VB173 The Seed And Mighty Weapon

The Seed And Mighty Weapon

[Lk 8:11-15]

I worked with a guy one time who drove around with an old Bible on the dashboard of his pickup truck. The Bible would slide around when he suddenly turned or braked kinda hard. The pages were dusty and the gold edges were grayed. I knew the book hadn’t been read, and I knew what a real worn Bible looked like. I also knew what the sun did to a book after awhile.

That Bible reminded me of when I was a kid. I had heard that if you carried a rabbit’s foot, it would bring you good luck. So I did that for awhile. I didn’t pay much attention to it. I just went around feeling the rabbit’s foot in my pocket. I’d take out and look at, and carry it some more, but like most dead things, it didn’t work.

When I was a kid I didn’t know the difference between good luck and the blessing of the Lord.

Jesus explains the parable of the sower:

Lk 8:11-15 (NASB) – [11] “Now this is the parable: the seed is the word of God. [12] “And those beside the road are the ones who have heard, then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. [13] “Those on the rocky soil are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and yet these do not have a firm root; they believe for a while, and in a time of temptation they fall away. [14] “And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. [15] “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

It is through the reading of the Word and the enlightenment of Holy Spirit that Christ is known in His fullness. What a privilege it is today to have God’s Word in our own language. Six hundred years ago there was no English translation of the whole Bible. We should take advantage of this wonderful privilege. Thanks to all the work of John Wycliffe (1384) and William Tyndale (1523), today we are able to read and understand the writings of the apostles for ourselves. Men gave their lives to bring us God’s Word.

Lk 8:11 “the word of God” includes all we need for salvation and the Christian life. From the born-again experience to a Spirit-filled warrior, we are well equipped for advancing the kingdom of God.

The piece of armor known as the “sword of the Spirit” is the only piece of armor that has the ability to cut, wound, and hurt our enemy, the devil. It’s not the Bible lying on your coffee table (or the dash of your car) that makes the enemy flee, it is the Word of God that you carry in your heart, activated by the power of Holy Spirit, and spoken in an appropriate situation. It’s similar to what is spoken when Jesus said in John 6:63, that “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” Not a good luck charm! The Word by itself doesn’t make us free. It is the Word we know and speak that will deliver us (Jn 8:32).

Why is the Word so effective? It’s because it is what God hath said! It has authority, because it is indeed the WORD of God. God’s Word is absolute, it supersedes all authority of reason, of intellect, and even of Satan himself.

It is Holy Spirit who handles this Word as it is spoken in faith. Speaking God’s Word in faith brings Spirit and life into action. In Luke chapter 4, it was the Word of God that Jesus used to defeat the enemy in the time of His temptation. Jesus consistently met His temptation by quoting from God’s Word as He stated the phrase, “It is written.” Likewise, the Christian soldier must know God’s Word and have it in his heart, ready for Holy Spirit to bring it forth at the appropriate time to accomplish a complete, total victory. It’s yours! Read it, believe it, speak it!

Lk 8:12 “the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts” There is a spiritual evil force who wants to rob you of God’s gospel (cf. 2Cor 4:4). Don’t give it up! Don’t let the enemy have your helmet! Know who you are in Christ, and brandish your weapon. Hold fast to your faith and fight with God’s Word! Your faith must stand on what God has said about you!

Lk 8:13 “those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy” This shows that the initial joyful acceptance of the gospel is not automatically eternal salvation! Example: Some Jews believed Jesus in John 8:31, but as His teaching deepened they called Him illegitimate (8:41), and the same Jews tried to kill Him by the end of the chapter (Jn 8:59). Likewise, many church goers stopped believing when the teaching got deep, and they would like to eliminate some true disciples.

Lk 8:14 “are choked with worries and riches and pleasure of this life” Here is another group who, after what seems to be a vital initial response to the Gospel, gave in to the pressures of earthly life (cf. Demas in 2Tim 4:10, loved this present world, and deserted Paul; No one can serve two master, God and mammon in Lk 16:13). This always brings up the theological questions, “Are these people lost.., immature…. or saved and then lost?” My answer is, keep strengthening your own relationship with God.

bring no fruit to maturity” This issue is fruit-bearing, not germination only (cf. Mt 7).

Lk 8:15 “hold it fast and bear fruit with perseverance” Both of these verbs show constant, lifestyle action. Here is the key—the harvest is the result of a whole life, not just one emotional incident of dedication to God (cf. Gal 6:9).

I hear and receive the seed of the Word of God into my heart. It is not choked with worries, and pleasure of worldly life. God’s Word in me brings forth fruit to maturity. I am determined to hold fast with perseverance.

When the devil comes to take the Word from my heart, I stand firm against him. The Word of God is a mighty weapon, It supplies my every need. The spoken Word beats the enemy, and I gain even more wisdom and understanding in the victory!

God bless you my friend,

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