Wayside Ground Series

The Parable of the Sower – 4

“Wayside Ground”

Mark 4:15

“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.”

As we have stressed through this whole series, God does nothing apart from His Word. Every day in your life, one way or another, God is scattering seed. Every day the Spirit is prompting you, leading you and speaking to you. So, with that being said, every day we need to be in the Word. Every day we need to be in the Word because every day Satan is trying to keep the Word from landing on good ground. That is his objective. Don’t allow him to distract you and keep the Word from your life.

God has not left you helpless! For each one of the ways that Satan comes against the Word, there is a way of escape. God always makes a way of escape and success for you. This Parable of the Sower is of utmost importance for us to understand. Remember these key facts throughout this series:

➢ The seed is the Word. God’s ONLY tool is the Word of God. Everything He does, He does through the Word!

➢ The sower is God. He is scattering seed daily and Satan is trying to pick it up.

➢ The ground is you. The ground determines all the results of the sowing.

Mark 4:15, “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.”

This Scripture does not tell us how Satan took the Word away; it tells you only that Satan came and took it.

➢ The reason we are not told how Satan took away the Word is because he didn’t have to do any work.

The people who were hearing the Word had hearts that were hard, ears that were dull, and eyes that didn’t want to see. We talked about that last Sunday night. When the Word comes and we choose not to accept it, we get no harvest and the enemy doesn’t have to do any work to get your harvest. He just simply walks away with it.

Wayside seed can also be seed that was spread, but no one was listening. No one made themselves available to hearing the Word, so it automatically becomes wayside. Therefore, that’s all Satan has to do is pick it up and walk away with it. If the Word is not received, accepted or acknowledged, the Word will not produce anything. In order for the Word to work in our lives, it must fall on good ground. But if we are not receiving anything, it falls by the wayside. This is how people can come to church for years and never see any change in their life or their circumstances. There is always a way to change.

I. REDEEMING WAYSIDE SEED

What is the answer to redeeming wayside seed, or seed that was thrown on the side of the road? Remember, God always has an answer to our problems. Remember

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.”

If we do not receive the sower’s seed, then this power that delivers, heals and sets free is not available to us. It is imperative that we not let the seed fall by the wayside.

In order to be good ground and redeem this wayside seed, it is essential to accept and receive this Word. We want to receive the benefit of this Word.

James 1:21, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness (humility) the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (NKJV)

The real reason people don’t receive the Word is because of pride. They say, “I know better. I feel that there is a different path. God’s Word says this, but my eyes tell me this. My experience tells me this. Some expert gave me another direction and some other advice.” We don’t receive the Word because we listened to someone or something other than the Word. As a result, our pride will rise up against what God said and we choose our own way. That’s when we become wayside.

The received Word, the implanted Word, is able to save your soul, which is your mind, will and emotions. This is not talking about the implanted Word saving your spirit man, or causing you to be reborn. It actually says it will save your soul (your mind, will, and emotions). The Word will change your life, your mind, your body, your emotions.