This morning, we continue our series on “The Parables of Jesus.” We will seek to glean “Pearls from the Parables.”
Before we get to the parable, let’s look at a scripture we have been looking at all year. This is something I believe the Lord wants us to meditate on.
(Psalm 126:4 TPT)
Now, Lord, do it again! Restore us to our former glory! May streams of your refreshing flow over us until our dry hearts are drenched again.
This is a season of refreshing and restoring for us.
On Tuesday, I introduced you to “The Mother of All Parables.” Let’s get back to it today. Jesus said:
(Mark 4:13-20 ERV)
The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
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.
And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.
Jesus mentions four types of soil. Thus far, we have only covered the first: the soil along the path. This soil represents the people who hear the Word of God but do not understand it. Because their understanding is unfruitful, they are susceptible to satan. So satan comes immediately and snatches the Word from their hearts.
In Matthew’s account, Jesus explained, “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving”… But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:13, 14 & 16).
In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul explained part of the role of the Holy Spirit. He said, “The prophet said, “No one has ever seen, no one has ever heard, no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit knows all things. The Spirit even knows the deep secrets of God… No one knows God’s thoughts except God’s Spirit.. We received God’s Spirit so that we can know all that God has given us.” (1 Cor 2:9-12)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Your goal should be to see, hear, and understand the Word of God.
— The Father can give us a spiritual understanding of His Word, but to those who are not perceptive enough to receive that understanding, the Word of God makes no sense.
— Do you remember when you tried to read the Bible, but it made no sense to you? It was because you were reading a spiritual book with a natural understanding. God is a Spirit, His is spiritual, and you need God’s Spirit to understand His spiritual things.
— The Word of God is alive. The Bible is a spiritual book designed to speak to your spirit, not your senses. This is why the Bible does not have to make sense. You cannot validate the teachings of the Bible with sense-realm evidence.
— Understanding the Word of God requires faith that perceives God’s words to be true even without sense-realm evidence to validate them.
— If you have the faith to see the Word, hear the Word, and understand the Word of God, you will be changed by the Word you see, hear, and understand.
— You must approach the Word of God with spiritual eyes and ears. If you do, the Holy Spirit will give your spirit a divine understanding.
— If it is true that satan can (and will) come immediately to snatch the Word away from those who do not understand what God is saying, then it is also true that he cannot snatch the Word from you when you have divine understanding. When you comprehend the Word of God with a spiritual comprehension that can only come from God’s Spirit, you are in a position to retain that Word. That Word is then a spiritual seed that will produce a harvest in your life.
— Spiritual understanding is critical because you will never maximize what you do not understand.
2. God Gave You His Spirit for Divine Understanding.
— While the Word of God is extremely powerful, God’s Word will not benefit you if you do not understand it. Further, any Word you fail to understand can be snatched away from you by the enemy. He wants to get the Word from you before you attempt to understand it.
— If your heart is open to perceiving spiritual insight as you receive the Word and give your full attention to God and what He is saying, you are in a better position to receive spiritual understanding.
— If you are Born-Again, the author of God’s book lives IN you. He is more than capable of giving you a divine understanding of the Word.
— God gave you His Spirit so that you would know, comprehend, and spiritually understand the things He has freely given you; this includes an understanding of the scriptures.
— When you are in tune with the Holy Spirit, and you open up your Bible, it is like the words jump off the pages and get down in your heart. The Holy Spirit can give you insight, clarity, and understanding that far exceeds human ability. This is not reading the Word of God with your head. This is receiving wisdom from God’s Word in your heart.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me!
I am committed to seeing, hearing, and understanding Your Word of God with my spirit, not just my senses or natural understanding.
I know that Your Word is alive, speaking to my spirit, not appealing to my senses, and I do not need sense-realm evidence to validate what You say.
I approach Your Word with spiritual eyes and ears, trusting the Holy Spirit will give me a divine understanding.
I declare that satan cannot snatch the Word from me because I comprehend it with spiritual understanding granted to me by the Holy Spirit. The Word in my heart is a seed that will bring forth a spiritual harvest in my life.
I am Born-Again, and the author of God’s book lives within me. He gives me divine wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Thank You, Father, for giving me Your Spirit. You put Your Spirit IN me so I can know, comprehend, and spiritually understand the things You have freely given me in the UNSEEN realm, so those things can manifest in a way everyone will be able to see!
Living this way, I know GREATER IS COMING FOR ME! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
