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Intention

To call every believer to move beyond merely hearing God’s word to truly receiving it — and to bear lasting fruit as a soul winner in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture

“And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

– Mark 4:20

Reflection

In Mark 4:20, Jesus reveals three vital tasks that make for a lifetime of fruitful soul winning. We must: (1) hear the word, (2) welcome or receive the word, and (3) bring forth fruit.

The soul winner moving in the power of the Spirit has done all three — recognising that God has spoken and responding with action. When we implement what God has spoken, it is life-changing.

It is possible to hear the word yet go no further than being inspired by it. People I speak to are often content to rest in what they have heard without acting on it. A common response I encounter is something like, “Oh yes, my pastor has been running a series on discipleship lately and we must all be making disciples.” But by leaving it at that, they are, in a sense, entertaining the word rather than acting on it — and so they remain fruitless.

But what does James tell us? “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

Receiving the word means taking hold of it, taking it to heart, and recognising the great favour God has extended to you — even when what he has spoken is challenging, as it very often will be.

In 1 Samuel 3:4, the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel answered, “Here am I.” That response is the essence of receiving. When you say, “I am here, Lord — speak, for your servant is listening,” the word sinks deeply into your spirit. It puts a fire in your heart. Your whole life becomes oriented around what God has said, and you take on a defined assignment from the Most High.

I think of a man named Peter. One night, as we were studying the Bible together in John’s Gospel, God’s presence manifested powerfully into the room. Peter responded to the Lord’s call, received the word, and to this day is proclaiming it. His sister, brothers, and parents have all come to know the Lord.

I think of another man I met recently at a coffee shop. He was challenged to become an effective soul winner, came to training, and went out with us into the field. He is now poised to lead a group at Rouse Hill and is looking to start a “Bringing Others to Jesus” seminar at his church.

I think of Daniel — his wife, children, and friends all came to know the Lord through him. I had the privilege of attending both Daniel’s baptism and later his wife’s. Daniel has shared his testimony in several churches and diligently seeks to serve the Lord. He heard from God, and it changed everything.

Then there is the story of a minister whose church had seen virtually no fruit in seventeen years. In answer to his anguished prayer, God moved. He cooperated with brothers and sisters who prayed to break a curse of Freemasonry over his church, and suddenly more people were coming to the Lord than he had ever seen.

Hearing and receiving the word generate action. Together, by the grace of Christ, they open the way for his presence to break through — and for his word to touch others and produce lasting fruit. Only the received word becomes fruitful.

While fruitfulness brings joy (John 4:36), we must not base our joy on it – but only on our relationship with the Lord. Oswald Chambers puts it this way in My Utmost for His Highest:

“Jesus Christ says in Luke 10:20, in effect, ‘Don’t rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to me.’ He is pouring rivers of living water through you, and it is because of His mercy that he does not let you know it.”

Video

Prayer

Our loving Father,

Thank you that you are speaking to your people in Australia. We pray that we will all be receptive and take your word to heart. Grant us the fruit of souls won to Jesus as we speak up for him and speak the message of salvation and the gift of life eternal.

We give you — who has called us into your service — all the glory.

We pray this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen.

Author Bio

Tony McLennan received Jesus as Lord and Saviour as a young Army Captain in the mid-70s. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Tony began sharing the gospel with everyone who would listen. His service has included time as CEO of Bible League, and in 2017, he was ordained as an Anglican priest.

Tony is the CEO and co-founder of Australia for Jesus, a ministry dedicated to training and mobilising soul winners for Christ.

Australia for Jesus Action Prayer Points

1. Pray for people God places on your heart.

2. Tell them that you are praying for them, and ask them if there is anything in particular that you should be praying for them about.

3. After a while, enquire how what you have been praying for them is going.

4. Then, invite them to see The Way of Life presentation of the gospel available via www.afj.org.au.

Prayer Points for Five4Five 2026

1. Five people to trust in Christ and to share the gospel with those five in May. Matthew 28:19–20

2. Repentance, revival and reformation in Australia and for millions to believe in Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47

3. A Church that grows in extravagant love for God and people. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15

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