“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)
This world is based in lies, it is the foundation it rests upon, and the father of those lies is a proficient teacher to all who desire to learn this craft.
I am contemplating that first seed today, the one that Satan comes and takes away, and just how he might do that. The seed is the word of truth, and so the recipient of it must be made to believe it is a lie, somehow. There are of course other avenues, possible humiliation from one’s friends, loss of stature in the eyes of others, which are in themselves truths though, for everyone who has been born-again has experienced this in one form or another.
That initial seed is placed before one who has either none or very little knowledge of the Word of God, one who knows nothing of justification, sanctification or glorification, but who has heard as much of the Word of God as is necessary to call upon the Almighty for the salvation of their soul.
He will begin with a lie, a subtle deception not unlike what he said in the garden to our first parents.
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen. 3:1)
And then progress into that loss of something, or the inability to gain what that person desires because they will need to provide service to Christ from that point on. The real question is how, how does he do this.
Is it an emissary from our adversary whispering in their ear, speaking in a voice that only Spiritual ears can hear? Perhaps it is another human being who serves our adversary, telling them that accepting that seed would be a grave mistake.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)
Doubt as to the validity of the truths offered is all Satan has, he attempts to coerce those who first hear, to not allow that seed to find any root whatsoever in that person’s heart. This is a Spiritual matter that I am not sure how to express, for in a sense we must look at things that we cannot see.
Do those who fell with Lucifer follow around constantly those who have the Holy Spirit within them, hoping to keep that seed offered to those they speak to from finding fertile soil? Since we are accountable for all our actions in this life, can Satan remove that seed if the hearer desires not to part with it?
I do not often care to write about these types of subjects that I have no answer for, and so I will give you an answer to the question that was not asked, it is up to you, at least in part.
When you attempt to plant that first seed, the words you speak must be carefully thought out, they must be concise and to the point, this is the eternal soul of another human being we are speaking about here, and every word must be precise.
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2nd Cor. 2:11)
You are not only speaking to them, but speaking past our adversary, of doing all that is within the power that the Holy Spirit has blessed you with to reach directly into the soul of that person. If you are going to plant a seed, make very sure it is a viable seed.
These are the words of life, and he who has the power of death over the wicked will do all he can to not only stop that seed from finding good soil, but to hinder your words as well. Think of it as an appointment that must be prepared for, that certain obligations must be performed, and performed well when that appointment time arrives.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2nd Tim. 2:15)
There are fewer more important times to rightly divide the word of truth than when that first seed is being planted. Do not give our adversary any advantage.
