, but relying on Your eternal supply. I declare this by faith! In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
