Keep the Word of God in Your Heart, and Bear Fruit with Patience (Part 2)

“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard THE WORD with a noble and good heart, KEEP IT AND BEAR FRUIT WITH PATIENCE.” (Luke 8:15 NKJV).

Beloved, we are continuing our series on the Parable of the Sower, and in this second part of the series we will unveil the revelation in the seed that “fell on (rock -- Luke 8:6, or on) stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.” (Matthew 13:5 NKJV, brackets and emphasis mine). Jesus said, “But the ones on the rock are those who, WHEN THEY HEAR, RECEIVE THE WORD WITH JOY; and these HAVE NO ROOT, who BELIEVE FOR A WHILE and in time of temptation FALL AWAY.” (Luke 8:13 NKJV). You will notice here that this category of hearers don't just receive the Word into their heart, but they receive it WITH JOY, and even BELIEVE IT FOR A WHILE. They would shout the loudest Amen and then praise the Word when the preacher is preaching, they would receive the Word with gladness. But because they have no root in themselves, because they are not grounded in the truth of the Word, they only BELIEVE FOR A WHILE, they only endure for a while, until PERSECUTION or TRIBULATION arises BECAUSE OF THE WORD (see Mark 4:16-17; Matthew 13:20-21), until TEMPTATION comes because of the Word, then they stumble, they stop believing it, they fall away. How tragic!

What Jesus is saying here also is that when you hear and receive the Word of the Kingdom, temptation, persecution or tribulation MAY ARISE BECAUSE OF THE WORD (see Mark 4:16-17; Matthew 13:20-21; Luke 8:13). And when temptation or persecution or tribulation comes because of the Word, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” (see Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50). The Lord Jesus Christ Himself presents a classic evidence of this truth. The Bible says that after Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan and the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him, “Then a voice came from heaven, “YOU ARE My BELOVED Son, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” (Mark 1:11 NKJV). Then, “IMMEDIATELY the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, TEMPTED BY SATAN …” (Mark 1:12‭-‬13 NKJV). In this temptation, Satan went straight after the Word which Jesus had received from God the Father: “YOU ARE My BELOVED Son, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” Satan came to Jesus and said, “IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD, command that these stones become bread.” (Matthew 4:3 NKJV). But as the story relates, Jesus did not succumb to the temptation of Satan, because not only had Jesus heard the Word of God, not only had He understood the Word, not only had He received or believed the Word, He also had root in Himself and so He kept the Word in His heart and bore fruit WITH PATIENCE -- He believed steadfastly that He was the Son of God, regardless of what charge the devil would bring against Him. Indeed, when temptation came because of the Word, Jesus was not afraid; He only believed, He submitted to the Word of God, resisted Satan, and Satan flee from Him. The Bible says that Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (see Hebrews 4:15 NKJV). Indeed, in time of temptation, Jesus CONFESSED His faith in the Word of God, and CONFESSED His dependence on the Word of God by declaring to Satan that “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.’”(see Luke 4: 4). And so Jesus lived by every Word of God.

Evidently, Jesus was also continually PERSECUTED, and eventually given over by the Jews (the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and chief priests) to be CRUCIFIED, because of the Word which He had received from the Father, which He had kept in His heart, which He had lived by, and which He had continually confessed with His mouth that He was THE SON OF GOD. The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to our law He OUGHT TO DIE, because He MADE Himself THE SON OF GOD.” (John 19:7 NKJV). And so they accused Jesus of blasphemy and killed Him. Jesus’ truthful confession that He was the Son of God, had Him falsely convicted of blasphemy and crucified. It was Jesus’ confession of the Word of God that infuriated the enemy and got Him killed, because the enemy couldn’t stand it! Today Satan still can’t stand to hear us confess who we are as new creations in Christ. He can’t stand to hear us confess that we are the beloved sons of God who are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. (see John 1: 12; 1 John 3: 2, with Ephesians 1: 3). Satan can’t stand to hear us confess that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 5: 21), and that there is therefore now no condemnation for us because we are in Christ Jesus. (see Romans 8: 1; Romans 8: 33-39). Satan can’t stand to hear us confess that sin shall not have dominion over us because we are not under Law but under Grace. (see Romans 6: 14). This is why the Bible tells us to hold fast our confession. (see Hebrews 4: 14). We have to continually confess who we are in Christ according to the Word of God. Indeed, we overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb, and by the WORD (logos) OF OUR TESTIMONY, not loving our lives UNTO DEATH. (see Revelation 12: 11). Jesus wasn’t afraid to confess who He was even if it meant death, and neither should we be afraid to confess who we are in Christ, even if it means death, because that is how we overcome the enemy.

Thus the Bible tells all believers to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (see Ephesians 6:10), exhorting us to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through MANY TRIBULATIONS enter the kingdom of God.” (see Acts 14:22 NKJV). “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.” (II Timothy 3:12 NKJV). So we are to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (see Hebrews 12:1‭-‬2 NKJV). But unfortunately there are many who fall away or reject the faith in time of temptation, persecution or tribulation, and of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom Paul delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme (see I Timothy 1:20 NKJV).

There are many today who hear the gospel and receive it with joy; they hear or read John 3:16 and receive it with gladness: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH in Him SHOULD NOT PERISH, but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.” (John 3:16 KJV). Oh, what joy, what great news! They are also told that if they will sincerely confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead, they will be saved (see Romans 10:9). So they gladly receive the Word, and FOR A WHILE they BELIEVE the Word, and they believe that they are saved because of their faith in Christ, until they are TEMPTED and they sin, or until PERSECUTION or TRIBULATION ARISES BECAUSE OF THE WORD, until the people who seek to put us back in bondage to the Law, whom Paul refers to in Philippians 3:1-11 as “dogs,” “evil workers,” “the mutilation,” and later in verse 18, “enemies of the cross of Christ,” come along to condemn them and persecute them for believing that they are saved by faith alone in Christ alone, and then THEY STOP BELIEVING THAT THEY ARE SAVED, and start working FOR their salvation, they start seeking the righteousness that comes through the Law, instead of laying hold on the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ Jesus; they fall away. To such people the apostle Paul says, “You have become ESTRANGED FROM CHRIST, you who attempt  to be justified by law; YOU HAVE FALLEN from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Galatians 5:4‭-‬5 NKJV). Then he asks, “This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the WORKS OF THE LAW, or by the hearing of FAITH? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3: 2-3). “For by grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 NKJV).

Indeed, the Christian walk is a walk of faith. “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (II Corinthians 5: 7 NKJV). To the Corinthian Church, Paul said, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, BY WHICH ALSO YOU ARE SAVED, if you HOLD FAST THAT WORD WHICH I PREACHED TO YOU —unless you BELIEVED IN VAIN.” (I Corinthians 15:1‭-‬2 NKJV). Thus, those who, WHEN THEY HEAR, RECEIVE THE WORD WITH JOY; and these HAVE NO ROOT IN THEMSELVES, who BELIEVE FOR A WHILE and in time of temptation FALL AWAY, have BELIEVED IN VAIN. “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence STEADFAST TO THE END ” (Hebrews 3:14 NKJV).

There are also those who are well-rooted in the elementary principles of Christ, the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God. Yes, they steadfastly believe that they are saved by faith alone in Christ alone, and yet they do not believe in some of the benefits or the fruits of redemption -- for instance, they do not believe in the healing that is theirs by the stripes of Jesus, they do not believe in prosperity even though the Bible says our Lord Jesus Christ though He was rich became poor that we through His poverty might become rich, and John also prayed that we may prosper and be in health even as our soul prospers, they do not believe in speaking with new tongues even though it's among the signs Jesus said will follow those who believe, neither do they believe in miracles, and so they do not enjoy any of these benefits.

Beloved, is there any remedy for this category of hearers of the Word of the Kingdom? Indeed, there is. Jesus implied in the Parable that their problem is not that they do not understand the Word they hear; their problem is not even that they do not believe the Word, for they believe it alright. But their problem is that THEY HAVE NO ROOT IN THEMSELVES. Now, what does Jesus mean by this? He means they are not deeply-grounded or rooted in the truth of the Word, they are not fully submitted to the Word, they do not give themselves entirely to the Word, they do not put the Word into practice. And so such people are easily tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (see Ephesians 4:14). Having no root in themselves, they only BELIEVE THE WORD FOR A WHILE, not putting the Word into practice, not being doers of the Word, for they stumble or stop believing the Word and fall away WHEN TEMPTATION, PERSECUTION OR TRIBULATION ARISES BECAUSE OF THE WORD. You would remember that Jesus had said earlier, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and DO NOT DO WHAT I SAY? As for everyone who comes to me and HEARS MY WORDS and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE, I will show you what they are like. They are LIKE A MAN BUILDING A HOUSE, who DUG DOWN DEEP and LAID THE FOUNDATION ON ROCK. When A FLOOD CAME, the torrent STRUCK that house but COULD NOT SHAKE IT, because IT WAS WELL BUILT.  But the one who HEARS MY WORDS and DOES NOT PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE is like a man who built a house on the ground WITHOUT A FOUNDATION. The moment THE TORRENT STRUCK that house, IT COLLAPSED and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46‭-‬49 NIV). What this means is that only those who hear the Word of the Kingdom AND PUT IT INTO PRACTICE become rooted or have root in themselves. Jesus said that such people are like a man who has built his house on a rock, who has dug down deep and laid its foundation on rock, and is thus unshakable by the flood or torrent when it strikes. Beloved you will not be shaken by temptation, or tribulation or persecution, when you hear the Word of the Kingdom, understand it, believe it, keep it in your heart, and put it into practice. Submitting to the Word of God and putting it into practice will give you root in yourself, so that you can resist all the temptation, persecution, and tribulation that the devil might throw at you. James says, "Therefore SUBMIT TO GOD. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7 NKJV). Submitting to God is the same as submitting to the Word of God, for God and His Word are one (see John 1:1). Indeed you need to believe the Word of God enough to be moved to confess what it says, to do what it says and to claim what it says, regardless of what temptation or persecution or tribulation the Word might bring.

In Part three (3) of the series, we will discuss the revelation in the seed that “fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.” (Luke 8:7 NKJV). Please return to this Page in two days to read Part 3, for I am confident that by the end of this series you will understand how having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, you can keep it and BEAR FRUIT WITH PATIENCE. Remain blessed.

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