Lesson 6 | Hide It And Keep It

Primary Text: Luke 8:11 — “The Word of God is a seed.”

I. Scriptures Referenced

Luke 8:4

Luke 8:11

John 14:30

Psalm 119:11

Psalm 119:105

Proverbs 4:23

Proverbs 30:5

Mark 7:13–15

1 Peter 1:23

Hebrews 4:12

Isaiah 55:11

Matthew 4:4

Jeremiah 23:29

John 1:1

John 17:17

Psalm 33:6

II. The Seed of the Word

Seed(s): the cause or latent beginning of a feeling, process, or condition.

Latent: existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden, lying dormant until circumstances are suitable for development or manifestation.

The Word is not only information. The Word is seed.

Seeds can lie dormant until the right conditions allow them to grow.

III. “The Prince of This World… Has Nothing in Me” (John 14:30)

John 14:30 — “The prince of this world comes and has nothing in me.”

IN: fixed position.

The enemy looks for something in the heart to connect to.

When the Word is planted and guarded, there is no “handle” for darkness to grab.

IV. Hiding the Word in the Heart (Psalm 119:11)

Psalm 119:11 — “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”

Hid: to hide; to treasure; to store; to protect.

Heart: represents feelings, will, intellect, the center of a person.

When David says, “I have hid Thy word within my heart,” it means the Word has been buried deep into the core of life. It becomes the unseen, governing power deposited like a treasure.

V. Guarding the Heart (Proverbs 4:23)

Proverbs 4:23 — “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

Keep: guard (protect, maintain, obey); also can imply conceal.

Diligence: guard (post, prison, watch); deposit; ward; watch.

The heart is not passive. It must be guarded.

What flows out of life is connected to what is kept and cultivated in the heart.

VI. The Process of Planting Seeds (A Picture of the Heart)

Seeds planted outdoors have a higher chance of dying due to disease and insects.

Starting seeds indoors increases health and survival.

The Word is supposed to be planted in our hearts.

Select the seed — the seed needs the right environment to grow. (The right church)

Prepare supplies — heat and light source. (The Word)

Plant the seed — make sure the soil is prepared. (The heart)

Water the seeds regularly — reading the Word, prayer, fellowship with community.

VII. Seeds Planted Through Life Experiences

Relationship wounds

Bitterness

Anxiety

Depression

Fear

Suicidal thoughts

Unforgiveness

Jealousy

Lust

Anger

These seeds must be pulled up.

It is not God’s responsibility to remove what we are responsible for.

VIII. Full Surrender: Uprooting Dark Seeds

How do we fully surrender the seeds from the kingdom of darkness?

Admit it

Change the environment

Cast down the thoughts (stop watering)

Guard your heart

Every word spoken over us and every experience is a seed.

Seeds produce habits, behaviors, and patterns.

We cannot control what is planted, but we can control what grows.

The seeds in our hearts that we choose to water become the issues flowing from our hearts.

The Word is the only antidote that can kill the seed.

We cannot:

Hope the seeds away

Wish the seeds away

Ignore the seeds away

Counsel the seeds away

Cry the seeds away

Only the Word can wash it away.

IX. How Do We Hide the Word in Our Hearts?

Make God a priority. God first, then everyone and everything else.

Make reading your Bible a priority.

Meditate on the Word.

Give attention to it.

X. How Do We Guard Our Hearts?

Set Boundaries: Avoid giving “level-10” access to people who only demonstrate “level-3” responsibility.

Filter Your Inputs: Be selective about what you watch, listen to, and read.

Guard Your Thoughts: Do not allow imagination to run with worst-case scenarios. Focus on the truth of God’s Word.

Manage Emotional Investments: Be cautious about where you invest time, love, and affection.

Find Support: Invite trusted friends or mentors to help identify blind spots.

Practice Spiritual Discipline: Use prayer and scripture to keep focus.

Rely on the armor of God.

XI. The Word Is Valuable

Valuable: important; useful; beneficial; priceless; precious; costly; treasured.

We will not guard what we do not value.

People know what we value by how we treat it.

The Word is so valuable that the enemy fights to keep it from taking root.

When Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus responded with: “It is written.”

Not with a title.

Not with someone else’s opinion.

With the Word.

Signs of not valuing the Word:

Rarely respond to God

Dishonor His house

Speak against His bride

Treat ministries like stepping stones

Become possessive over positions

XII. The Nature and Power of the Word

The Word is:

Living and active (Hebrews 4:12)

A lamp and light (Psalm 119:105)

Never returning void (Isaiah 55:11)

Our source of life (Matthew 4:4)

Pure and protective (Proverbs 30:5)

Like fire and a hammer (Jeremiah 23:29)

The Word was God (John 1:1)

God’s Word is truth (John 17:17)

Creation was formed by His Word (Psalm 33:6)

XIII. Key Scriptures to Meditate and Memorize

Luke 8:11

Psalm 119:11

Proverbs 4:23

John 14:30

1 Peter 1:23