Standing at the foot of a mountain, I observed a Manobo boy about 5 years old and a height up to my waist, casually marching down towards the village. He had a 5-foot cobra in his hand. Startled, I nearly jolted to "save him" from the vicious snake. But I shamefully halted noticing that the little boy wasn’t afraid of the snake. He had it by the neck. Stopping to observe me, the boy wondered, “What’s the problem? Why is this man staring at me?”
Everyone knows the Parable of the Sower from Mark 4:1-20. This is about seed that was sown in different types of environments. The spiritual meaning of this passage is that your heart should be a good environment to receive the word of God so that it will yield a great harvest.
Mark 4:18-19 says, “And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
Our life as people in the world but not of the world and people having dominion over all the earth is a paradox. In your heart, you're abiding in His overwhelming, sufficient love; in your hand, you’re wrestling a serpent.
Will you have the snake by the neck or will it have you by the neck?
The enemy's secret attacks are the "flaming arrows" of anxiety. Anxiety can ruin us if we dwell on them. If you meditate on your anxiety, you'll end up turning into a depressed turtle, hiding under your shell when people come around you.
But when it all goes down the drainpipe, one thing remains, "You are Free". Yes, you are free under the blood of Christ. You're not a bond slave to your anxiety. Meaning, your anxiety can't choke you unless you let it choke you. Freedom in Christ permits us to escape the anxieties of the world and receive from God. He cares enough for you, that you can cast your anxieties on Him.
Verse 20 says,
“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
Suggested Application:
Without sounding too Western, I'd like to give you a suggestion on how to cultivate good
soil in your heart to bear good fruit. This will take practice for a while until it becomes part of your daily routine.
Every day you wake up, take the first 15 minutes of your day to turn your heart to Him.
Worship: Tell God how good He is. Think of every good thing that God is and say it.
Declare: Speak out truths about God's Lordship, Provision and Glory in your life.
Receive: Simply withdraw the supernatural abundance from Heaven’s bank. They are a free gift for you! :)
Tip: Place a note beside your bed reminding you to do it in the morning. After some time it will become an excellent routine.
Blessings, Caleb Byerly