Understanding

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Have you ever watched a movie where a small band of soldiers liberated a group of prisoners from a heavily guarded compound?

A fortified prison. A large contingent of guards. Impossible odds. 

A frontal attack is another name for “suicide.”

So what do they do?

They arrange a diversion.

They set up an explosion or a fire - a distraction to draw the defenders away from their point of entry.

Though outnumbered, that small band of liberators succeeds in defeating the enemy and accomplishing their mission.

And everyone in the theater stands up and CHEERS!

But think.

You and I have an enemy who wants to keep us from experiencing God’s bountiful blessings. This enemy is well-versed in spiritual tactics. And one of his favorites is the Diversionary Activity.

“A diversionary activity is one intended to attract one’s attention away from something which you do not want them to think about, know about, or deal with.” - Collins Dictionary

Now pay attention.

Your enemy is a spirit. He cannot operate in this physical realm. He must, instead, work THROUGH people to implement his plan.

Even ministers of the Gospel can be unwitting pawns in the hands of your enemy.

I say unwitting because I don’t believe most ministers intentionally deceive. It’s just that the ones they’ve listened to have polluted their perspective.

The minister hears a scripture taught a particular way and thinks, “That sounds good.” They accept what they’ve listened to as Truth. They then regurgitate what they’ve heard without putting in the time and effort to prayerfully examine the teaching and think for themselves. 

Blinded by commonly accepted teachings, they don’t even see the inconsistencies between what they claim to believe (e.g., the New Testament) and what they preach.

(Where would we be without people like Martin Luther, who were willing to challenge accepted authority?)

Now here’s an example, and it’s one that’s widely taught. 

When preaching about the parable of the sower, the typical approach is to focus on the PROBLEM. This point of focus then serves to hide the SOLUTION. That solution is sitting IN PLAIN SIGHT but remains unseen to the majority. 

Diabolical, but effective.

I’ve challenged several people with this:

“In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about the four types of soil. Three types did not produce results. Only one did. What is the ONE difference between the three that didn’t get results and the one that did?”

In 18 years, I’ve only had one person give me the correct answer.

And I won’t lie to you. For years I taught the parable just like the rest. I only saw the “hidden” clue AFTER I started challenging everything I’d learned, and AFTER I asked Father, “What am I missing?”

What I’m about to share is just ONE of the revelations he gave me when I began praying that way.

So let’s get to it.

You know the story.

A man scatters seed in his field. Some of the seeds fall on a hard path. Some go into the weeds. Some end up on the rocks. But the rest land on good soil.

Jesus then explains the meaning of the four types of soil.

19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 

20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 

21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 

22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.

23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.

The preacher then stops and asks this question:

“Which type of soil are YOU?”

This question directs your attention to the first three types of soil and their inherent issues.

“You come to church each Sunday and hear the messages. But when you walk out, do you forget what you’ve heard? If so, you’re allowing the devil to steal God’s word. That’s why you’re not producing results in your life.”

“Are you embroiled in life’s troubles, and you’re afraid of being persecuted if you make a stand for Jesus? If so, your hardness of heart isn’t allowing the Word to make a difference in your life.”

“Or are you the one who’s consumed by worries and thinks money is the only thing that can provide security? If that’s you, those worries aren’t allowing the Word to grow.”

When the congregation hears this,

They think, “I have to focus more on the message, so it doesn’t get stolen.”

They think, “I have to stop being afraid of what might happen to me.”

They think, “I have to stop worrying.”

They think, “I have to TRY HARDER.”

And none of that aligns with the solution Jesus provided.

NO ONE THINKS, “How can the soil change itself?”

NO ONE THINKS, “Well, preacher, YOU’RE the one sowing the Word today. Aren’t YOU the one responsible for preparing the soil so it can grow and produce fruit?”

NO ONE.

Why?

The enemy has diverted their attention away from the ONE THING that will cause the seed to produce results.

Allow me to paraphrase what Jesus said about the soil.

• Soil #1 HEARD the Word and produced NO RESULTS
• Soil #2 HEARD the Word and produced NO RESULTS
• Soil #3 HEARD the Word and produced NO RESULTS
• Soil #4 HEARD the Word AND UNDERSTOOD and produced RESULTS.

What’s the solution?

Understanding!

In other words, without understanding, there will be no results. WITH understanding, there WILL be results. And the extent and quality of the results are determined by your LEVEL of understanding.

More understanding = more prolific results.

Again...

What’s the SOLUTION?

What’s the ONE THING that differentiates productive soil from unproductive soil?

Understanding!

Now think about it. You see this concept at work in everyday life.

What’s the difference between a rookie machinist and a master machinist?

The master knows the machines he works with, what they can do and their limitations. He understands the materials he works with and knows the amount of stress each can take.

Why?

Because he has worked with the equipment and the materials day in and day out.

He has hands-on experience. He has tried new things and has made mistakes. He has learned through experience. He knows how to get the quickest and most efficient results.

You’d think the rookie has a long road in front of him. But there’s a shortcut. He has access to the knowledge and expertise of the master.

All he has to do is ASK.

Jesus said, “I have the LIGHT (REVELATION, INSIGHT, and UNDERSTANDING) you need. I’m not trying to hide it from you. But if you stay outside, you won’t benefit from what I know. It’s available only to those who enter in.” - Luke 8:16 (my paraphrase)

Who enters in? Who will get the UNDERSTANDING they need?

The ones who come to Jesus and ASK.

Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8 AMPC

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (HIS METHODS AND WAYS OF DOING THINGS AND BEING RIGHT), and THEN all these things will be given to you. - Matthew 6:33 AMPC

(I pray) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and REVELATION in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your UNDERSTANDING being ENLIGHTENED; that you may KNOW what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. - Ephesians 1:17-19 NKJV

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. - John 15:5 NIV

Press in for UNDERSTANDING.

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Next Step: You probably missed this in Proverbs. You thought Wisdom was what you needed, but that's not what Solomon said in Proverbs 2 and 4.

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For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.
- Ephesians 6:12 TLB

Note that there are three renditions of the parable of the sower:

• Mark 4:1-25
• Luke 8:4-18
• Matthew 13:1-23

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