Let me describe a scenario that most of us have experienced. We hear the word of God concerning our situation and we began to declare that word over our life. We stand firm on that word knowing that it will come to pass. Full of faith, we stand. Suddenly it seems as if attacks are coming from every side. Then you wonder what you have done to cause such a thing. Every move you make seems to bring a residual attack – what do you do?
Mark 4:14 says ‘the sower sows the word.’ This scripture is talking about a word they have heard uttered – one they have heard or read that became revelation. We take that word of God and we begin to sow it, we begin to speak it over our life, we begin calling forth a manifestation of that word. What happens when we do that?
Mark 4:15 says ‘the enemy comes at once to take that word by force.’ Aha. That’s what happened when it seemed like the gates of hell were opened against you. The enemy has come to steal the word that has been sown in your heart and he intends to take it by force. He intends to put so much pressure in your life, to attack you from every side, for one reason, to cause you to turn loose of that word.
As we read on in Mark 4, we find that when this happens, when he comes to steal the word, one of three things will happen to that word.
It will be sown on stony ground, you will receive it with joy but having no root, when persecution comes you will stumble and fall away from that word.
It will sown among thorns and the cares of the world will choke it out and therefore will produce no fruit.
It will be sown on good ground and with a solid foundation; you will receive the word, accept it, welcome it and bear fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty fold and some even a hundred fold.
My question is which will it be for you?
The point of decision comes at the moment when the thief comes to steal the word, to take it by force, it is at that moment that you must make a decision if you are going to stumble and fall away, allow the cares of the world to choke the word, or stand on that word and stand firm until it produces fruit, thirty, sixty or hundredfold.
Here is where the rubber meets the road and we will all find ourselves on this path and at this particular moment, many of us have already found ourselves there before. Many of us have heard the word and then when the thief came, we allowed him to steal that word.
Many of us have allowed the cares of the world to take over our lives and choke out our faith, and that word has produced no fruit. But there are some of us, who when the enemy came to steal the word, stood firm, refused to back down and we have seen the fruit of our words.
You see, I found myself in a year ago this month. When I began being a part of the Healing Prayer Call, it was awesome. It was a tremendous blessing to hear people when their pain left, or when they could see again, I loved it…then the attacks started, personal attacks, physical attacks, mind attacks, and attacks on my family.
Therefore I found myself in a place where the enemy came to steal the word, every word we had declared in unity, the place the rubber met the road. Frankly, I was becoming tired of one battle after another. I had a decision to make. Would I stand firm and reap a harvest, thirty, sixty or a hundred fold. Of course I would. I know this, when the enemy is fighting this hard, I should take courage at the simple fact that he is so afraid that he has put this much effort in stopping us.
As my friend, Pastor Dave Roberson, would say ‘wonder what he is so afraid of?’ Of course we know what he is afraid of, he is afraid we will stand firm and see the promise of God manifest and then tell a few hundred people and then they will stand and see His promises come to pass in their life as well, causing the enemy to lose and have to restore.
How about you? Are you in this place also, you have stood in faith and it looks worse instead of better? It appears that there is more turmoil, more lack, more sickness or more division? If that is where you are, it is a sure sign that you have hit something in the spirit and the enemy has set out to stop you. Don’t stop. Refuse to stop. Instead go full speed ahead. Hit him with your best shot. Continue to declare the end from the beginning. Continue to speak the word of God only. Continue to tithe and give. Continue to sow seeds of faith. Continue to pray and fast. Continue and refuse to quit. You will find yourself in the category of those who produced fruit, maybe even a hundred fold and won’t that irritate the enemy.
Remember he is fighting a battle he has already lost, and you are standing for a victory that has already been won. All you have to do is stand. Stand and watch the word produce a harvest. Praise the Lord!
