Demonic Forgetfulness

“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.” (Matthew 13:19)

When was the last time that you were reading your Bible, listening to a sermon, or involved in a Bible study, and realized that the text applied to you?

Now, what are you doing with the text? Have you changed your lifestyle, put that sin to death, or focused on growing that spiritual virtue? Have you applied what you learned?

And if you can’t remember a recent time that the Word of God jumped off the page like that for you, that’s even more concerning. It could be a sign of how effectively Satan is diverting you from the message of Jesus.

Here’s a simple reminder: “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). It seems so simple that it’s almost embarrassing to repeat it. Isn’t this obvious? But, as Paul said, “to write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.”

Jesus has direct words to speak about our hearing. He says that our failure to understand the word is evidence of Satan’s working. Why does he use the word ‘understand’? Because if we take the word, study for its meaning (Acts 17:11), and apply it in our lives, then we have truly understood what Jesus wants us to know. True understanding is practical. Failure to apply is demonic – it is the result of the evil one ‘snatching away’ God’s truth.

Some of us forget the Word because we aren’t deeply interested in it. We read it the way that we read a novel or a school assignment: it’s interesting, or it’s required, but it’s hardly life-shaping.

Some of us forget the Word because we don’t apply it. It’s a seventh-grade frog to be dissected, described, and reported on. We might even get excited enough to run to a friend with its brain on a scalpel because we want to show someone else how cool it is. But at the end of science class, we pack our bags, leave it on the table, and go home.

This, Jesus says, is demonic. It’s the work of the evil one, who ‘snatches away’ what has been sown. To rightly interact with Christ’s words, it’s required that you let them germinate in your heart, giving them the care and attention of tender plants. Shower them with your constant thought; check in on them regularly to ensure that they are growing; fight the weeds of earthly busyness that could choke them; give them space to bear the fruit that they produce.

In place of comments, I would love to hear from you personally. Please reach out to me via the Contact Page to share your thoughts and perspectives on this post!