(part 6 – pt 1 , pt 2, pt 3, pt 4, pt 5)
Since there’s a part of this confession that we all LOVE precisely because it sounds as though His Word is going to automatically (or Sovereignly) do its work to come to pass in our lives – He immediately began to draw my attention back to OUR PART in making sure we see the fulfillment of Isaiah 55:11 in many instances. Don’t misunderstand, I believe there are words that God can speak that will Sovereignly come to pass irregardless of whether anyone joins their agreement of faith to what has been spoken. But there are also many words He gives that He has determined will only come to pass if we are willing and obedient – if we truly HOLD FAST in FAITH AND PATIENCE and do our part. So after we began to focus on confession #10, He immediately took me back to the core curriculum of His Word (Kingdom Principles 101) – The Parable of the Sower. He first brought back to mind confession #4. Then a few days later, He also led me to the account of the parable of the Sower in Luke 8 (I will only include the end):
Now the meaning of the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.12 Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts, that they may not believe (acknowledge Me as their Savior and devote themselves to Me) and be saved [here and hereafter] {Greek word for saved also meaning healed, delivered, protected, prospered}.13 And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof). 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (COME TO MATURITY AND PERFECTION). 15 But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, HOLD IT FAST in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and STEADILY BRING FORTH FRUIT WITH PATIENCE. Luke 8: 11-15
Did you see it? When I reread this today, I was STUNNED when I realized it also has our key phrase “HOLD FAST” in the description of what the GOOD SOIL does with the WORD!!!!!!! ONLY JESUS!!!!!!! I can’t plan this stuff!!!
On THE SAME DAY that the Lord took me back to this passage, He also gave me this same message of the necessity of PATIENT PERSEVERANCE through a John Hagee devo:
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The fourth face (of the 4 faces of the man of God described in Ezekiel) is that of an ox, which brings me to the point. An ox is a persistent plodder. When you feed an ox … It just gets out and plows. Give it some oats and it will plow, plow, plow. More oats; more plow. No bellyaching, it just plods and plows. Let me tell you something, friend – God is not looking for flash and dash. He’s looking for persistent plodders. Those with flash and dash will fall in the ditch. God is looking for the oxen who will put their shoulders to the wheel and pull, who are COMMITTED to DISCIPLINE, DETERMINED to FINISH the race. God is looking for men and women who will be divine, persistent plodders to pursue the purposes of God. PERSEVERANCE is the portrait of the saints. How can you tell who’s a Christian? Certainly not by what they say. You can talk the talk and not walk the walk. … So how can you tell who’s a Christian? The Bible gives the answer: by their FRUIT. Fruit cannot be produced in a day. Fruit cannot be produced in a week. Fruit takes months and years TO COME TO MATURITY. The point is, you can’t tell who is a persistent Christian until you have seen their fruit, and that takes time. ONLY the PERSISTENT WILL PRODUCE FRUIT. (Copyright, John Hagee Ministries)
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AGAIN:
But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, HOLD IT FAST in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and STEADILY BRING FORTH FRUIT WITH PATIENCE. Luke 8:15
These words came right on the heels of another similar word the Lord gave us about the need to PUT OUR HANDS TO THE PLOW AND NOT LOOK BACK! (He also showed me that same sobering warning from Scripture last week too – Luke 9:62). This is stout medicine, but also some much needed encouragement for anyone who is hearing the enemy screaming in their ears to give up and throw it all away. These words this week show us that instead God is pleading with us to HOLD FAST to the Word He’s given us, knowing that He who promised is FAITHFUL. He’s exposing the lies and attacks of the enemy that are attempting to steal, uproot, and choke out that Word. And He’s reminding us that we must take captive every one of those thoughts and circumstances contrary to His promises and bring them into obedience to Christ.
Finally, He’s urging us that we must continue to persistently plow, plant, and water – both in the field of our hearts and in whatever field He’s called us to work in in order to bring our dreams to pass – doing our part to ensure the Word takes root and grows until we finally bring forth fruit with patience. Since some of the other accounts of the parable of the Sower reveal that the good soil can produce a 30, 60, or 100 fold harvest, we should also seek the Lord to know everything we need to do to make sure the seeds of His Word that we’re planting will reach their FULL POTENTIAL and produce their MAXIMUM HARVEST possible! In Jesus’ Name!
(For those applying these words to healing – and potentially other areas as well – please do not get discouraged thinking that this means it must take a process of many years to see your healing manifest!!! God has provided other gifts of the Spirit – such as gifts of healing and miracles – to circumvent His normal process of seedtime and harvest (or Seed, T-I-M-E, and Harvest) with the gift of faith. While the HOLD FAST words still definitely apply until whatever time you see your healing, deliverance, or other promises manifest – I’m primarily applying the parts about persistence over years to life-long goals surrounding destiny/calling.)
The Lord also showed us that others were enduring the exact same attacks against their mind/faith this past week! It’s been so interesting over the years to observe how this happens – how the enemy seems to be launching the same attacks on believers everywhere simultaneously – and how God is speaking the exact same things to other believers that He’s speaking to us in the midst of those attacks to enable us to overcome. Seeing/Hearing these confirmations through others is always SO AMAZING and encouraging, letting us know that we’re NOT alone in the battle and that we’re truly hearing from the Lord in how to respond! THANK YOU JESUS!
Praying that we’ll all be GOOD SOIL ~ those WHO HEAR and HOLD FAST to God’s Word/promises (and our PROFESSION of and action toward them in faith). We pray we will all recognize and overcome every one of the enemy’s attempts to steal, uproot, and choke out the Word from our lives, and that we will PERSEVERE WITH PATIENCE until we see the Word ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT GOD DESIRES and ACHIEVE THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH HE SENT IT ~ that we will be those who reach its MAXIMUM POTENTIAL ~ bringing forth 100 FOLD HARVESTS! In JESUS’ NAME!
Laura Tyree
to be continued… (Hold Fast Your Profession – pt 7 )
