Softening the Soil - Pr. Antonio Nasser - January 31st, 2010

Read Luke 8:5-8,11,12
Examining the first part of the parable...(3 Gospels)
Matthew 13:19 (NKJV) 19 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 heart. […]
Mark 4:15 (NKJV) 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Luke 8:12 (NKJV) 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Definition:
The seed is the Word of God
The different soils are people
The “birds of the air” are the devil
The devil comes and takes away the Word out of their hearts,
The ultimate purpose of the devil is to keep people away from the faith and from the salvation.
Questions:
1. Why do peoples hearts go to the wayside?
2. How does the devil take the Word of God from people’s hearts?
3. How can we prevent it from happening?
HEART
In Ancient Hebrew means "authority inside". The consciousness of man is seen as coming from deep inside the chest, the heart.
1. The heart is the source of all sins
Matthew 15:19 (NKJV) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

2. God wants us to have an obedient heart
Deuteronomy 5:29 (NKJV) Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

3. God asks for our hearts
Proverbs 23:26 (NKJV) My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

4. Jesus is the example of a soft heart
Matthew 11:28-29 (NKJV)28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

How does the devil work in a hardened heart?
1. He blinds people
2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT) 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

2. He binds people as slaves
Colossians 1:13 (NLT) 13 For he (GOD) has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

3. He steals, kills and destroys people’s lives
John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

How can we prevent the devil to steal the Word of God from people’s heart?
1. The Power is in JESUS, the Savior
Colossians 2:15 (NIV)15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

2. The Church must be aware of this task
Acts 26:17-18 (NIV)
17 … I am sending you to them
18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

3. We must fight with God’s weapons
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

4. We must submit ourselves to God and resist the devil…
James 4:7 (NIV) 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Soften your heart before the Lord
Trust in the Lord right now
Fight for people, in Jesus’ name!
Clean the air, and people will understand the Gospel.