Jesus said
For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Mark 4:25
This statement will scare the living daylights out of you if you don’t understand what he means. So what does he mean? It’s actually very simple, he explained it a little earlier in his conversation with his disciples about the parable of the seed.
Jesus publicly taught this…
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Mark 4:3-4
Then privately explained it to his disciples…
Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. Mark 4:18-19
Look again at verse 25…
For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Mark 4:25
When Jesus says “even what he has will be taken away,” he’s not it’s God that takes away, it’s actually the enemy. Specifically by paying attention to the enemies words. And how does the enemy take away the word/seed that’s sown in your heart?
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. Mark 4:20-22
The enemy “takes the seed our of your heart” by persuading you to focus on the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. The enemy doesn’t have the power to get in your heart and take away God’s spirit or his living word, but he can suggest lies to you and reinforce your negative beliefs or fears in those areas. Those fears and doubts grow in your heart and choke out the kingdom seed.
Have you ever seen a vine or briars choke out a plant or tree? Doubt, fear, worrying about money and being overwhelmed emotionally by this world can choke out the word of God in your heart. Those are the only tools the enemy has to work with.
The enemy is a spirit, much like a radio frequency. If you tune into his channel and listen to his suggestions, you may begin to believe his lies. Here’s the real truth, you will only be persuaded by his suggestions if you already have those fears or temptations within you. So the enemy “takes away the seed” by reinforcing your preexisting doubts and fears.
I’ve always thought it was a little odd that Christians can be so worried they’re going to hear the devil so easily yet feel like God’s voice is so difficult to discern.
Pay Attention
Now that you understand how the word is “taken away,” let’s talk about how to see it increase.
Jesus said “pay attention to the word you hear.” That doesn’t mean listen really hard, that means attend to it. If you have a garden, you don’t pay attention to it by looking at it, you get your hands dirty by tilling the soil, watering the seeds, eradicating pests and uprooting invasive plant species.
“Paying attention” to the word of God that you plant in your heart means you need to make sure you’re watering it. Stay in faith. Make sure you are thinking how God thinks about your life. Pray and meditate, include God’s logic in your thought processes. Change the way you’re thinking about your circumstances and see God’s possibilities and promises.
Paying attention has more to do with the meditation of your heart than the function of your ears or eyes.
From Expositor’s Greek Testament
There shall be given over and above, not to those who hear (T. R., τοῖς ἀκούουσιν), but to those who think on what they hear. This thought introduces Mark 4:25, which, in this connection, means: the more a man thinks the more he will understand, and the less a man thinks the less his power of understanding will become. “Whoso hath attention, knowledge will be given to him, and from him who hath not, the seed of knowledge will be taken. For as diligence causes that seed to grow, negligence destroys it,” Euthy.
Don’t Just Think…Feel
Neuroscience has discovered that if you feel what you are seeking to believe or incorporate into your life, you will more successfully incorporate the information or habit. Your body doesn’t know the difference between thought and reality. You watch a funny movie and laugh, you watch a drama and feel sad, you watch a horror movie and feel scared.
Why do you actually feel those emotions and sensations? They’re not real. You feel them because your body, mind and soul have the same emotional and chemical experience even without an actual event.
This is fascinating, if you feel the emotions and sensations of health and healing, your physiology will begin to produce the proper condition to bring about that physical state in your body. God told us the truth, transformation is produced through mind-renewal.
You can meditate on the fact that Jesus became poor that you might become rich and see that truth grow in your life. You can meditate on the fact that he became sick so you could be healed and experience that reality. You can attend to the word of truth that Jesus was cursed for you and never again be afraid of God. You can think your way into health or you can think your way into sickness.
If you think of God’s word and his truth, it will grow into your life.
Think the truth. Think like God. There’s more going on than a psychological phenomenon, there’s an actual manifestation in progress. The more you pay attention or attend to nourishing God’s truth in your mind and heart, the more you will see it on your life.
Give it a shot, meditate on his word.
