Bearing Fruit with Patience

Did you ever encounter situations when you are serious about the Word of God, feeding and acting on God's Word daily and then you experience more troubles and distractions? When such things happen, it throws you into confusion, thinking 'What have I done wrong?'

The fact is, you have not done anything wrong. On the contrary, you have been believing right and that's why the devil launches an attack on God's Word. Learning from the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:13-20, I observed that there are 4 scenarios when the devil attempts to steal God's Word:
1) Seed sown by the wayside - when we first receive the Word and our hearts may not fully understand it.
2) Seed sown on stony ground - when we have a full revelation of the Word and receive it with joy. But when trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, these believers are stumbled and give up on the Word.
3) Seed sown among thorns - when the Word is taking root in our hearts but the worries and the distractions of this world choke the Word of God.
4) Seed sown on good grounds - when we believe right and God is about to bring tremendous blessings to our life. Those who hear and accept the Word bear fruit: thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold.

I believe that most of us can identify with the 3rd and 4th scenario. For me, it is the 4th scenario I am going through now. I am encouraged that the harvest comes thirtyfold, sixtyfold and hundredfold. This meant that I might not see the fruit of the Word of God sown in my heart all at once but the blessings are progressive. I have seen God's manifestation of His promise in most areas of my life but for some areas, I am still persevering. When we receive the Word and the opposite situation happens, keep on believing, keep on persevering and God promises that we will surely bring forth fruit with patience.

Pastor Prince said that patience means there are adverse circumstances against the Word and we are fighting against contradictory symptoms in our bodies that are screaming 'The Word is a lie! The Word is a lie!' But when we still persevere with God's Word, we will surely bring forth fruit! When we do this, no demon can prevent that Word of God from bearing fruit in our life. And God is merciful, He will not delay a single moment. He promised in Hebrews 10:37 that 'For just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not tarry.'

So my friends, when you find yourself in that situation, rejoice for your hundredfold harvest is coming! You will see that in just a little while, when you have persevered and done the will of God, you will receive the promise. The reward is going to be so sweet that you will not regret that you have persevered even though the path you have walked have not been easy.