In the parable of the sower in Mark 4, Jesus reveals that the seed is the Word of God, man's heart is the soil, and Satan comes to take away the Word that is sown: "The sower sows the word. 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." (Mark 4:14-15) In Mark 4:17-19, Jesus reveals that when affliction, persecution, cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches, and lusts of other things enter in, they choke the Word so it becomes unfruitful in your life.
The greatest enemy of faith, the most subtle and the most devastating, is the lack of knowledge of the Word of God. To believe the devil's lie that, "It is God that is putting you through trials and tests" will neutralize your faith. Through religious tradition Satan has blinded the minds of Christians to what the Word says. Jesus said, "SATAN HATH DESIRED TO...SIFT YOU." James 1:2 says, "...count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." Notice, he said, "When you fall into temptations," not when you walk into them with your eyes open. Some folks have walked into them with their eyes wide open! This verse is often misquoted as, "The trying of your faith perfects it." But the Word says, "The trying of your faith works patience."
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