When I look back over the years at the workings of God in my life, I remember many great truths that God has tried to plant in my life. Another thing I remember is this: The enemy of my soul came to steal the good Word almost immediately. He did not want these spiritual truths to take deep root in my life. Why? I think because he knows when the world sees change in us they will be attracted to our Savior, to God who controls us, our actions, and our thinking. And when that happens, a revolution is soon to follow.
If he can steal the good Word right away, before we've had time to sleep on it, to mull it over, to reread scriptures or to really ponder on these new truths, then he has won a victory. The roots will not go down deep and take root so that they produce fruit.
In Mark Jesus warns us about this through the parable of the seeds.
The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. " Mark 4:14-19 NIV
Verse 20 says: Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.
I don't even want to tell you the number of times that I, either through my own ignorance or my disobedience, have let the enemy root out the good seed. However, God is not through with me yet and I have learned to jump right back in the ring, to keep fighting, keep believing, keep studying, keep reading His Word.
My prayer for us today is that we will be one of the "OTHERS" described in verse 20--that we will hear the Word, accept it, and produce a mighty crop.
He longs for us to be deeply rooted in Him. I long to be so deeply rooted in Him that when the winds of adversity come, I will stand strong and steady and sure because of His strength alone.
