“Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
(Mk. 4:15)
Our text is from Jesus’ classic story of the “Seed and the Sower." It is found in three of the Gospels. Matthew and Luke’s account says, “Then cometh the wicked one”; “Then cometh the devil.” That is, after the Word is sown “then” (“immediately"), Satan removes the divine seed from their hearts, after it was received. There is an afterward in Satan’s ministry, and there should be in ours. His is to prevent, ours is to pray!
Many years ago after delivering God’s truth to an assembly, it came to my mind concerning the Word that I prayed before the fact, during the fact, but little or not at all after the fact, that is, concerning the seed sown. It was then I began praying for that which I had previously sown. I now pray regularly for any and all I have ministered the Word to, these sixty-plus years —whether it be preaching, witnessing, counseling, writings, etc.
One of the rewards of this type of praying is the testimonies that come one's way from time to time. For example, I had a saint tell me some time back, “I heard you preach over fifty-years ago; to this day I remember the message. I got right with the Lord and have endeavored to live for Him since.” I am sure those who add the above truth to their prayers will find in Heaven many awaiting them to give thanks, not only for ministering the seed to them, but watering it regularly through the years with their prayers.
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