Day Thirty-Five: The ONE Parable to Rule Them All
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? (Mark 4:13)
Oh boy! The title of this post sounds a bit dramatic, and maybe it is. However, I wanted to get our attention as to something Jesus communicates. We must understand how God speaks and that there is an active strategic plan from Satan to stop us from hearing what He has to say. I’ve heard this parable taught for years, but I have never heard anyone unpack that truth that there are demonic forces dispatched to intercept or deter us from receiving God’s word.
Jesus lays out for His followers that His Father is always speaking. Satan has three primary ways of stopping God’s children from hearing what He has to say. When we understand the tactics and ploys, we can remove the limitations and obstacles that prevent us from hearing. So, Jesus isn’t sarcastic or rude to the disciples; He is highlighting and bringing to their attention the importance of understanding the magnitude of spiritual warfare at work to block communication between God and His children.
In my opinion, most people are unaware of how much value Satan places in God’s words. So much so that he is actively and passionately working to create every sort of distraction and confusion possible to thwart it. This truth got to me, REALLY GOT TO ME!
Do I place as much value in hearing from God as Satan does in stopping me from hearing from God?
Think about it! On the days that I am “not feeling it,” or just don’t have time to pray and read God’s word to hear, could it be that Satan’s strategy has worked? What this tells me is that I need to run harder after keeping my time alone with God sacred and secure. What He wants to say WILL be a game-changer for His Kingdom and against the enemy. So, I NEED TO HEAR IT!
Blessings,
Andy Smith