THE BELIEVER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PROPHETIC WORD
The Believer's Responsibility To The Prophetic Word
Frank Damazio
The prophetic word could be likened to a seed that must fall to the ground and bring forth fruit. The analogy of the Word of God being likened to the seed is taught throughout the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus Christ teaches the same analogy in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
Let us look at the all important matter of the believer receiving a prophetic word into the good ground of his inner heart. In Matthew 13:3-23, Jesus speaks of the four attitudes of the heart which are represented by the four kinds of soil the seed could fall upon. Believers will respond to a prophetic word with the same four heart attitudes.
I. FOUR HEART ATTITUDES
A. A HARD HEART
1. The first kind of soil speaks of the heart which is not given to cultivate the Word of God in the midst of the busy routines of life.
2. Matthew 13:19 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.
3. The wayside was the path alongside the roads and highways between cities, the roads used in everyday life. A seed falling on this ground would lie on top of the earth, not being able to sprout as a seed that had fallen on farming ground.
4. The seed does not penetrate the person's understanding because he is given to the natural mind, to the ways of the world. He is not seeking after God's Word or bringing God into the routine of his daily life. It is not that he has a major deterrent in his life to the ways of God; he simply has no desire or time to follow the Lord.
B. A HARD HEART
1. The second kind of soil speaks of the hard heart which has no roots of Christlike character.
a. Matthew 13:20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy…
b. Matthew 13:21 …yet he has no root in himself, but endures only f ...
Frank Damazio
The prophetic word could be likened to a seed that must fall to the ground and bring forth fruit. The analogy of the Word of God being likened to the seed is taught throughout the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus Christ teaches the same analogy in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
Let us look at the all important matter of the believer receiving a prophetic word into the good ground of his inner heart. In Matthew 13:3-23, Jesus speaks of the four attitudes of the heart which are represented by the four kinds of soil the seed could fall upon. Believers will respond to a prophetic word with the same four heart attitudes.
I. FOUR HEART ATTITUDES
A. A HARD HEART
1. The first kind of soil speaks of the heart which is not given to cultivate the Word of God in the midst of the busy routines of life.
2. Matthew 13:19 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.
3. The wayside was the path alongside the roads and highways between cities, the roads used in everyday life. A seed falling on this ground would lie on top of the earth, not being able to sprout as a seed that had fallen on farming ground.
4. The seed does not penetrate the person's understanding because he is given to the natural mind, to the ways of the world. He is not seeking after God's Word or bringing God into the routine of his daily life. It is not that he has a major deterrent in his life to the ways of God; he simply has no desire or time to follow the Lord.
B. A HARD HEART
1. The second kind of soil speaks of the hard heart which has no roots of Christlike character.
a. Matthew 13:20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy…
b. Matthew 13:21 …yet he has no root in himself, but endures only f ...
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