A careful study of the parable of the sower thought by Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 13 :1-23, will make a very important revelation in our lives today. Why is it that since I gave my life to Christ, many things have rather grown worse? I have visited so many churches and men of God but my conditions have grown worse, why? Under which teaching have I not been and which word of God have I not believed?

So many Christians are asking the likes of these questions. They ask such questions because they discovered that most time they stayed under any teaching, they would rather receive more attacks than they would before. Such Christians have not gotten the revelation, the reasons and the true meaning of those attacks or challenges.

The answer to the above questions could be found in the 20th and 21st verse of Matthew 13. According to these verses, some people (Christians) hear the word of God and receive it with joy but the word is not rooted in them. So as a result, when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they stumble. Please take note of the phrase “because of the word“.

There are usually temptations that accompany every word of God you receive. Satan is the chief sponsor of these temptations. The tribulations are set before you as a test of the word you have received. It is comparable to students who receive lectures and await tests and examinations. This is why you would hear the word of God today but receive attacks tomorrow because of the word you have heard.

Christians who do not know this secret fall to temptations easily since the word is not rooted firmly in them. One might stay under the teaching of the healing power of God where he might have heard that “by His strips we are healed” (see 1 Peter 2:24 & Isaiah 53:5); he might also have received and believed it with joy. But after all the teachings, sickness would knock at his door to test him because of the word of healing he heard.

One might hear and believe that ” at the top and only at the top would he be”, but would receive demotion letter at his office just to test him because of the word of promotion he heard. (See Deuteronomy 28:13).

All these are the works of Satan to take away the little you have believed. (John 10:10). The same experience happened to Jesus Himself, after he heard a voice from heaven declaring him as the beloved son, the Satan came to tempt Him. (See Mark 1:9-13). But the good news is that as Christians, we have been declared victorious. So that in all these tribulations we are more than conquerors. (See Romans 8:37).

I have experienced so many of these especially when I was in school but as soon as I got this revelation I would always laugh at those tests, and would pray holding firmly on the faith and at the end I would emerge victorious. The joy of overcoming those tests is always greater than the pains associated with enduring the tests. (See Romans 8:18).

I therefore encourage us to be steadfast in faith in our quest for more knowledge of the word and power, for the more we hear the word, the more we are opened to temptations because of the word we hear. For one thing is sure, no amount of these temptations shall be greater than we can bear. (See 1 Corinthians 10:13).

Shall we now because of temptations run away from the word of God? No! For what can stop us from the love of God? Can tribulations stop us from the love of God? The answer is no, for in these tribulations our faith is made genuine and even stronger. (See 1 Peter 1:6-7).

In enduring, you make those cases slaves, for any case you overcome becomes your slave but any case that overcomes you makes you rather its slave. (See Romans 6:16).