Sowing

On one particular teaching of Jesus to His disciples, He talked about offenses and the consequences to the one who brings them. At this, His disciples respond by saying, "Lord increase our faith." (Luke 17:5) It is apparent that they already had faith or they would not have asked for more. But Jesus tells them, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." (Luke 17:6) So, was the faith that the disciples already had not even a mustard seed of faith or was Jesus trying to show them something more profound? Actually, Jesus is conveying a deeper truth concerning faith which most miss. Notice His words, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say..."

Jesus is not telling them that their faith is smaller than a mustard seed, He is basically saying, “You do not need more faith you need to understand how faith works. Faith works like a seed and like a seed unless you plant it will not produce." Now, with that said, we need to see what seed Jesus is referring to. In Marks gospel Chapter four we see the Parable of the Sower. Jesus shares the Parable and then afterwards He explains the Parable to His disciples, but first, He asks them to important questions, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?" (Mark 4:13) These are two of the most important and challenging questions that Jesus is expressing. In essence, if the disciples (and all believers) do not understand the depths of this Parable, they will find it difficult to understand spiritual principles of God and His Kingdom, which one of these principles is how faith works.

In His explanation of the Parable (Mark 4:14-25) He tells us some important points, observe; the seed is God’s Word; the soil is the heart, (our spirit). Think about this from this perspective. A farmer does not go into a field and sow or plant seed unless he first prepares the soil. Once the soil is prepared, the farmer then plants the seed. If a farmer does not sow seed he will not have a harvest, but also, sowing seed does not guarantee a harvest. Once seed is planted, continuous maintenance is required until there is a harvest. In verses 15-19, although the seed, the Word, was planted, the soil, the heart, was not prepared to receive the seed. Either Satan, ourselves or the world causes the seed not to take root when sown. However, in verse 20, we see that the soil, the heart, was prepared to receive the seed, the Word. It also implies that the soil was continuously maintained to various degrees because the results were fruit for harvest, "some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

So, when the disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, His response was not telling them that their faith was smaller than a mustard seed, but, faith works like a seed. Here, the seed is God’s Word. Unless you plant God’s Word in your heart, the soil, it will not produce. You plant God’s Word by speaking it. "So then faith comes by hearing, (and hearing and hearing) and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) The Apostle James tells us, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) God wants His Word to be planted in us, to become one with us. In doing so, "...you can say (speak God's Word) to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you."

The writer of Hebrews tell us, "Let us hold fast the confession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23) Our confession will either make us a conqueror, or it will defeat us. We rise or fa11 to the level of our confession. We must learn to hold fast to our confession in the hard places. The time to make your confession is when Satan attacks you in any area of life such as, when you feel the the symptoms of sickness coming into your body. You command them to leave in the Name of Jesus. The Apostle Paul tells us, "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Romans 8:31) ) Our Heavenly Father is for us! Sickness, disease, poverty, etc. cannot master you. The circumstances of life that try to oppose you cannot master you, because the Father is greater than any circumstances. Jesus said, "My Father is greater than all." (John 10:29)

The secret of faith is the secret of confession, that is, continuously sowing Gods Word. Our confession of God's Word from the lips of faith says, "I have the thing I desire before I actually possesses it." Again, possession comes with confession. Possession stays with continual confession. You confess that you have it, and you thank the Father for it, then realization follows. Confession with thanksgiving always bring realization. So, when the heart and the lips join in joyful confession of God's Word, faith rises to the flood tide and we become the over-comers that God's Word says we are. Also, keep in mind, that confessing the Word is not simply quoting scripture, but putting our faith in the One (Jesus) who is the Word. (John 1:1-2, 14)

Jesus also shows us more of the same concerning sowing God's Word, "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." (Mark 11:23) Notice, once again we find in God's Word the solution to the circumstance that we are facing. We sow (speak) God's Word from our mouth to the mountain, without doubt and we will have whatever we say. However, we must keep in mind the following when it comes to sowing God's Word and building our faith. "And Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

Again, this reveals Kingdom principles. We do not need to know how God’s Word produces, but simply that it does. God’s Word does not need our help, it produces crops (results) by itself, if the principle of sowing it is followed. Also, faith takes time to grow, "first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head" before we can expect a harvest. Finally, "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:8) Whatever we sow from our mouth will result in the harvest we receive. So let us continuously sow God's Word, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9)