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The Knowledge of the Seed
Jesus continues to explain the Parable of the Sower saying “the seed is the “Word.” Jesus said He is the sower, the field is the World and the people of the World. How we respond to, receive, and interpret the knowledge of God’s Word (seed) is the key to fruitfulness and abundant living.
The soil which the seed (Word) is sown into is the spirit of man. God loves the World (mankind) so much He sows the Spirit of His Son into the hearts (spirits) and minds of people through the teaching and preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is the Word (seed) of Eternal Life.
At Calvary, Jesus (which means Savior), was crucified, and laid in the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph means “he will add to or multiply.” His Spirit (Word) was sown into the Earth when Christ died and descended into Hades. He preached to those in Abraham’s Bosom who were waiting for the promise of Eternal Life. Just as a seed which is planted in the ground, Jesus miraculously rose from the dead and became the first-fruits of all those who would come after Him. (1 Corinthians, 15:23)
According to the Parable of the Sower, the seeds (Word) were sown into different types of soil. As the seeds fell upon the ground, they fell to the earth without discrimination. “And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole World as a testimony to ALL nations, and then the end shall come. (Matthew, 24:14).
According to the Word of God, all the people who received the seed (Word) had different responses. They were given the KNOWLEDGE of the truth, but their perception and understanding of truth and dedication to bearing fruit varied from person to person. These same responses to the Word of God are happening over and over again today by people who receive the “seed.”
The Bible tells us much about seeds and how they are prophetic of the Word of God. The Bible tells us the “Word of God” is also called the SEED of promise. God’s promises are seeds which are sown into the hearts of men and women today. The seeds we plant will produce fruit as they mature IF they are sown into good soil.
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. This is he who received seed by the wayside. Matthew, Chapter 13, Verse 19.
God’s will for mankind is that everyone on Earth should “hear” the Gospel. It is not His will for anyone to perish, but that everyone would receive Eternal Life. The seed (Word) is “good seed.” There is nothing wrong with the seed, but the problem lies with the soil (heart) in which the seed is planted.
The “wayside” is a place which is beside a road or a path. The “path” is the road we are travelling on during our journey here on Earth. The seed which falls by the wayside is the seed which falls upon those who are dull of hearing (understanding). People are given the knowledge of the truth (Word), but they lack understanding. When they do not understand the truth, the enemy comes and immediately steals the seed (Word) after it is sown.
Our ability to understand the Word of God is directly related to our DESIRE to hear, receive, and act upon what He is saying to us. If people are not interested in “believing and receiving” from God, they will not be interested in what God is saying. They will be more interested in doing what THEY want to do and the will of God will take second place in their lives. In other words, they are saying “It is my way or the highway.”
Many people fail to understand the Word when it is sown in their hearts because understanding what the Word means is not a priority to them. They are content with the way they are living and do not want any interference from an outside source. Others fail to understand the Word when it is sown in their hearts because they are selfish and prideful, and the truth interferes with their lifestyles and agendas. They are more interested in what God can do for them then what they can do for Him. These are the people who hear “without hearing.” (Matthew, 13:13).
But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 20-21.
Stony ground is hard, rocky ground which will not allow the seed which was sown to sink into the ground and take root. Jesus said those who received the seed on stony places were those who received the Word with joy but they failed to become rooted and grounded in faith. They had a zeal for God, but it was a zeal without knowledge. They also lacked understanding, the same as the people who received the seed by the wayside. Their hearts were hard (stony ground) and they failed to stand against adversity when their faith was tested by persecution and tribulation. They wanted the benefits of salvation, however, they were not willing to pay the price for them.
When our roots fail to go deep into the ground, they will be easily plucked up by our enemies. When persecution and tribulation arises because of the Word, people who are “hard of hearing” will fail. When tribulation and persecution comes in the near future, many Christians will fall by the wayside because they failed to become rooted and grounded in the Word.
A person with a hard heart will turn his ears away and refuse to listen when confronted with reality. A seed can be sown into the heart, but never establishes the heart in truth and righteousness because it has fallen on stony ground and the roots are shallow. The condition of the heart will determine how a person reacts to the Word of God when the Word is challenged by the enemy. When the Word is sown into hearts which are not pliable and not readily responsive to the truth, the enemy will always be there to challenge and take away what they have heard.
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Matthew, Chapter 13, Verse 28.
Thorns represent carnal thoughts, motives and attitudes. Jesus said those who received seed among the thorns HEARD the Word, but they too failed to bear any fruit. The cares and worries of this life choke the Word and cause it to be unfruitful in the lives of many individuals. Their focus will be on their problems--not on the solution to their problems. They are more interested in material wealth than they are in the Bible’s hidden treasures of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Like the seeds which fell by the wayside and on stony ground, they too lacked understanding and depth.
The Bible says, “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1 Timothy, 6:9).
The knowledge of God’s Word is not a roadmap to fame and fortune. His Word leads us down a path of humility, grace, mercy and faith. The treasures of Heaven are much more valuable than earthy fame and fortune. Earthly treasures can instantly be taken away. Heavenly treasures last for eternity. Materialism will always oppose the treasures of righteousness, joy, peace and faith. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew, 6:21).
But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it who indeed bears fruit, and produces some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew, Chapter 13, Verse 23.
Those who received the seed IN the good ground were those who had the potential to bear much fruit. They hungered and thirsted for information that could free them from the bondage of sin. They understood what was required of them in order for them to become faithful servants of the King. They received the knowledge of the truth, and understood that Truth (Christ) was the most important virtue they could or would ever possess.
The Word of God is the seed. When His Word is sown into the hearts of individuals it will produce much fruit IF the ground in which it is planted is “good ground.” The soil which the seed is planted in makes “all the difference in the World.” Good ground will always produce good fruit when and if it is water and carefully tended.
If our hearts are pliable when the seed (Word) is sown into our life, it will take root and grow deeply and securely within our spirit, thus producing a great harvest. As we grow in His knowledge and grace, the Truth will transform us into the image of Christ.
Our motives and attitudes must embody the motives and attitudes of Christ if we are going to produce godly fruit. Our hearts and minds must be prepared to perceive and receive the knowledge of God so His plan and purpose for mankind can be revealed and established within us through Christ. When the knowledge of God’s Word has been established and grows in the heart of a Believer, it has the potential to produce a harvest of much fruit.
When the seed is sown into “good ground,” it will grow and bring forth a bountiful harvest. Our response and dedication to God’s Word will determine how much fruit we will produce. When we possess the knowledge of God, we can do anything and be anything which He tells us to do or be. When we hunger and thirst after the seed (Word) of His righteousness, we will become FILLED with the fruit of His righteousness. We will yield the fruit of His righteousness when we are FILLED with and walking in His Spirit. We become “Trees of Righteousness” when we are deeply and passionately rooted and grounded in the knowledge and understanding of His WORD.
Then God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields the seed, and the fruit according to its kind., whose seed is in itself, on the earth” and it was so. Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 11.
The most brilliant minds on Earth cannot understand, comprehend or explain how a seed works. All they understand is that you plant a “dead seed” in the ground, keep it watered, and the seed will begin to sprout. In due time, the seed will bear life-sustaining fruit. God placed the ability to reproduce within each seed. This process is known as the “Miracle of the Seed.” The “Miracle of the Seed” is a supernatural phenomenon to those who do not understand or comprehend the “power of faith” and how faith works. Faith is the catalyst which produces fruit in our life.
When God created the herbs of the field, the grass, and the trees, He placed within them the ability to reproduce by His Word. Seedtime and harvest remains from year to year because God has placed within all seeds the ability to produce life. This supernatural principle was placed in the seed by God IN THE BEGINNING. Seeds reproduce fruit from year to year because IN THE BEGINNING God commanded the first plants and trees to multiply and bring forth fruit.
Genesis, Chapter 9, Verse 22.
The Law of Seedtime and Harvest was established IN THE BEGINNING. This law governs the miracle of the seed and the harvest the seed brings. Every seed produces after its own kind. The miracle of the seed was established in the seed IN THE BEGINNING. God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth, and it was so.” (Genesis, 1:11).
Jesus said if we have faith as a grain of mustard seed we could speak to mountains and they would have to obey us. The key to having faith which can move mountains lies in believing what God said we could do “would come to pass.” Jesus said that the “seed is the Word.” Our faith must be rooted and grounded in the “Word of God” if we are going to be able to “move mountains.”
We can plant a seed into the ground and keep it watered, but WE have no ability to make the seed sprout and produce fruit. We can do our part to water the seed. However, it is God who gives the increase through the miracle of the seed which He created. We have been given the responsibility to plant and water the seed, however, we cannot MAKE the seed bear fruit. It is God who gives the increase.
When we become obedient servants to God, He will cause the seed to bear good fruit within us. The seed contains within itself the ability to produce fruit because God created it with the ability to multiply. However, the seed can only produce good fruit when it is sown into good ground. Good ground will always produce “good fruit.”
The Word of God works the same way as the seed. It miraculously produces fruit when it is sown into good ground. Just like seeds, the Word MUST be watered and warmed by the Light of the Son (like the sun) of God so “everlasting, life sustaining” fruit can be produced.
When it comes to having faith in the supernatural, the spiritual seeds which we plant by our words can and will produce a harvest of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. Jesus said we could change our circumstances by believing in the promises of His Word by SPEAKING to the circumstances. He told us to SPEAK to the mountain, and the mountain would have to OBEY us if we believe. I am not talking about a “name it” and “claim it” doctrine. I am talking about a “believe it” and “receive it” doctrine. I am talking about “believing what God said I can do doctrine.”
We MUST remember, however, that what we are believing God for MUST be according to His will. When we understand and apply the Word of God properly in the way His Word is intended to be used, our faith will always work. Faith comes by “hearing” the Word. Receiving comes by “believing” the Word.
We know Jesus was not saying we could nor even should command the natural mountains to obey us. However, if need be, even moving natural mountains is possible with God if we have enough faith to believe. You can find many stories of miraculous things which happened in the Bible because men and women of God chose to BELIEVE what God said, and by faith OBEYED the voice of God.
Faith is like a seed which is planted in the ground. It will grow wherever planted IF it is planted in “good ground.” As Christians, we are commanded to believe the Word of God and obey His voice regardless of what He tells us to do. God only responds to our faith. He does not respond to our fear, doubt, unbelief or begging. We must believe that God will do what He said He would do.
The key to bearing supernatural fruit is PATIENCE. The farmer does not expect to plant his seeds one day and go out to the field the next day and reap a harvest. However, the farmer will go to the field periodically to pull up any thorns, thistles or weeds which may have grown around and are choking the plants.
Like the seed which fell on thorny ground, thorns, thistles and weeds will prevent the crop from producing fruit by surrounding and choking the life out of the plant as it tries to grow. That is why we must keep the ground (spirit) free from everything which hinders the seed from growing and producing godly fruit within our hearts.
When we are trusting God for a great harvest, we MUST patiently wait for Him to produce the harvest. While waiting for a harvest, we must make sure we are keeping our fields (hearts and minds) free from the things which hinder and keep us from producing a harvest of godly fruit. We must pull up the weeds, thorns and thistles which the enemy continues to sow in our hearts to choke the Word and make it unproductive and of no affect in our life.
The knowledge of the “miracle of the seed” and how faith works is important to understand if we are going to believe God to perform the miraculous in our life and in the lives of others. Faith WORKS BY LOVE. If we are not rooted and grounded in the LOVE OF GOD, we will have a problem producing any godly fruit and/or operating in the miraculous.
In the Kingdom of God, the seed (Word) will reproduce when planted in fertile or good ground. We can plant the seed into the ground. However, only God can perform the miraculous which causes the seed to produce and give increase. The seed must have water. Jesus is the “Living Water.” The seed must have sunlight. Jesus is the “Son of God” and He is the “Light of the World.”
If we are not adhering to godly knowledge (the Word), we will fail to bear godly fruit. If we fail to seek and understand the KNOWLEDGE of the Word of God, we will continue to remain unfruitful. If we are going to be fruitful and multiply, we must be “rooted and grounded” in faith. There will always be a crop failure if our faith is not rooted and grounded in the Word of God.
The knowledge of how to obtain faith is given to us in God’s Word. When our hearts become saturated with the fruit of His righteousness, there will be no room for doubt, unbelief, fear or worry. The cares of this World and the deceitfulness of riches will have no place in the heart which is established in the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.
When we have the knowledge of God’s love, it will assure us that He is willing and able to keep us safe and secure in the cleft of the ROCK. When we receive the Word of God with thankfulness and an open heart, we will be assured that we will never be in lack of the things which He has promised to us. The harvest will come in abundance when the seed which has been planted sprouts and grows into full maturity. The seed will always reproduce itself.
The KEY to “living by faith” is directly related to our relationship with Christ and how we respond to His Word and His voice when He speaks to us. If we do not KNOW or understand the will of God for our life, it is because our carnal minds continue to influence and hinder our thinking and understanding. If we are going to live by faith, we must CAST DOWN all thoughts, imaginations and natural reasoning which exalt themselves against the KNOWLEDGE of God.
We can possess the KNOWLEDGE of God, yet continue to have a lack of understanding. The KEY to KNOWLEDGE is found in our desire to earnestly seek, listen to, and adhere to the Word of God. When we lack understanding it is because we are not hearing (listening) to what the Spirit of God is saying to us. The KEY to understanding the Word of God is REVELATION. We will never be conduits of God’s love, grace, mercy and power until and unless we listen to and obey what He is saying to us. We MUST listen for the voice of God and seek to be filled with the fullness of Christ with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
“HE THAT HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR (understand) WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING.” When we open the eyes of our heart (understanding) and listen for His voice, we will HEAR what the Spirit is saying. When we open the eyes of our heart (understanding) to receive knowledge and wisdom, we will abound in His love, grace, mercy and faith. We will be changed into the express image of Christ and will become sowers of the seeds of His promises along the pathway of life. We will be rewarded with a HARVEST OF SOULS because we have been quick to HEAR, faithful to OBEY, and patient to RECEIVE.
LET NO ARROGANCE COME FROM YOUR MOUTH, FOR THE LORD IS THE GOD OF KNOWLEDGE, AND BY HIM ACTIONS ARE WEIGHED. 1 Samuel, Chapter 2, Verse 3.