Don’t Let the Devil Snatch Away God’s Word
“Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.”
In the parable of the sower, Jesus Christ compared the spreading of God’s message of the Kingdom of God to a farmer throwing seeds on various types of soil. The wayside was hard packed by much traffic, so the seeds didn’t have a chance to sprout before being spotted by birds and eaten (Luke 8:5).
In this parable, the hungry birds represent Satan’s energetic efforts to snatch away God’s truth before it can germinate and bring understanding to people’s minds.
One way Satan does this is by spiritually blinding people to God’s truth. As the apostle Paul said, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).
Not only is Satan the “god of this age,” he is also called “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). His influence is pervasive, like the air surrounding us. His evil thoughts and attitudes have been compared to radio waves broadcast everywhere.
We must make sure our minds are tuned to God’s station, not to Satan’s. With God’s help, we can grow in understanding of God’s plan, instead of having the truth snatched away from us.
For more about Satan and his evil effects, see “God vs. Satan” and Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?
