Please turn to Mark 4. Smith Wigglesworth was asked how is it that you walk in so much faith? So the three verses we’re going to read in Mark 4 was his response to anyone who asked him that question.
Mark 4:26-28 is a continuation of Jesus’ teaching about the sower who sows the word.
(26) And he (Jesus) said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
(27) And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
The man knows that the only thing he has done is put the seed in the ground. He has done what he needed to do to cultivate the seed. But he does not know what makes the seed grow.
(28) For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
What we see ladies and gentlemen is time and I want you to notice something. We know that the time for every ear is going to be different. Here’s my point: if you understand that if you do what’s necessary for the seed to grow, eventually the seed you plant will grow and produce fruit and you will see a harvest. You are going to see the harvest. That’s what the Word of God says. If you do what you’re supposed to do with the seed you—are—going—to—see—the –harvest! It’s a guarantee.
But sometimes what happens with us, and we know from the parable that the seed is God’s Word. So the seed that we plant is speaking God’s Word. That’s how we plant it. What happens with us sometimes: we faint. We give up because we don’t understand the process. We don’t understand that if we keep doing what we are supposed to do – speak God’s Word – the seed is going to produce a harvest.
But oftentimes we have a hard time going from planting the seed and waiting for the harvest. If it were up to us we’d plant the seed on Monday, harvest it on Wednesday and be sitting down at the table eating it on Thursday. It doesn’t work that way folks. Every seed produces fruit at its own rate.
So what happens when we take care of the seed? Go back up to verse 3. “Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow;” [Now go to verse 14] “The sower soweth the word.” [Now look at verse 20, part of Jesus’ explanation of the parable.] “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
When Jesus says you hear it and you receive it that means you’re doing something with it so that it can produce fruit. But there’s more to it.
Look in Matthew 13. We’re going to read one verse but it’s talking about the same subject – the sower sowing the Word. We’re going to look at verse 23: “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, [Now Matthew adds something that we have read before.] and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Notice that Jesus says the person on good ground understands the Word. This word “understandeth” means “to put together, to assimilate.” In Isaiah 28:9-11, he asks how we gain knowledge. And he says you get knowledge by precept being applied upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little.
What Isaiah is talking about is that you don’t read the Bible in a vacuum. You read the Word of God in its totality so that you can begin to understand how all the puzzle pieces fit.
When Matthew says you understand it, he’s saying you have assimilated the Word. You just didn’t get up and read your daily devotional. You actually put your eyes on the Word and you didn’t say “I’m going to read chapter one today, chapter two tomorrow” and so on. No, you are doing Second Timothy 2:15. You are studying the Bible. You are a “student” of the Word.
And that’s one of the things missing in the Body of Christ today ladies and gentlemen. Many read the Word but don’t understand its message. They are not leaving it in context. Verses are lifted out of context and used to say something they don’t really say.
Let me give you an example: Luke 6:38. It says “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
More preachers than not have taken that verse and used it doing the times of offering and giving. God will give to you because you are giving in this offering. When you look at the context of that verse, it is talking about giving forgiveness to someone who has wronged you. It has nothing to do with an offering.
When you take the Word of God and piecemeal it, you will get wrong doctrine like this. That is not understanding the Word. That is not understanding what has been sown.
Now turn to Luke 8. He adds yet another “requirement” of the person who is sowing the Word of God into his or her life. Look at verse 15. “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Luke adds “an honest and good heart”. What does this tell us ladies and gentlemen? When you read in Matthew 4:17 the Bible says that Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God. Everything Jesus preached and taught was related to the kingdom of God. So when Luke says you must have an honest and good heart the only way this can happen is if you are part of the kingdom. Do you see this?
Jesus came preaching the kingdom. He did not come preaching the law. He came preaching the kingdom. So everything He talks about He’s talking prophetically about you being part of the kingdom of God. So, when it says you must have an honest and good heart, if you’re going to produce the kind of fruit that I’m talking about, you must be born again. You must have a new nature inside of you. There is no other way!
And then Luke says “you have to hear it and keep it”. I want to focus your attention on the word “keep”. I have Cindy’s bottle in my hand. [I pick up a bottle to help demonstrate the definition.] My hand is around Cindy’s bottle. The only way my hands are going to be removed is you have to pry my hands away from the bottle.
Jesus says that not only are you to hear and receive the Word in an honest and good heart but you are to hold on to it so tightly that no one can take it from you. No one can take it from you! No one!
So we see in Mark, Matthew and Luke that good ground, first of all, is the person who is born again. Good ground is going to hear the Word. Good ground is going to receive the Word.
Good ground doesn’t argue with God’s Word. If the Bible says this then this is the way it is. Good ground doesn’t argue with God. Remember the story in Jeremiah about the dry bones and God asks Jeremiah can these bones live again? What was Jeremiah’s answer? “Thou knowest.”
This is good ground. God is right. Even if you don’t completely understand why He’s right, you know deep within that He is! But, if you receive that Word, if you hold on to that Word you will come to the place of understanding why God is right.
What Jesus is teaching in Mark, Matthew and Luke is not anything new. It’s a principle God established back in Genesis. It was a promise that God made to Noah and the human race.
Turn to Genesis 8 and we’re going to read verses 15 through verse 22.
(15) And God spake unto Noah, saying,
(16) Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.
(17) Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
(18) And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:
(19) Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
(20) And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
(21) And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
(22) [This is the promise ladies and gentlemen.] While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
That was God’s promise. Seedtime and harvest will not cease. That’s the principle. Cold and heat. Summer and winter. Day and night. When we read all of these phrases they are an indicator of time passing.
The word “seedtime” is really two words: “seed” and “time”. So what we’re seeing here is seed, time and harvest shall not cease. So God is telling us that the space between the planting of the seed and the harvesting of what that seed will produce is time.
But what did God promise? Seed, time and harvest will never cease. Are you following me? When Jesus says the sower sows the Word He’s taking the principle from Genesis. When you sow the Word you’re sowing the seed and there is going to be time required before you see the harvest.
So the question ladies and gentlemen is why is there time for us to see the harvest? We have to water the seed. We have to do what it takes for the seed to grow and part of that is confessing what the seed will produce. For example, “For my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Confessing this is part of taking care of the seed during the time. And we also pray in tongues as we are confessing the Word. When we pray in tongues we are watering the seed.
The interesting thing about the seed that we plant is we have a lot more to say about the harvest than the farmer back in Genesis. Why? The harvest that we’re looking for is also related to our faith. That’s why during the time between the planting to the seed and seeing the harvest is the time we’re taking to build our faith.
Sometimes when you come to church it’s almost like if you’re not walking in 10 tons of faith or if your faith is not fully developed and you’re not seeing God do miraculous things you’re made to feel like you’re out of step or you’re not maturing or you’re not doing enough.
That’s not the way God sees it ladies and gentlemen. God understands. If you’re willing to plant the seed, if you are willing to water the seed – and be consistent in the time you’re going to see the harvest. It’s a promise.
Sometimes when we plant seed, for the sake of example, if slot #10 is the harvest and we’re in slot #2 that means we got 8 more slots to go. But so many of us faint in our minds in slot #2. We want to give up because we’re not seeing things come to pass. I am still battling whatever it is that I’ve been battling.
Satan wants you to feel like you’re not making any progress. Remember in Mark is says the seed is planted and it grows and you don’t know how it does it? You don’t know how much your faith is growing in the time. But if you don’t give up, if you continue to do what you know to do, the seed ladies and gentlemen is going to produce fruit. Always. Guaranteed. If it does not produce the fruit, then God is a liar.
Turn to James 5 verse 7. “Be patient. [Stop. Be patient. In other words don’t stop doing what you’re doing.] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”
The husbandman is willing to wait for the harvest. Why? He has done this before. He’s planted. He’s watered. He’s gotten the fruit. He’s done this before. We have to get to the point that we don’t doubt. When we plant the seed and when we water the seed we’re going to see the harvest. No—matter—how—long –it –takes.
Don’t try to develop a timeline for the harvest. If you try to develop a timeline you are going to live in frustration. You’re going to be unhappy and Satan is going to be whispering in your ears.
“See, God’s Word is not true. I tried to tell you. You’ve been praying over this thing for two months. You’ve been watering the seed and confessing the seed for two months. You’ve haven’t seen anything happen. God’s Word doesn’t work. Look at you.”
Four months down the road. “See, two more months and you still are not seeing what you are praying and believing for, declaring for and worshipping for. You are not seeing what you want and need to see. So stop wasting your time.”
Satan will beat you up with thoughts like that. You have to take authority over him. “Get thee behind me Satan. You have nothing to do with the Word of God.” Don’t let him whisper in your ear unbelief.
If you don’t remember anything else tonight, remember this. You plant the seed. You do what you’re supposed to do in the time. You are going to see the harvest.
What happens when we are consistent?
Look at Isaiah 44 beginning with verse 24.
(24) Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
(25) That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
(26) That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
What I want you to see is what the Lord says in verse 26. He confirms the word of his servant. If He confirms the word of his servant what do you think He does for His children? He performs the counsel of his messengers. What do you think He does for his children ladies and gentlemen?
Now Isaiah 46:9-11.
(9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
(10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
(11) Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.
What is He talking about? He’s talking about His Word. And we know from Mark 4, Matthew 13 and Luke 8 that the Bible is seed for us. When we plant the seed and when we do what we’re supposed to do during the time, that’s all we have to do. That’s our job. The fruit, the harvest, is God’s job. We are not responsible for the results.
Look in Isaiah 55:10-12. We all know this one. It is so visual.
(10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
(11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
(12) [Knowing what I just said, God says] For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Why is this happening? Because God’s Word is true. God’s Word has come to pass. Isn’t that wonderful? Praise God!
Turn to Isaiah 65:18-24.
(18) But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
(19) And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: [That’s you! God joys in you! You bring Him joy. But Bro. Barry, you don’t know what my life has been like. It doesn’t matter. God says you bring Him joy. You’re His child. I believe that we sometimes beat ourselves up a lot more than God does. God is much more forgiving than we are on ourselves.] and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
(20) There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: [Listen to me. God is saying if you believe what I am saying long life is yours. No babies are going to die. That’s a promise to His children!] for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
(21) And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.
(22) They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
(23) They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
(24) And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Two more.
Matthew 21:18-22
(18) Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
(19) And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
(20) And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
(210 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, [Have faith and doubt not] ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
(22) And all things [say all things], whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, [say believing] ye shall receive.
Mark 11:23, 24
(23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say [whosoever shall plant seed, whosoever shall speak My Word] unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; [What is the criterion? You have to say it. That is how you plant seed ladies and gentlemen. You speak it.] he shall have whatsoever he saith.
(24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
So my question to you tonight ladies and gentlemen: are you being consistent? Are you doing those things that will help the seed get to the harvest? Are you speaking the Word? Are you praying in tongues? Are you adding worship? If you are, you are going to get the harvest.
I encourage you ladies and gentlemen. Be consistent. Don’t let a day go by that you are not speaking God’s Word over your life. If there is any inconsistency in your life, let this be the last night. You will now be consistent. God is walking with you and remember He will perform it!
