Father our prayer today is that you illuminate our heart and minds and open our ears so that we, as the family of the most high God, may understand what is happening, both in the spirit world and in the world we live in, so that we might be involved in the tearing down of the strongholds of the evil one. Amen!

 

We are living in one of the most pivotal times in history! This is a time of great victory, breakthrough, and display of God's mighty power. But it is also a time of intense warfare-in both the spiritual and the natural realms.

 

The powers of darkness are doing all they can to prevent God's perfect plan from coming to pass. But they shall fail! Why? Because warriors like us are rising up to push back against the enemy's advance! I don't want to give the enemy unnecessary attention, but the Bible reminds us that we are not to be ignorant of the devil's schemes. Paul said in 2 Cor. 2:10-11, (NIV)

 

"Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven"if there was anything to forgive"I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."

 

So, it is important that we might know some of the tactics the enemy might use to hinder us in our fight against these demonic forces. While talking about end-times events, Jesus warned us to not allow ourselves to be deceived! Jesus knew the intensity of what we would be up against in the last days as the devil pulls out all of his tricks to bring about evil in our nation and throughout the world.

 

Therefore, if we are going to be successful in pulling down the strongholds of Satan, we need to ensure that we don't allow the evil around us to lure us into a place of deception!

 

In order to do this, there must be a remnant of believers who will bring a fresh emphasis to the Bible and God's word which will always come to pass. So many Christians who are not in the Word daily will say, "Well! I think so and so!" What you think must be what the Word of God says and not just your opinion! This is how not to be deceived into thinking something that is not God's Word.

 

Let's be honest; we are living in a culture of biblical abandonment. Recent studies have shown that nearly 70 percent of millennials and those younger no longer believe the Bible is God's inerrant Word and few of these young people have any form of biblical worldview at all!

 

I am sorry to say that many churches and those who identify themselves as Christians are now adopting a deviant version of Christianity that is opposed to biblical truth. There are a lot of pastors that rarely preach from the Bible or have even stopped completely! Instead, they give their congregations culturally acceptable "self-help" coaching that blurs the lines of the truths woven throughout the Bible. We have come to a place where we must defend the Word of God!

 

We must create another awakening that emphasizes the power and truth of the Scriptures. Not only must we schedule time in our Bibles, but we also need to learn how to cultivate the seed of the Word inside us until it bears evident fruit. We can go to Church every time there is a service and listen and agree on what is being taught.

However, until we learn to put into practice what the Word is telling us, it will lay dormant in our lives because it will not produce unless we practice what it says.

 

If we are going to wage an effective war against the forces of darkness, we must be proficient soldiers at wielding our spiritual sword which is the Word of God! What we think about something doesn't matter, what does God think about it! He is the one that we will have to give an account too.

 

Let's take a look at what Jesus had to say in Mark 4. It will provide us with some clues that will help us avoid the traps that prevent the seed of God's Word from developing into a full harvest in our lives.

 

Jesus said, "Do you not understand this parable?' In other words, if you understand the truths embedded in this parable, and apply them you will be empowered to unlock all the benefits that the Kingdom of God provides. Jesus divided the individuals described in this parable into four groups. However, I want to share them today in a way that may shed new light and help prevent us from falling into the rampant deception and overall dismal climate surrounding our culture right now.

 

Jesus said the first group are those to whom Satan comes immediately and takes the seed of the Word from them. (Mark 4:15) They simply reject the truth. It could be the truth of salvation altogether, or like some Christians, they are always faultfinding and criticizing so they never truly hear what God is saying with spiritual ears and thus, no fruit develops.

 

This is why I always tell people not to form an immediate opinion or criticism of a teaching or a prophetic word. Some things just need time to be reviewed, studied and developed. I have heard teachings that I had questions about and if I am involved in another revelation and teaching of the Lord, I just ask the Spirit of the Lord to reveal that to me if it is correct or incorrect at a time when I am ready to receive it' This has happened several times in my quest to know the truth and God is faithful to reveal it to me when I am ready.

 

Again, we should be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who first received the word with gladness, and then went back to the Scriptures for in-depth study to ensure what they were hearing was true. This practice is almost a lost art among many Christians today. When we take our cues from a critical and vengeful culture, we sometimes reject what has been presented without further prayer and study. If we want God's Word to bear fruit in our lives, we must maintain a receptive, teachable spirit!

 

Jesus then describes the next group as those who get excited at first, but don't realize that it takes time to develop roots in what they have learned or received. (Mark 4:16-17) This can apply to the new believer who just doesn't stick it out in their relationship to the Lord, but I also see this within the church world. Think about how many of us attend church on Sunday, listen to a powerful sermon that gets us pumped and excited, but then we never work to undergird those truths through further study and application.

 

What we must always recognize is this: When you receive revelation, truth, or insights from God's Word, there will always be a counterattack from the enemy! So, don't be surprised by it! Jesus clearly emphasized that the affliction and persecution launched against this group was solely because they had received God's Word and therefore the devil attacked them as a result. Then because the Word inside the person who was attacked had not matured, they give up on the Word they initially received.

 

Far too many believers in our churches have become frustrated by the fact that they prayed and the miracle they expected did not manifest. According to Jesus, those in this state may become offended, so, they quit believing as they once did, or they turn away from the Lord altogether. When a seed has been planted in your heart is the moment for you to begin developing that seed through prayer and study so your root system can grow and bring you to the fruit-bearing stage. When biblical truth is presented to you, either from your own study or through preaching and teaching, make sure you study and strengthen your understanding and faith in what the Bible say so you aren't pulled away fron it when difficulty arises.

 

For example, when Jesus says we are to be quick to forgive, we must begin to practice forgiving those who offend us. Instead of becoming bitter, we need to practice doing something nice to that person. Practice makes perfect.

 

Jesus then spoke of those who hear truth from the Scriptures but allow the world and culture around them to distract them or lure them into deception. (Mark 4, 18-19)
We are seeing this group of Christians growing as many churches and believers embrace a "woke" mindset and ideologies from the world. Many of our modern-day deceptions come nicely packaged in a certain amount of truth.

 

However, if we are going to see God's Word be fruitful in our lives, we need to put up boundaries to ward off the onslaught of worldly input and temptations coming our way daily. Much of that which distracts our attention and distorts our views comes online via our electronic devices. We know that you agree with us that we need to get back into the Word every day.

 

The next group that Jesus talks about is the group we all want to be in. so, what is it that makes this group that Jesus talks about in Mark 4:20 stay stable and stand strong amidst trials so that they eventually see results?

 

First, we must see that they kept a soft, teachable spirit. Then, they put significant time needed to develop a stable root system in God's Word. Lastly, they knew how to separate themselves from the world and its distractions, ideals, and temptations. They have learned how to control the thoughts that come into their minds by comparing them with what the Lord has revealed to them.

My prayer for you this new year is that you will spend more time in the Word of God and practice what it says to you!