Recently I stopped by a McDonald's restaurant and found myself purchasing a twenty first century version of their infamous "Happy Meal." It consisted of a Caesar salad and low fat chicken. My Happy Meal "toy" was a pedometer used to register walking distance.
My McDonald's experience was all about promoting good heart health.
Today, much attention is focused on exercise and proper diet to foster good cardiac health. The goal is to sustain a high quality of life.
Health For The Whole Man
I'm all for promoting good physical health. Yet, there is an element of heart health that often is overlooked. I'm talking now about your spiritual health. The Bible refers to your spirit man as your heart (1 Peter 3:4).
Just as your physical heart needs protection and care to insure vital and robust health, your spirit needs care as well. Proverbs 4:23 charges the believer to "Keep (guard) your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
The reason your heart (spirit man) needs to be protected is because it is the fountain from which outflow spiritual life forces. This is powerful! The Word is saying that the quality of your life is set by the condition of your heart.
Taken literally, Proverbs 4:23 warns to protect your heart because it is the path to your health, prosperity, and soundness. A good water well left unguarded or unprotected might easily become clogged, unable to render forth its life-sustaining waters.
Attacks On The Source
Today there is an all out assault on the believer's heart. The enemy knows that by attacking the heart, he is attacking the source and path to your full inheritance. Thank God we are not ignorant of Satan's devices!
So, let's unmask the enemy's devices and discover how to guard our heart and always insure victory.
The parable of the sower outlines very clearly why the heart needs protection. When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his hear (Matt. 13:19).
The enemy's first attempt is to snatch the Word from your heart before it can germinate. Note carefully, in this instance, the reason the enemy can get the Word is because there is no understanding. Carefully read the passage again.
Maybe you heard someone's testimony about how they received a healing in their body and you're thinking, "I sure wish I could figure how that healing stuff works. I don't even know if God still heals today." The trouble here is you've got a little knowledge of healing but you're lacking understanding. And so, the enemy snatches away the seed.
You see, healing can't come because the small amount of seed that was sown in your heart got snatched away before it was watered with more Word and understanding could come.
So, the key is to keep feeding and acting on the Word and gaining more understanding. Proverbs 4:7 says, "...with all thy getting, get understanding." Proverbs 2:2 says to apply your heart to understanding. Stay with the Word and understanding will come!
Different Approaches
Next, the parable says in verse 20-21,
But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.In this instance understanding has come. The Word is doing its work. The enemy could not stop the Word from taking root. His tactic is now modified. He tries a different approach. Unable to snatch it out, he attempts to shake it out. He does that through tribulation and persecution.
Consider the example where you have understanding on the prosperity message and are tithing and planting seed into the Kingdom. You're acting on the Word. Soon, it looks like all hell has broken lose. Your washer blows out and circumstances scream that you are crazy to tithe and give offerings. Your "friends" call you a nut because you are a liberal giver.
What's happening now is the enemy is trying to shake the Word out of your heart through tribulation and persecution. He knows the Word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11) and fruit is soon to manifest in your life. He's betting you are going to throw in the towel and quit before greater financial manifestation happens.
The Intensity Rises Again
Well, you are not a quitter and you stay with it! So, the enemy now turns to plan C. Unable to "snatch" or "shake" the Word out of your heart, he aims now to "choke" it out.
Verse 22 gives insight into plan C.
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.Note carefully, "...he becomes unfruitful." In other words, some fruitfulness was manifesting, but eventually you took your eyes off the Word and looked at the manifestation.
This is a very subtle transfer of focus from the Word to "things" and the "cares" that come along with focusing on things. Those who have been long in fighting the good fight of faith are susceptible to this device.
Having made it through the "snatch" and "shake" stage, don't get tripped in the "choke" stage! Never take your focus off of Jesus and the Word.
Bearing Much Fruit
Matthew 13:23 says, "But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundred, some sixty, some thirty." Praise God, by keeping your focus on the Word, the manifestation of your full inheritance will come and you will bear much fruit!
Let me encourage you to make a quality decision to diligently guard your heart. The force of faith, love and patience that emanate from a sound heart determine your future. Make a decision to keep the Word before your eyes and to experience victory in every dimension of your life!
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