REACTIONS TO THE WORD OF GOD
REACTIONS TO THE WORD OF GOD
The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. —Mark 4:14-20
Those who sow the Word of God into the lives of various kinds of people come into contact with four types, according to this passage. Three types of people are fruitless and only one is fruitful.
There is satanic opposition to the Word of God when it is sown into some people’s lives. There is superficial acceptance of the Word of God when sown into some people’s lives. There is selfish focus which hinders the Word of God in still others and then there are those who soak in the Word of God and the result it fruitfulness.
Our responsibility is to sow the seed. We do not know immediately what type of person the Word of God is being sown into. But, if we have contact with that person over time it will become evident. Here are the possible responses: 1-There will be an immediate rejection of the Word of God. -There will be a time of joyful religiosity then they fall away. 3- There will be a stagnant, worldly focus. All these prove people are fruitless. But then there are those who hear the Word of God, they accept the Word of God and they are fruitful.
Again, resistance to the Word of God and fruitlessness is either from satanic, superficiality or selfishness opposition. I have seen this and I am sure you have as well. There are those who are just adamantly and militantly against the Word of God. Others appear to accept the Word of God, but in time when things are hard, they fall away. Then there are those who are so focused on the temporal things so that God’s Word is shadowed out of their lives.
So… what kind of a person are you— opposed to the Word of God? —Superficial acceptance of the Word of God? — Distracted from the Word of God by a temporal focus? — Or, acceptance of the Word of God and bearing fruit? Which are you? Oh, Dear Father I do trust Your Word, accept Your Word and may I bear much fruit for Your glory and in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. May it be so! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zaaiFp4RSM