The Power of God’s Word, Pt. 3  

It is vital to recognize that God’s Word is essential for remaining steadfast in Him and experiencing the abundant life that Jesus invites us to as His followers.  

For example, Paul wrote about our adoption into God’s family through Jesus. 

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (Rom. 8:16-17a NIV) 

We are God’s children through faith in Christ, co-heirs with Jesus in God’s family, and heirs of God’s inheritance! Such joy and promise for believers. However, Paul continues in the verse,  

17 … if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:17b-18 NIV) 

Trust God, Not Human Reasoning! 

Human reasoning, apart from God’s understanding, is flawed. It often turns into counterfeit faith, with fear masquerading as wisdom. To our natural minds, five loaves and two fish, or seven loaves and a few fish, cannot feed multitudes and leave leftovers. Yet, with God, all things are possible!  

As the writer in Proverbs states, learn to:  

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6 NKJV)  

How can we fully trust the Lord? By knowing and trusting His Word! 

Human reasoning relies on observation before deciding to believe. However, this is not genuine faith! Our instinct is to have “faith” in what we can see and touch. This is known as sense knowledge faith, as opposed to true faith derived from God’s revelation of truth.  

Jesus is the truth, and His Word is the truth! Begin by reading and following God’s Word. Many are blinded because they overlook what is clear in His Word and are swayed by culture instead of the truth found in God’s Word. 

For example, Jesus is God’s gift to humanity, the savior of the world (John 3:16). However, God’s Word declares He is a savior only to those who believe, not to everyone. To culture, this seems harsh, narrow, and exclusive.  

Jesus stated clearly in John’s gospel,  

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NIV)  

He is the Savior of the world, but only for those who believe. Obedience to His Word shows our allegiance to Him. Jesus came to make disciples—followers of Him—not merely converts to principles. 

God’s Word, when embraced in your heart and believed, will flourish. God’s Word is alive, active, and powerful!  

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa. 55:11 NKJV) 

When our hearts are soft and open to God, God’s Word quickly bears fruit. However, when our hearts are hardened, God’s Word may not flourish as He intends. Let’s explore the parable of the sower in Mark 4 for deeper insight into this truth. 

The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-9)  

Jesus proclaimed the arrival of the Kingdom of God in Mark 1:15. Now, He starts to explain its meaning through parables. 

The religious leaders, his family, and much of the nation were blind to the truth that Jesus was presenting. He was conveying a message about the establishment of God’s kingdom, yet his message remained concealed from them because their expectations were different.  

They expected a Messiah who would establish a dominating kingdom and overthrow the Romans and other Jewish enemies. Instead, Jesus said God’s kingdom was coming more like a farmer sowing seed, much of which apparently went to waste because the soil wasn’t fit for it and couldn’t sustain the truth the seed contained. You could say His message wasn’t popular or politically correct! 

Additionally, they misinterpreted the prophetic scriptures regarding Him. They were confused by the prophecies concerning both His first and second Advents. It’s like viewing two mountains in the distance; we may see the first one and part of the second, but we cannot see the valley in between, which symbolizes Jesus’s First and Second Advents.  

Many people today overlook Jesus’s truth and ask: Why is His coming delayed? Why are there so many problems in the world? If God is all-powerful and all-loving, why is there such suffering and evil in the world? These and other issues can be a stumbling block for many, causing them not to believe in Jesus or to stumble and fall away. 

Ironically, the demons could recognize who He was, but His family, many supposed followers, and religious leaders couldn’t. Why were they so blind? The parable of the Sower answers the varied responses to Jesus.  

This parable is essential for understanding the Kingdom of God. Truth should be believed and acted upon. As we listen to and obey God’s Word, truth gradually grows in our hearts and lives. 

What is a parable? A parable is a short, memorable story or image, usually drawn from nature or daily life, which conveys spiritual truths. The parable is a “similitude,” a story to tell, containing a spiritual truth to be discovered. A parable is also like a dream with symbols. 

In this parable, Jesus describes different types of soil and how these soils determine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the Word sown. 

Vs. 3 & 9 are all about listening.  

“He who has ears to hear let him hear.”  

Vs. 3 literally means, “Listen, look!” Listen and use imagination.  

In the Old Testament Shema, Deut. 6:4, it states, “Hear, O Israel!” To hear means to absorb, deeply internalize, and allow the message to sink in to transform one’s entire life.  

Jesus is, in fact, doing this—He is teaching them about the Kingdom of God, but not all are hearing. 

Humanity can “listen” but not truly “hear” or “understand” what is being conveyed. The Word is proclaimed (seed sown), yet it must be heard (received) and acted upon. It is not enough to simply hear a Word spoken to you; faith and obedience are required to witness fulfillment. 

Each person is given a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3); it is your responsibility to nurture this faith so that God’s word and His promises can bear fruit in your life.  

Parables did not cloud the truth, rather they revealed the state of human blindness. To understand the Kingdom Truths, one must “pursue” God—not “resist” God.  

Consider the words of Jesus later in Mark 4,  

24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Mark 4:24-25 NKJV) 

“…With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you…”  

In the ancient world, people would bring containers to the marketplace to buy specific amounts of food. Bring a pint, get a pint; bring a quart, get a quart. Forget your pint, and you won’t receive your measure! One’s capacity to receive positions them for even more! 

It’s like arriving at your local grocery store with empty bags—the more bags you carry, the more groceries you can collect! Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could just pay by the bag?!  

Jesus is telling them (my paraphrase):  

“You will benefit from My teachings if you actively listen, to the measure, or extent, that you pay attention to them.” And “as you do, you will receive more understanding than you could gain on your own.” 

Question: Are you listening for God’s voice? Activity is required on your part to really “hear!” 

Next week I’ll continue with this parable and the power of God’s Word!