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.
Last week, 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.
We have been looking at the rocky ground.
Jesus identifies three issues with these types of people:
(1) They do not allow the Word of God to go deep into their lives.
(2) They keep it only for a short time.
(3) As soon as trouble or persecution comes (because of the Word), they are quick to give up!
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. The Word of God attracts trouble.
— Here is the definition of “trouble” from Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language (1828 edition): To agitate; to disturb; to perplex; to put into confused motion.
— When God sows His Word in your heart, the Bible says trouble will come BECAUSE of it. Satan will do all he can to agitate, disturb, perplex, and confuse you. Satan does this because he knows that if you FOCUS on that Word, if you meditate and medicate on it day and night, it will change your life from the inside out.
— Satan is powerless against God and His Word. Satan knows he cannot stop the power of the Word of God. But if he can trouble you long enough to get you agitated, irritated, and disturbed, he knows he can cause you to lose your FOCUS, and without focus, you run the risk of derailing yourself from your destiny.
2. The Word of God attracts persecution.
— Here is the definition of “persecution” from Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language (1828 edition): Severe affliction; distresses of life; vexations; the infliction of pain, punishment, or death upon others unjustly, particularly for adhering to a religious creed or mode of worship, either by way of penalty or for compelling them to renounce their principles.
— Satan knows that if you receive a Word from God and you stand on that Word, the Word will produce Godly change IN you and then Godly fruit FROM you. This is why he puts pressure on you to give up while you are standing. And this is why God tells you, “Having done all, STAND!” And when you feel like you can’t keep going, the Holy Spirit will say, “Keep STANDING for I am STANDING with you!“
— The three Hebrew boys were persecuted for what they believed. The heat in the furnace was cranked up 7X hotter than normal. Level 1 fire was enough to kill them. Cranking the heat up to Level 8 was not going to change anything. But this is exactly what satan does. He will crank up the heat on you, putting pressure on you, hoping you will give up, cave in, and quit. But like the Hebrew boys, you must refuse to give up. Even if you get thrown into the fire, we serve a God who will GET IN THE FIRE WITH YOU!
— Don’t allow any pressure or persecution from the enemy to cause you to lose your focus! You shall reap if you don’t give up! (Gal 6:9).
3. The Word of God attracts spiritual warfare.
— Understand that when you receive and embrace the Word of God, you enter into a spiritual battle.
— The enemy, satan, will deploy various tactics to oppose and hinder the manifestation of God’s Word in your life.
— Spiritual warfare may include attacks on your mind, emotions, relationships, health, and circumstances.
— Stand firm in the authority and power of the Word, putting on the whole armor of God to resist the enemy’s schemes.
— We are in a spiritual fight, so you must use spiritual weapons, like prayer and the declaration of God’s promises. It takes the use of spiritual weapons to overcome spiritual opposition.
— The Word will work, but you have to hold on to it long enough for it to do what it does!
4. The Word of God attracts divine empowerment, meaning it comes with the grace to perform it.
— Despite the trouble, persecution, and spiritual warfare that the Word attracts, God’s Word carries within it divine empowerment to overcome. In other words, it brings GRACE!
— As you stand on the Word and remain rooted in faith, God’s power, His grace, is activated in your life.
— No Word from God is without the power to perform it.
— The Word of God comes with the grace to do what God commands.
— While every word from God comes with the power to perform it, you won’t be able to walk in that power if you lose your focus. Let’s use Peter walking on water as an example. The Word came for Peter to join Jesus on the water when Jesus said, “COME!” The Word from Jesus came with the power (grace) to perform it. So when Peter walked on water, he was actually WALKING ON THE WORD. But then he lost his focus, and he fell into the water. This teaches us two things: a) no matter how crazy it seems, the Word God spoke to you will empower you to do what He said, and b) you cannot lose your focus because once you do, you will no longer be operating in the grace that came with the Word.
In closing, you learned today that trouble and persecution WILL COME when you receive a Word from God. The power of the Word attracts the opposition. But that’s okay because you have the GRACE FOR IT! Just as long as you continue to embrace the grace, you will endure and overcome anything that comes your way.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, this is a season of refreshing and restoring for me! I boldly declare:
While the power of the Word attracts trouble, I will not be shaken or swayed by it. I am rooted in God’s Word, and no amount of agitation or confusion from the enemy will distract me from my focus.
Persecution may come because of the Word, but I stand firm in my faith. I will not waver or compromise. Even in the face of pressure and affliction, I will remain steadfast and unmovable, knowing that God is with me and His Word will prevail.
I will not give up, no matter the intensity of the heat or the challenges I face. Just like the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, I trust in God’s presence and protection. Even if I am thrown into the fire, I thank You, Father, for getting down in the fire with me. When I come out, I will not even smell like smoke!
I will not lose my focus or let any pressure or persecution deter me from my purpose. I stay grounded in the Word of God, meditating on it day and night. I will not give up until I see every promise fulfilled in my life.
I embrace the grace to endure and overcome. By Your grace, Father, I walk in the victory You have provided, leaving a mark in this world that will not easily be erased. 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!
