Knowing The Enemys Target satan targets both the spiritually strong and the spiritually weak. Whatever the level of our spiritual maturity, the enemy has a plan to make us spiritually stagnant. Jesus warned against this in His parable of the sower (see Matthew 13). In these scriptures, the sower is God and the seeds are God’s Word. The devil knows he has no power over the sower or the seed. This is why he focuses on corrupting the soil where the seeds land so that maybe he can prevent God’sWord from taking root in our hearts. Jesus warns against three types of soil where seeds suffer. Look at the first two. In Matthew 13:19, there is soil by the wayside: “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.” When our hearts become hardened due to unconfessed sin or bitterness, we lose our sensitivity to God’s voice and our understanding of His Word. The next type of soil is the shallow soil full of stones: “The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time”(Matthew 13:20-21). Fresh converts who are full of joy and awe over their new faith can quickly fall into old habits when their friends ridicule them. Even longtime believers can have shallow soil if they have failed to mature beyond spiritual infancy. Whats the key to cultivating fertile soil? As we continually humble ourselves before God in prayer, find daily nourishment in the Word of God, and walk in obedience, we will be deeply rooted in Christ—resilient in the face of opposition, drawing all our strength from Him. : Father, show me if I am one of these types of soil where the seeds of Your Word are not able to take root. I want to be deeply rooted in You.pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 18:17:46 +0000
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