Parable of the Sower
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus reveals several strategies which the enemies of Christ use to accomplish Satan’s goals. See Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15. I believe the primary interpretation of the parable concerns fruitfulness of God’s Word in a person’s life, rather than it being restricted to a discourse on who gets into heaven or not.
The parable tells a story about a person who sows seed, and the seeds fell in four specified environments: the wayside, on rocky ground, among thorns, and in fertile soil. Jesus explains that the seed is the word of God, and the four soils represent those who hear the preaching of the word. In relating the parable to spiritual warfare, Jesus expressly states that Satan removes the word from the hearts of those who do not understand its meaning (at the wayside). Although Jesus does not describe the devil’s participation any further, I believe that the whole of scripture provides ample evidence that the devil is at work throughout the full story.
| Parable | Ground Description | Heart Response | Enemy Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wayside | Hardened, trampled | No understanding | BLIND Steal the seed |
| Stony Places | Rocky, shallow soil, Burnt, little moisture |
Immediate growth, No fruit |
HARASS Scorch the earth |
| Among Thorns | Crowded field, Depleted nutrients |
Secondary growth, Becomes unfruitful |
DECEIVE Choke the plant |
| Good Soil | Fertile | Bears fruit, Produces a crop |
CONTAIN Limit the crop |
Relative to the spiritual warfare matrix, each axis of advance corresponds with one of the four enemy actions: light vs. darkness (Blind), life vs. destruction (Harass), truth vs. deception (Deceive), and love vs. division (Contain).
