Mark 4 recorded the parable of the sower. In verses 13-20 Jesus explained it to His disciples. The seed sown was the word of God. Verse 19 aptly describes for us the thorns that will choke out our fruit.

It says, “And the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Here is God’s way with the ‘cares’ in our lives. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” I think of Paul when he cast off the viper. Acts 28:3-5. Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” What cares or burdens do you need to cast off?

What riches are you pursuing that are choking out your fruit? Anything that this world has to offer is fruitless., because true riches are spiritual. Haggai 1:6 says that they earned money and put it in bags with holes. 

In John 16:8 we read that one aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work in our heart is to convict us of sin. The more we walk in the Spirit, the more sensitive we will be to His leading. Galatians 5:16.

Our desire should be that He will convict us of our evil thought before we speak it. Not every thought we have is of our own origin. When satan sends fiery dart lies, they often come in first person or accusations.

Ephesians 6:16 says that our shield of faith will quench the fiery darts. Hidden sin weakens our faith. We stand by faith (humility), but we fall from His grace as we entertain sin in our hearts (pride).

Whatever is in our heart seeps into our thought processes. We guard our heart by hiding God’s word in it. Psalm 119:11. It also is guarded with His peace by not being anxious, but rather praying with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6-7.

David had a prayer that is an excellent one for us to adopt to help ward off inner defilement. Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

Heart meditation based on the truths of God’s word will protect us from many diseases. God told the children of Israel that He would put none of the diseases on them that He brought upon the Egyptians. There was a condition however. 

Exodus 15:26 says, “…If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes…” Psalm 119:1-2 says, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!” A defiled heart is fragmented.

Matthew 12:34 says, “…For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” The words that come out of our mouth are from our thoughts. 

Matthew 15:18-19 says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…”

Inner defilement causes serious spiritual heart disease. Hebrews 12:15 says that when we allow bitter roots to spring up, they defile everyone around us. Peter told Simon that he was poisoned by bitterness. Acts 8:23

In my first book, Freedom! From Past Hurts, chapter 10 is titled Inner Defilement. We often believe that we have been defiled by something that happened to us. However, it is our negative caustic outlook that defiles from within. Keeping a record of wrongs defiles and blocks love from flowing in or out.

Song of Solomon 2:15 says that it is the little foxes that spoil the vine. In Old Testament times there were vineyards with hedges around them. If a small critter made a hole, it was an opportunity for the next size animal to burrow in.

Think of little foxes as irritations, slights, offenses, resentments, or bitter root judgments. These things run ship shod and knock off our tiny blossoms that are a promise of fruit.

I like the picturesque words of Proverbs 24:30-31. They described an unkempt vineyard. Verse 31 says, “And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down.”

Guarding our heart is synonymous with keeping the hedge around our vineyard in good repair. It means that when we are slighted, we ward off neglecting to remain in gratitude. When we feel irritated or offended, we make sure that there is no little hole left for the enemy to enlarge.

2 Timothy 2:26 is our warning. The devil looks for areas of unresolved issues so that he can ensnare us to defeat our faith. It says, “And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

What have you left unresolved in your own heart? Unresolved issues leave us open for demonic influences. They set us up to dishonor the Lord through fleshly indulgences or reactions.

Unresolved issues leave open opportunities for the devil to work against us. They are open doors that lead us to disobey His commands. He says to forgive as we have been forgiven. He says to not let the sun go down on our wrath. He has called us with a holy calling. We are created to glorify Him by bearing much fruit. Unresolved issues leave us fruitless.

Judas had a hook ~ greed. A woman poured very costly fragrant oil on Jesus’ head. The disciples were indignant. As I read this last night, the Holy Spirit showed me something I had not connected before.

Right after this Judas went to the chief priests. Read his words carefully. Matthew 26:15 was his question to them, “…What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?…” Verse 16 says, “So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.”

Back to Luke 4. The devil had tempted Jesus. Verse 13 says, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” John 13:2 revealed that time. It says, “And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him.”

It was a setup because there was a hook in Judas’ heart! Peter understood the devil’s setup. He was sifted. Luke 22:31-32. 1 Peter 5:8-9.

Jesus is our example of leaving no opportunity for the devil’s input. John 14:30 says, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this word is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” The Amplified says, “…he has nothing in Me that belongs to him…”

Ephesians 4:26 was written about not going to bed angry. Verse 27 in the Amplified says, “Leave no (such) room or foothold for the devil (give no opportunity to him).”

Proverbs 4:23 says that when we don’t resolve issues, they will spring out when we least expect them. Have you ever wished you had not said something? Have you ever reacted in the flesh and tarnished your testimony? 

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says, “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.”

Matthew 17:1-8 recorded Jesus’ transfiguration. He had taken Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves. Read these words carefully. Verse 2 says, “And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”

The three saw Jesus as they had never seen Him before. Then a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud. Verse 6 says, “And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.”

Verse 7-8 says, “But Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and do not be afraid. When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”

What do you see when you look at your circumstances? Do you get overwhelmed by the magnitude of your trial? Does what you hear others say cause fear to come into your heart? The Lord is Present. Ask Him to touch you, so that you see Jesus only.

In Matthew 16:23 Jesus rebuked Peter. He had just begun to explain to His disciples that He must suffer many things, be killed, and then raised the third day. In verse 22 Peter said, “…Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

Verse 23 says that He said to Peter, “…Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but of the things of men.” The Greek word for offense denoted a snare or stumbling block.

We just celebrated the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday. As we face our impossibilities, we can fill our minds with hope from God’s word. Jesus was raised from the dead. No grave could hold Him. Neither will any trial keep us from walking in the fullness of His purposes for our lives. Our trials are His temporary tools to conform us to His will and ways.