What happens when something of value has been taken from you? Do you get upset? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get it back? What if it was the most valuable thing you can imagine? What if it is the Word of God?
Sometimes things are taken from us. Sometimes things are stolen from us. It may be something very small and inconsequential. We may shrug it off and go on. But if it is something of great value, it can have a very profound effect on us.
If you have ever had something stolen from you, you know how it can make you feel. It is especially impactful if our vehicle or home is broken into. We feel like we have been violated. We may even feel dirty or shameful that something like that happened to us.
Back the last question posed above. What if it is the Word of God? In the parable Jesus is teaching, He explains the devil can and does steal the Word of God from people. These are people who hear the Word, but it is snatched away from them before it can sprout or take hold. This is not talking about the person who has heard the Word for years, attended church for years, and slowly fell away. This is the person who may be a friend you talk to about Jesus, but it never seems to sink in. Satan comes along and steals it away before they can even think about it.
Is there anything you can do about it? Yes! You can continue to tell them about Jesus. You can persevere in your mission, continually bringing up Jesus, telling them how He has worked in your life. You can use different approaches. Quote Scripture. Tell them how your life changed. Talk about the joy you have now that you didn’t have before. Relate a story of stress and how Jesus helped you overcome the situation. Use whatever examples you can from your life. You never know which one may break through and sink in.
The devil is an enemy of God. He is an enemy of ours. His desire is to keep us from growing close to God. The earlier in the process he can do that, by stealing the Word away before it can take hold, the easier his job is. The only way we can overcome him is through prayer and perseverance.
I pray we all commit to persevering. I pray we lean on God for the strength we need to persevere. I pray we continually look for ways to break through to the lost. Persevere in Christ. Ask God for the strength you need. Ask God to guide you. Listen for the Holy Spirit.
Luke 8:11-12 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”
Marty Pressey 