Mark 4:15-19 (NKJV) And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their heart. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Passive and lukewarm Christians should not for a minute think the enemy will leave them alone—he never plays gentleman because his objective and nature are evil. When we receive the Word, convictions and development of faith will happen in us, because there is power in the Word of God. As such, we need to lay the right foundation, because Scripture tells us that as soon as the Word is taught, the devil will try to steal it from us by sending fiery darts our way. Knowing our weaknesses of being affected by our senses and easily convinced by what we see or hear, Satan will try and steal the Word from us by bringing cares, anxieties and tribulation into our lives.
Because thoughts from meditating on the negative will bring fear into our lives, we must actively resist meditating on the negative, but instead live by faith in God based on His character and the promises of His Word. We either live in fear or faith—there is no middle ground. Faith is meditating on the truth that brings peace, whereas fear is being concerned with the unknown and the various scenarios without the God factor in them. It is a decisive choice that we need to make, or else, fearful thoughts will choke out the Word that creates faith and peace in our lives, and usher in anxieties and fear which are the results of doubt and unbelief of the Word.
The devil’s tactic is to deceive us through our minds by causing us to look at our circumstances. Therefore, we need to come to a stage where we are more convinced by the Word than what our senses tell us, and we can’t expect to stand up to the onslaughts of the evil one unless we intentionally spend time to study, listen to, and meditate on the truth. Therefore, let’s make the decision today to make our hearts good soil to receive and accept the Word of God!
Ephesians 6:16 (NKJV) above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Sermon Series: The Seed Can be Stolen but It Is Difficult to Uproot the Tree!
让你的心田成为义的沃土
马可福音4:15-19 那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒但立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺了去。那撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受。
但他心里没有根，不过是暂时的，及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。
还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道。后来有世上的思虑，钱财的迷惑，和别样的私欲，进来把道挤住了，就不能结实。
被动和不冷不热的基督徒一分钟都不应该认为敌人会放过他们——牠从不装绅士，因为牠的目的和本性是邪恶的。当我们接受神的话语时，信心的信念和发展就会在我们里面发生，因为神的话语中有能力。因此，我们需要打下正确的基础，因为圣经告诉我们，一旦圣经被教导，魔鬼就会向我们的道路上发射火箭，试图从我们这里偷走它。撒但知道我们受感官影响的弱点，并且很容易被所见所闻所说服，因此它会通过将忧虑、焦虑和苦难带入我们的生活来试图从我们这里偷走圣言。
因为执着于消极的想法会使惧怕渗入我们的生命，我们需要积极抵制消极的思想，进而根据上帝的品格和祂话语的应许，凭着对上帝的信心而生活。我们要么生活在恐惧中，要么生活在信仰中——没有中间立场。信心就是默想那能够带来平安的真理，而恐惧是关注未知以及各种没有上帝因素的场景。我们需要做出当机立断的选择，否则，惧怕的念头会扼杀圣言—那本是能够在我们的生命中创造信心和平安的，并带来焦虑和恐惧，这是对圣言的怀疑和不信的结果。
魔鬼的手段是使我们只看到眼前的光景，通过我们的心思意念来欺骗我们。因此，我们需要达到这样一个境界：我们对神的道的信服过于我们的感官所告诉我们的，除非我们有意识地花时间学习、聆听，并默想真理，否则我们不能指望自己承受得住那恶者的侵扰。因此，让我们今天就下定决心，让我们的心成为领受神话语的好土壤。
以弗所书6:16 此外又拿着信德当作藤牌，可以灭尽那恶者一切的火箭。
讲章系列：种子会被偷走，但很难把树连根拔起！