Examine the Message: 01 of 09
Four Conditions – Which Condition Are You?
Condition 1: The Wayside
“When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.”
~ Matthew 13:19 (KJV)
This person hears the Word but does not understand it. The Word does not penetrate the heart and soul as truth from God.
A person can read Scripture and still fail to comprehend its spiritual lesson. An intellectual or surface understanding of Scripture is not enough. When the Word is not truly understood and rooted in the heart, the wicked one takes away what was sown.
According to what God revealed to me, those in this condition are lost and on the way to hell and do not know it.
Examine Yourself
Do I merely know Scripture intellectually, or has the truth of God’s Word penetrated my heart and soul?
Condition 2: Stony Ground
“But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself…”
~ Matthew 13:20–21 (KJV)
This person hears the Word and initially receives it with joy, but there is no root.
God revealed to me that when the heart has not been surrendered to Him, it cannot hold onto the truths it receives. The person may initially be excited about the teaching, but when tribulation or persecution comes because of the Word, that belief does not endure.
Without union with the Lord, the truth is not rooted deeply enough to withstand what comes against it. The person can then turn toward false teaching or rely upon intellectual understanding rather than remain grounded in what God has said.
According to the teaching God gave me, this person is also on the way to hell and does not know it.
Examine Yourself
Is the Word rooted deeply within me, or does what I claim to believe change when obedience becomes difficult?
Condition 3: Among the Thorns
“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”
~ Matthew 13:22 (KJV)
This person has heard the Word and believes what was heard, but something else happens.
The teachings of the world begin to compete with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Compromise enters.
Riches, acceptance by others, the cares of this world, and other influences begin choking what was received. The person can no longer hold firmly to scriptural truth and becomes unfruitful.
According to what God revealed to me, those in this condition are also lost and on the way to hell and do not know it.
Examine Yourself
Have I allowed the world, acceptance, riches, compromise, or the opinions of others to choke what God has said?
Condition 4: Good Ground
“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit…”
~ Matthew 13:23 (KJV)
Here we find the condition of the true believer.
The Word of God is heard and received within the soul. It is planted deeply within the heart. The Word is understood and believed as actual teaching from the Lord.
But hearing and understanding are not the end.
The believer must endure until the end.
Through unfailing faith and belief in the teachings of the Lord, this person listens, follows and obeys. Fruit is produced, and that fruit reaches the lives of others.
According to the teaching God gave me, this fourth condition is safe.
Examine Yourself
Do I hear, understand, believe, follow and obey God—and is my life producing fruit?
Three of Four
Now look at all four conditions together.
Condition 1: The Word is heard but not understood.
Condition 2: The Word is received but has no root and does not endure.
Condition 3: The Word is heard but becomes choked and unfruitful.
Condition 4: The Word is heard, understood, believed, obeyed and bears fruit.
This is the foundation of the warning God gave me:
“3/4 of the Christian world is on the way to hell…and don’t know it.”
The book explains that the first three categories are outside the will of God and identifies them with the three-fourths in danger, while the fourth category bears fruit.
The purpose of this warning is not for you to determine which category someone else occupies.
It is for you to examine yourself.
Which Condition Are You?
Recognition Is Not Enough
If you recognize yourself in one of the first three conditions, the examination should not end there.
In A Call From God for Change, I explain that our task is to humble ourselves before the great “I AM” and repent. Intimacy with God is a spiritual journey that begins in absolute surrender to Him.
I know this personally.
God changed me.
He dissected my soul.
And through that process, He taught me that His Presence is where true learning takes place.
The question, therefore, is not simply:
Which condition am I?
The next question is:
What Will I Do About It?
Humble yourself.
Repent.
Surrender to God.
Seek Him.
Listen.
Follow.
Obey.
And allow God to change you.