The first thing each and every Christian must fully realize is that the Holy Bible is truly the inspired and infallible Word of God.
There are many liberal Christians who are starting to question the validity and authenticity of the Bible. I will not use this article to debate the origins of the Bible, all of the authors who wrote the books, and how the different translations came into being. There are plenty of good books at your local Christian bookstore that deal with this topic very extensively.
After studying the Bible in its complete entirety – there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that all of the Bible is God-breathed – that all of it has come directly to us from God the Father through the Holy Spirit.
For those of you who believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, and that all of it has truly come to us from God the Father.
I will use this article to give you some extremely powerful verses from Scripture to show you that not only did all of the Bible come direct to us from God the Father through the Holy Spirit to all of the authors who wrote all 66 books of the Bible – but I will also give you some powerful verses from the Bible showing you how powerful the actual words of the Bible really are, and how they can also help to change and transform you into the kind of person that God really wants you to become in Him.
The actual words of the Bible are anointed by the Holy Spirit Himself – and they have the full ability to completely change and transform you if you are willing to work with the divine truths that are contained in the actual words.
Jesus says in the Bible that you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. However, you first have to know what the real truth is before the truth can start to work to set you free.
This is why Kind David said we must meditate on the words of the Bible – so we can find out what their true meaning is and how all of these divine truths can apply to our daily lives. Meditating on the Bible means to think about, to chew on, to try and figure out the meaning of all of the different verses in the Bible.
Though the Book is long, God has made it as simple and easy as He possibly could. Think about this. There is only one Bible. In one Book, God has given us everything we need to know about Himself, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the basics of our salvation through His Son Jesus, how He wants us to live this life, the things that He wants us doing, and the things that He does not want us to be doing.
In this one Book are all the ways and commandments of our Lord, along with all the information we are ever going to need on what is awaiting all of us on the other side when we die and cross over – heaven for the saved and hell for the unsaved.
I believe the number one reason God created the human race was for intimate fellowship. Even to the amazement of the angels in heaven, God seems to have some type of special longing and love for the human race.
The fact that God would send His one and only Son Jesus down to our earth in the flesh to go through the worst form of physical death at the time He came, all just to bring us back to Himself, really does show us how much God really does love all of us.
The Bible tells us that the love that God has for all of us is like a “consuming fire.” These two words are showing us a love that is of maximum intensity. With this kind of intense, passionate love that God has for all of us, I believe He is trying to tell all of us one main thing – and that one main thing is that He is looking to enter into a one-on-one, personal, love relationship with each one of us.
Think about this – that the one and only all-powerful God of the entire universe is looking to make a direct, personal connection with you on an individual and unique basis.
If you really step back and look at the big picture and all the things that we see in this life – what is the one thing that most of us long for in this life? What is the one thing that will make you cry when you see this portrayed on the movie screens?
It is the longing for a true soul mate. It is the longing for a pure, true, and unconditional love from a person of the opposite sex. There is nothing that can satisfy the deeper longings of your soul the way that true love can. However, there is just one small catch with this scenario. Even though some of you may have found your true soul mates in this life, there is still one more thing that has not been met.
No matter how perfect you think your mate may be – your mate is still not perfect like God is, since the Bible tells us that all men and women have sinned and have fallen way short of the glory of our God. What this means is that no matter how good of a love relationship you may have with your mate, that person is still not capable of giving you a perfect love because that person is not perfect in their very nature and personality.
Thus, every single one of us still has that little hole in our soul that just cannot seem to be filled with anything else in our lives.
No matter how much money we have, no matter how many material possessions we have, and no matter how many loving children we have – there is still something missing and none of these things can completely fill that little hole that is in all of our souls.
God has purposely left a vacuum, a hole, and a void in each one of our souls when He created us. And the only thing that can fill this hole and void is God the Father Himself, His Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit.
There is absolutely nothing else on this earth that can fill that empty void. People are literally chasing after the wind trying to find anything and everything to fill that void – and no matter how many lovers they have, no matter how many marriages they enter into, and no matter how many toys they buy with the money they have – nothing they chase after in this life will fill that hole in their souls.
The only thing that will fill that hole in your soul is finding, and then entering into a true, personal, love relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. There is nothing else that will fill that void!
Since God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are totally perfect in Their actual natures and have no dark side to Their personalities, then They, and only They, are the only Ones who are capable of giving you a perfect, pure, and unconditional love that no one else can give you in this life.
This is why the Bible tells us that we will find a peace that will pass all human understanding once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior and have become truly born again. That peace we will find is the result of finding the one true Person who can fill that empty void that is on the inside of each and everyone of us – and that one Person is God Almighty Himself.
However, once you have found God through accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, there is now something you must do. You must now grow in the knowledge of God and grow in the personal relationship that He wants to establish with you.
And how do you start to grow in the personal relationship He wants to establish with you and grow in the knowledge that He wants you to have about Him? By diving head first into the Bible!
When two lovers first meet and fall in love with one another, the first thing they naturally and instinctively want to do is to learn as much as they can about one another.
How can you truly fall in love with another person unless you first seek to know everything you can about your lover, their past, where they have been, what they have been through, who are all of their friends and family, etc. Once you really fall into true love with someone, you will have a major hunger and desire to find out as much as you can about them and their past.
It’s the exact same way in our relationship with God. God obviously knows everything about each one of us since He is all-knowing, but we do not know everything about Him, His Son, or His Spirit. So the only possible way that we can learn all about God is to read and study from the Bible, since the Bible is the only Book that we have down here on this earth that will give us detailed information as to who the Three of Them really are.
If a true, born-again, Spirit-filled Christian is really in love with God, and really wants to deepen the personal relationship they have now established with Him – then the first thing that person will really want to do is to get into the Bible so that they can find out everything they possibly can about this awesome God of ours.
The more knowledge you gain about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit from studying the Bible – the stronger and deeper your personal relationship will become with the Three of Them.
As you will see in the Scripture verses listed below, there are several other incredible things that will start to occur in your life if you seek to study the Bible with the intentions on wanting to learn more about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in order to deepen your personal relationship Them.
I will break these Scripture verses down under their appropriate captions below so you can see how powerful the Word of God really is, and how it can help change and transform the quality of your life if you are willing to study, learn, and seek to apply the divine truths that are in this incredible Book.
Study these verses very, very carefully. These verses are showing you how powerful and anointed the Bible really is. Since all of the Bible comes direct to us from God the Father, you can completely trust and rely on that what you will read from the Bible will be 100% pure, solid, God-truth.
1. All of Scripture is Given to Us By Inspiration From God the Father
These first two verses will specifically tell us, without any other possible interpretation, that all of the Bible has been given to us by “inspiration of God” through holy men who were “moved by the Holy Spirit” to write what they wrote!
In other words – all of the words in the Bible have come direct to us from God the Father through the Holy Spirit. The specific authors of the Bible then wrote under the guidance, inspiration, and illumination of the Holy Spirit.
This is why you can completely trust that what you will read from the Bible will be 100% pure, solid, God-truth! There is no other book on our earth that contains direct words from God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ other than the Holy Bible. God Himself has personally arranged that all of the revelation that He wants us to have in this life about Himself, His Son Jesus, and His Holy Spirit would all be contained in this one incredible Book.
Here are the two specific verses giving us this incredible revelation:
- “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
- “… knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20)
The first verse specifically tells us that all of Scripture, not just some or part of it, comes direct to us by inspiration from God the Father. The second verse then takes it one step further and tells us that the holy men of God who wrote the Bible, all wrote under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit Himself. It also says that no part of Scripture was of any private interpretation of these authors.
The first verse also lays out the groundwork as to what the Bible is going to be used for – for establishing solid Christian doctrine in the real truths of God, and for instruction in the knowledge and ways of God so that we may all be made complete and thoroughly equipped to go to work for God in the calling that He has set up for each one of our lives.
These two specific verses are powerful, foundational verses in which our study of Scripture has to be based on. If you do not believe that all of the Bible is truly the inspired and infallible Word of God – then the Holy Spirit is not going to move on you to start to really work the truths that are contained in the Bible to change, mold, and transform you into the kind of person that God wants you to become in Him.
Bottom line – if you want the divine truths that are contained in the Bible to really be able to change and transform you – then you will have to believe that all of the Bible comes direct to us from God the Father through the Holy Spirit. If you do not, then the Bible will have little or no transforming effect on you and your life.
2. The Word of God is Living and Powerful
As you will see in the following verses, the words that are contained in the Bible are living, powerful, and sharper than any two edge sword we can make on this earth.
In other words, the words in the Bible have God’s supernatural power and life in them. They are literally anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit Himself. This is why the words and the truths contained in the Bible have the supernatural ability to change and transform you into the kind of person that God wants you to become in Him.
That is why Jesus told the apostles to “feed” His sheep. When you read and study the Bible for increased learning, you are feeding yourself with direct anointed words from God Almighty Himself.
Many Christians who do not regularly feed off the Bible have no idea on what they are really missing out on. The Words that are in the Bible are pure, solid, spiritual food that have the supernatural ability to feed your mind, soul, and spirit. Nothing else will feed your inner man like reading from the Bible will.
Just like our human physical bodies need physical food to be able to survive – so does our mind, soul, and spirit. The food that we feed our physical bodies will not nourish our mind, soul, and spirits.
The only thing that can spiritually feed and nourish us on the inside are true, solid, spiritual truths. And the only true, solid, spiritual truths that can feed us to cause any kind of true spiritual growth to occur in this life are divine truths that come direct from God the Father and Jesus Christ.
There are no other spiritual truths from any other sources that we can feed off of that will cause any kind of true spiritual growth to occur in this life.
Any other source is just dead meat. It has no supernatural life or ability to change us because it is not coming direct from God the Father and thus has no anointing on it.
All other false religions and New Age type thinking have no supernatural ability to change and spiritually transform you in this life. Only the divine truths that are contained in the Bible have this supernatural ability.
Now here are 9 major power verses showing you how much supernatural life and power there really is in the Word of God.
- “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
- “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
- “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)
- “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63)
- “This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.” (Psalm 119:50)
- “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart …” (Jeremiah 15:16)
- “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)
- But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:4)
- “… as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:2)
Notice all of the food analogies that God is using to compare His Word with. What He is trying to tell us is that when you are studying the words that are contained in the Bible for increased learning – you are spiritually feeding yourself with supernatural nutrition!
I believe that all of the above Scripture verses are trying to tell us one main thing – that the Word of God is living, powerful, and real spiritual food for the soul and spirit of every person who is willing to feed off of it.
3. The Word of God is Pure, Solid Truth
If the Bible is telling us that all of Scripture is coming direct to us from God the Father through the Holy Spirit – then the next thing that the Bible will be telling us is that all of the words that are coming direct to us from God the Father are 100% pure, solid truth.
If God is all-perfect and all-powerful, then this means His intelligence and knowledge on all things is all-perfect. And if His knowledge on all things is all-perfect, then this means that all of the words that He is conveying to us in the Bible can be counted on as being perfect words, thereby giving us perfect knowledge.
This means that all of the Bible can be counted on as being 100% pure, solid, God-truth with no errors and mistakes. The Bible tells us that all humans will only know in part with what knowledge we are able to gain down here on this earth. Thus every book you read from human authors will never be totally perfect in the knowledge that the author is trying to transmit to you.
However, since all of the Bible is coming direct to us from God Almighty Himself – then the Bible is the only Book that we have down here on this earth that is totally and completely perfect in the knowledge that it is trying to transmit to us.
This is why the Bible has the ability to change your life. No other book on this earth has the amount of wisdom and knowledge that this Book has – and this is all because this knowledge and wisdom is coming direct to us from God the Father Himself.
Now here are 4 very good verses from Scripture that are specifically telling us that every word that proceeds from the mouth of God is 100% pure, solid truth.
- “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5)
- “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Psalm 12:6)
- “For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 33:4)
- “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Notice the first verse says that the words that come from God are “pure” words. The last verse then says that all of God’s words are “truth.” Put these two verses together and you get that all of the words that come from God are “pure truth.”
Pure means 100% pure – which means that all of God’s words are pure, solid truth with no errors or mistakes. This is why the Word of God is also called infallible and inerrant. If the Bible says that a thing is so – then it is so – end of discussion. You can literally bank your life on it!
4. The Word of God Can Sanctify You
If all of the words of the Bible are 100% pure, solid truth – then this means that all of the words in the Bible have the supernatural ability to sanctify you, especially since all of the Bible has the anointing of the Holy Spirit Himself on the entire Book.
God’s ultimate and highest aim for all of us after we become saved and born again is to sanctify us, to transform us, to mold and shape us into the express image of His Son Jesus. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to start this molding, transforming, and sanctifying work in us after we get saved.
However, the Holy Spirit needs something to work with in order to get this transformation process kicked into full gear – and that something is knowledge. God wants you to have full knowledge on exactly what it is He wants to change about you before He really starts to move you into this sanctification process with Him.
And where do you get the knowledge that will get God to start this sanctification process within you? From the Bible! There is no other book that we can learn and study from that will give us the direct knowledge that we will need from God the Father to get Him to start this sanctification process within us.
It’s the Word and the Spirit working together in a believer’s life that will get God to start working full force in their life so He can change them into the kind of person He really wants them to become in Him.
Here are several powerful verses from Scripture specifically telling us all of this. The first two verses will tell you that God can literally sanctify you by His Word.
- “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
- ” … that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26)
- “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes.” (Psalm 119:9-12)
- “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
- ” … and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)
- “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
Notice the last verse says that the Word of God can “effectively work in you.” This means when you start reading and studying the Bible in order to gain more knowledge about God – it will start to effectively work in you so you can start to change into the person God will want you to become in Him.
Just think of the power this Book has to dramatically change and transform the quality of your entire life. True inner happiness and fulfillment can only be found on the inside of your being, not on the outside with material things and possessions.
Hollywood is living proof that money, fame, and notoriety will not buy you true inner happiness. There are many in Hollywood who truly have what they think is “all” – yet they are miserable, unhappy, depressed, and go from one shrink to another – all in an effort to try and find what is still missing in their lives and why they cannot seem to find true inner happiness with all of the earthly wealth they have accumulated.
The only way to find true inner happiness in this life is to become saved and born again through the shed Blood of Jesus Christ – and then enter into a dynamic personal relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. From there, you are to start seeking after the knowledge about God and all of His ways by studying and reading the Bible on your own.
The personal relationship you will establish with God, and the knowledge that you will gain about God from reading and studying from the Bible is what will dramatically transform the quality of your life down here on this earth. Nothing else on this earth will do that for you!
5. The Word of God Will Give You Knowledge and Wisdom
The Bible tells us that we are to grow in the knowledge and ways of God. And the number one way in which we will grow in the knowledge of God is by reading and studying from the Bible.
There is no other way! If you do not seek to learn more about the Lord by studying from the Bible, then your spiritual growth in the Lord will stagnate and you will stop growing in Him.
There are no shortcuts to true spiritual growth in the Lord. You have to pay your dues, and those dues are that you have to gain and increase in knowledge about God and all of His ways before the Holy Spirit will start you on the road to true spiritual growth. And the only Book that will give you the knowledge that will cause true spiritual growth to occur in this life is the Bible.
And not only has God given us everything that we will ever need in this one Book – but He has also given us His Holy Spirit, whose main job is to “teach us all things” and to “guide us into all truth.”
Several verses I will list below will tell you that the Holy Spirit Himself will be the One who will personally open up the meaning of Scripture for you so that you can see the knowledge that God the Father is trying to transmit to you through this Holy Book!
This is a direct supernatural work that can be done for you by the Holy Spirit if you are willing to go into a seeking mode with Him when you study the Bible.
Here are several good verses telling us that the Word of God can impart true knowledge and wisdom to us, and that God does want us growing in the knowledge of Him, His Son, and His Holy Spirit.
- “… but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
- “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)
- “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
- “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth …” (John 16:13)
- Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31)
- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another …” (Colossians 3:16)
- “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path … The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple … Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” (Psalm 119:105, 130, 133)
- “My son, give attention to My words; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20)
All of the above verses are showing us how powerful the words that are coming direct from God and Jesus really are. The Word of God can truly change your life for the better – but only if you are willing to spend some good quality time seeking to understand what is in this most incredible Book.
6. The Word of God Will Stand Forever
The last thing you will really need to grasp on the power of the Word of God is that the Word of God will last and stand forever – both in this life and the next life to come, which will be heaven.
Here are 3 very good verses from Scripture telling us that the Word of God is not chained and that it will endure to all generations – both in this life and the next life to come, which means forever!
- “… for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.” (2 Timothy 2:9)
- “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations …” (Psalm 119:89)
- “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)
Not only will your study of Scripture profit you in this life, but it will also profit you in the next life to come – which will be heaven.
I personally believe that we still continue to study the Bible even when we all enter into heaven. I do not believe any one human can truly master the Bible in this lifetime. There is simply way too much knowledge, wisdom, and revelation that is contained in this one Book for any one human to be able to fully grasp all of it in this lifetime.
I believe that the Bible is like a treasure chest that has no bottom to it. And to think that all of this knowledge is contained in just one Book! Only a true God of the entire universe could have put this much knowledge and revelation into one Book.
Conclusion
I will leave you with one last thought. Each Christian must make their own personal decision on this. Once you have become saved and born again by accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior – you now have one of two choices to make.
You can either choose to press in and start seeking after God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit by spending regular quality time in the Bible to learn as much as you can about the Three of Them – or you can just leave well enough alone, figure you have as much of God as you will ever need in this life, and go on your merry way living for the world and the things of this world – never increasing your knowledge base about the Lord, and never really growing in the knowledge of God and all of His ways.
I am afraid most Christians in this day and age are taking the latter approach. Most Christians have either never read the Bible in its complete entirety, or have read very little of it in their own personal walks with the Lord.
This is one of the main reasons we have started up this website – to try and show everyone how much working knowledge there really is in the Bible, and how this knowledge can dramatically change and transform the quality of your life.
As I have shown you with all of the above Scripture verses, the Word of God is:
- Inspired, Infallible, and Inerrant
- Living, Powerful, and Anointed
- Pure, Solid Truth
- Sharper than Any Two-Edged Sword
- Can Spiritually Nourish Your Mind, Soul and Spirit
- Has the Ability to Sanctify and Cleanse You
- Has the Ability to Teach You, Guide You, and Direct Your Steps in this Life
- And Will Last and Stand Forever – Both in this Life and the Next Life to Come
What more can you ask for in one Book? Bottom line – there is simply no other book on our earth that has this amount of unlimited knowledge direct from God Himself. And it is all there for the taking for anyone who wants to dive in and take the journey.
Jeremiah was a prophet who warned the people of Judah for many years concerning their eventual destruction because of idolatry and sin. He was ignored by the people, and in order to negate his preaching many other «self-appointed» prophets preached that all was peace and prosperity. Jeremiah’s response to these false prophets is found in the 23rd chapter of his book where he says:
«Is not my word like fire?» declares the Lord, «and like a hammer which shatters a rock? Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,» declares the Lord, ‘who steal my words from each other.’
— Jeremiah 23:29-30
In other words, only the true word of God has any power, and God opposes men who simply quote each other and attribute it to Him. History shows that Jeremiah’s prophecies were indeed true. And like the fire and hammer that crushes the rock, the Babylonian army marched in and destroyed Jerusalem — exactly as God’s word had predicted. This story illustrates why I am not afraid or ashamed to say, «Because the Bible says so,» when questioned on certain issues or challenged to defend my reasoning. You see, it’s not just any knowledge that will result in experiencing God’s power — only the knowledge of His word can lead a person to the true knowledge of Him and consequently His power.
- General or scientific knowledge won’t do it.
- Knowledge of various religions won’t get you there.
- Studies about God, Christianity, or theology can’t provide the experience of God.
Only knowledge based on God’s word will produce a genuine experience of God and His power. The reason for this is that the power of God is revealed and experienced in His word. To know His word is to know and experience His power. So that you can know what to look for, here are seven powers contained in God’s word.
1. Power to Reveal — Genesis 1-2
The word of God has the power to reveal to us certain things that we could not know in any other way. For example:
- How and when the world was created.
- The reason man is the way he is — sin.
- The true nature of God.
- What happens to us after we die.
Human beings could study and speculate on these things for a thousand years and come up with many theories, but that’s all they’d be, just theories because no one could really know. God’s word, on the other hand, gives us an eyewitness, truthful, and detailed account of things about God and human existence that we could never know otherwise.
2. Power to Refute — 2 Timothy 3:16
God’s word is a standard against which all philosophies, ideas, and proposed solutions for the human condition can be measured for accuracy. If God’s word approves it, we can run with it; if the Word rejects it, nothing we can do will make it work, make it acceptable, or make it right.
Note that moral standards and spiritual ideas are always compared to the Bible in order to define and judge their value. For example, we don’t compare butter to margarine, do we? Think for a moment, you’ve never heard a commercial say, «…this spread tastes just like margarine» have you? Butter is the definitive spread, not margarine. In the same way, spiritual concepts, morality, and Godly living are tested by searching the Scriptures because God’s word is the standard for comparison, not human ideas.
The Bible cannot eliminate immorality, but it is the standard by which we judge and prove if something or someone is moral or immoral, worthy or unworthy.
3. Power to Reproduce — Luke 8:11
Jesus said that the word of God was like a seed. The analogy was that the Word had the power to grow or cause growth to happen. The Word planted in an honest and obedient heart can produce physical acts which can be seen and felt. God’s word, planted in human hearts generation after generation, has produced Christians and the New Testament church century after century. The only way Christianity has survived for 2000 years is because of the reproductive powers contained in the Word. The only actual thing we hand down from generation to generation is God’s word contained in the Bible. People die and buildings fall apart, but His word unfailingly produces the same thing every century — Christians who want to establish the church.
4. The Power to Re-Direct — 1 Peter 2:25
Peter says, «For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.»
Every complete life-change, every turn-around that I read or hear about has one common element — God’s word.
- Someone began reading God’s word (my own case).
- Someone started a Bible study with someone else.
- Someone heard a lesson or received encouragement based on God’s word.
Many people have improved or changed their lives in a significant way based on a desire to improve. History shows, however, that only God’s word has the power to completely transform and re-direct one’s life in a totally opposite direction. For example, C.S. Lewis was a brilliant writer and professor at Oxford University in England. He was also an avowed atheist but was converted and eventually became one of the most prolific Christian writers, especially in the area of Christian apologetics. His experience is just one example showing that God’s word has the power to transform and redirect our lives.
5. The Power to Revive — Psalms 138:7
The psalmist says, «In the midst of trouble, You will revive me.» The word of God is able to bring comfort and hope, as well as strength and encouragement to those who are in sorrow and are suffering. We could not count how many times or how many people have read Psalm 23 («The Lord is my shepherd…») in times of trouble and have been comforted by David’s inspired words written almost three thousand years ago but meaningful for every generation. Whatever faith or faithfulness a person has, I have learned from experience that when they are at the point of death the family expects and needs to hear words of encouragement that come from God’s word.
It is interesting to note that hospital patients, grieving widows, and lonely shut-ins rarely request Darwin’s Theory of Evolution or the TV Guide to be read to them in time of pain and sorrow. God’s word is what they ask for and need.
6. The Power to Reward — Hebrews 11:6
«For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.» The Bible tells us that the creation and our conscience are two different ways we can use to find God (Romans 1:19-20). Yes, we can discern that an intelligent and powerful being designed and created this universe, and our conscience helps us understand that this God, creator of humans, is a moral God, One who is pure and good. There is, however, no comfort or joy in knowing God only in this way, simply an understanding of how we fit into the whole.
The Word, however, reveals who God is, what He desires, and what He is preparing to give to those who believe and obey Him. The Hebrew writer says that God rewards those who look for Him, and the way to look for Him is to look for Him in His word. The rewards for seeking Him there are that:
- We find the real Him, there.
- We find what His will is, there.
- We find a relationship with Him, there.
- We find salvation, there (Romans 1:16).
God’s word is the bonding mechanism between Himself and His people. It is our greatest and most precious reward.
7. The Power to Get Us Ready — Luke 12:40
Jesus said in Luke 12:40, «You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming…» The Bible says that we will all meet God in one way or another. Either we die before He comes and face Him in judgement, or Jesus returns and we all face judgement. Either way, we must be ready (ignorance and disbelief will not exempt us from the judgement).
The word of God is the only source of information that can help us prepare for this sure event in our lives. It has the power to do this because God, in His word, shows us how to prepare for the «great day» in our lives:
- He explains how Jesus has redeemed us. The Bible explains that death and condemnation are caused by sin, and how Jesus has redeemed or paid back our moral debt to God for sin by dying on the cross. This is the core message of the gospel.
- He calls us to receive Jesus. Our debt for sin is paid and our souls are saved from hell when we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord by believing in Him as the Son of God (and this belief is expressed in repentance and baptism — Acts 2:37-38).
- God encourages us to repent. His word is full of examples of those who received great blessings because of their humble obedience and repentance. The Word tells us that true faith is demonstrated by sincere repentance (Matthew 5:8).
- The Word demands that we re-live the cross. To prepare for the day of judgement one must re-live the day of atonement by being buried in the waters of baptism. For every person who has asked, «What must I do to be saved?» the Bible answers in Acts 2:38, «Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.»
- The Word provides regeneration. The Word enables us to receive the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit provides the strength and ability to live the Christian life faithfully and productively. The Word is made alive in us through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:13).
- The Word prepares us for our resurrection. By announcing the resurrection, the Word draws us to Christ. When we are in Christ, the Word educates us concerning our own resurrection. Without the Word, we would only speculate about life after death. The Bible actually prepares us for that life.
- The Word fashions our lips for rejoicing. Who knows how to act or what to say as an eternal being, fitted with a new body and looking forward to a very different existence in the heavenly realm? God’s word gives us the words of praise and the songs of joy that enable us to begin rejoicing in the life that we now have in Jesus, and the eternal life we will experience with the Lord when He comes for us.
Only the word of God has the power to prepare us for a world we cannot see and hardly imagine, but one which is swiftly coming upon each and every one of us.
Tapping into the Power
Of course, the fact that there is power, realizing what that power can do for me, and knowing where that power is found are not enough (i.e. I have many electrical outlets in my home that provide power, but they are useless unless I tap into them).
It is the same with God’s word. Unless we tap into the power in the proper way, all of that tremendous power will do us no good and produce nothing in our lives. This is the connection between knowledge and power. If we know the Word, we then experience its power. When we experience its power, we are experiencing God’s power. Tapping into the power of God’s word, therefore, requires three things that everyone can do:
1. Read the Word
The basic connection that begins the power to flow is made by reading the Word. Our goal, therefore, should be to make reading God’s word a regular part of each day, like having breakfast or brushing our teeth. Once you feel the power of the Word surging through your life, reading the Word will come naturally as part of your every day lifestyle.
2. Respond to the Word in Obedience
There is a danger in thinking that if we read the Bible we have done God’s will. We read the Bible in order to know God’s will. Obedience, however, is what transforms knowledge into power, and power is what creates change. Powerful living is produced by powerful obeying.
3. Spread the Word
Obeying the Word brings power into your life. Sharing the Word multiplies that power in the lives of other people. We share the Word by example, by teaching others, by sharing both our faith and the gospel with non-believers and by serving others as the Word directs us. When we share the Word, we lead others to know God and enable them to empower others to do the same.
The Bible is the most printed and distributed book in the history of the world and yet millions remain unconverted. In addition to this, many who claim to be Christians are lukewarm and unproductive. I believe that even though the Word is out there, the majority of people have not yet tapped into it.
Summary
I think that most people would conclude that this lesson is mostly informational. A short book that highlights the various elements of power contained in God’s word and how to access that power. In closing, however, I would add that in addition to information, this lesson also asks the readers to reconsider their own experience with the word of God to see if its power described here has been felt in their own hearts. If not, then maybe the simple reason is that they have not properly tapped into this power through the knowledge of His word.
Perhaps the true purpose of this little book has been to move you in some way, and the proper and Biblical reaction or movement would include:
- Reading your Bible on a regular basis; there’s no power without knowledge and there is no knowledge without the study of God’s word.
- Perhaps the proper reaction is not in the reading part, but in the obeying part. Let God’s power to redeem, restore, and regenerate flow through your spiritual veins by obeying the Word! Obey the gospel and be baptized; obey the Spirit and start living a Holy life; obey the Lord and be faithful.
- Finally, maybe it’s time to take a step forward in your maturing process and begin serving, giving, or leading more as God would have you.
Whatever the proper response, do it before closing this book!
12 Bible Verses about The Power Of God’s Word: God’s Word Is Powerful and Mighty. God’s Word Has The Power To Save Your Soul!
See also: Being Empowered By God, Christ, & The Holy Spirit.
12 Bible Verses about The Power Of God’s Word:
2 Timothy 3:16, NIV All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
God’s Word Is Powerful and Mighty. God’s Word Is Powerful and Effective.
Hebrews 4:12, NLT For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Psalm 119:105, NLT Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
See also: 10 Bible Verses that Promise God’s Guidance.
God’s Word Has The Power To Save Your Soul.
God’s Word Has The Power To Change Your Life!
James 1:21, NLT So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
James 1:22, NLT But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
Romans 10:17, ESV So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Psalm 107:20, ESV He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.
1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. See also: Bible Verses about God’s Mighty Power; 15 Powerful Bible Verses about Deliverance.
Romans 1:16, ESV For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Ephesians 6:16-17, ESV In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
Isaiah 55:10-11, NIV As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
John 17:17, NLT Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
See also:
7 Illuminating Bible Verses About God’s Word
God’s Word Stands Firm
Seek God First In All Things
10 Bible Verses about Listening to God
16 Bible Verses about Hearing God’s Voice
Becoming Who God Created You To Be.
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Thanks for reading, Dear Friends!
Have a wonderfully blessed, stress-free, productive, and joyful day!
Much Love & Blessings, Bomi Jolly ~ JollyNotes.com
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April 8, 2007 – April 14, 2007
Key Text
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalm 119:11.
Study Help: Lift Him Up, 281.
Introduction
“The life of God, which gives life to the world, is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons. By His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God as He had spoken it to all the Old Testament writers. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ. It is our only source of power. . . .
“The word of God is the standard of character. In giving us this word, God has put us in possession of every truth essential to salvation. Thousands have drawn water from these wells of life, yet there is no diminishing of the supply. Thousands have set the Lord before them, and by beholding have become changed into the same image. But these searchers have not exhausted these grand and holy themes. Thousands more may engage in the work of searching out the mysteries of salvation.” Gospel Workers, 250, 251.
1 What is said of God’s Word in heaven? Psalm 119:89.
note: “God’s truth is the same in all ages, although differently developed to meet the wants of his people in various periods. . . .
“The word of God covers a period of history reaching from the creation to the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. Yea, more; it carries the mind forward to the future life, and opens before it the glories of paradise restored. Through all these centuries the truth of God has remained the same. That which was truth in the beginning is truth now. Although new and important truths appropriate for succeeding generations have been opened to the understanding, the present revealings do not contradict those of the past. Every new truth understood only makes more significant the old.” Review and Herald, March 2, 1886.
2 How were the heavens made? How was the power of the Lord manifested? Psalm 33:6, 9. How were the worlds framed? Out of what were the things which are seen not made? Hebrews 11:3.
note: “In true science there can be nothing contrary to the teaching of the word of God, for both have the same Author. A correct understanding of both will always prove them to be in harmony. Truth, whether in nature or in revelation, is harmonious with itself in all its manifestations. But the mind not enlightened by God’s Spirit will ever be in darkness in regard to His power. This is why human ideas in regard to science so often contradict the teaching of God’s word. . . .
“In the formation of our world, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, are not only the work of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 258, 259.
3 Of what are men willingly ignorant? How are the present heavens and earth kept? 11 Peter 3:5–7.
note: “The wisdom of men may or may not be valuable, as experience shall prove, but the wisdom of God is indispensable, and yet many who profess to be wise are willingly ignorant of the things that pertain to eternal life. Miss what you may in the line of human attainments, but this you must have, faith in the pardon brought to you at infinite cost, or all of wisdom attained in earth, will perish with you.” Review and Herald, November 24, 1891.
“The same creative energy that brought the world into existence is still exerted in upholding the universe and continuing the operations of nature. The hand of God guides the planets in their orderly march through the heavens. It is not because of inherent power that year by year the earth continues her motion round the sun and produces her bounties. The word of God controls the elements.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 185.
4 By what forceful figures is the power of God’s Word set forth? Jeremiah 23:29.
note: “All should copy the Pattern as closely as possible. While they cannot possess the consciousness of power which Jesus had, they can so connect with the Source of strength that Jesus can abide in them and they in Him, and so His spirit and His power will be revealed in them. . . .
“The faithful witnesses for Christ and the truth will reprove sin. Their words will be like a hammer to break the flinty heart, like a fire to consume the dross.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 254.
5 What is the regenerating agency in the new birth? 1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18.
note: “[John 5:24 quoted.] In every command and in every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized. He who by faith receives the word is receiving the very life and character of God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 38.
6 What are some of the characteristics of God’s Word? Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23. How should this Word be received? What will the Word of God do? 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
note: “Only he who receives the Scriptures as the voice of God speaking to himself is a true learner. He trembles at the word; for to him it is a living reality. He opens his understanding and his heart to receive it. . . .
“A knowledge of the truth depends not so much upon strength of intellect as upon pureness of purpose, the simplicity of an earnest, dependent faith. To those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance, angels of God draw near. The Holy Spirit is given to open to them the rich treasures of the truth.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 59.
7 When God’s people in distress cry to Him, what is sent to heal their troubles? Psalm 107:19, 20.
note: “All the worth and greatness of this life is derived from its connection with heaven and the future, immortal life. God’s everlasting arm encircles the soul that turns to Him for aid, however feeble that soul may be. The precious things of the hills shall perish; but the soul that lives for God, unmoved by censure, unperverted by applause, shall abide forever with Him. The city of God will open its golden gates to receive him who learned while on earth to lean on God for guidance and wisdom, for comfort and hope amid loss and affliction. The songs of angels will welcome him there, and for him the tree of life will yield its fruits. . . .
“Not one of us is excusable, under any form of trial, for letting our hold upon God become loosened. He is our source of strength, our stronghold in every trial. When we cry unto Him for help, his hand will be stretched forth mightily to save.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 328, 329.
8 When the centurion’s servant was sick, what did he ask that Jesus might do to heal him? Matthew 8:5–8. What reply did Jesus make? What was the result? Verse 13.
note: “A centurion’s servant was lying sick of the palsy. Among the Romans the servants were slaves, bought and sold in the market places, and often treated with abuse and cruelty; but the centurion was tenderly attached to his servant, and greatly desired his recovery. He believed that Jesus could heal him. He had not seen the Saviour, but the reports he had heard inspired him with faith. . . . In the teaching of Christ, as it had been reported to him, he found that which met the need of the soul. All that was spiritual within him responded to the Saviour’s words. But he thought himself unworthy to approach Jesus, and he appealed to the Jewish elders to make request for his servant’s healing.” The Ministry of Healing, 63.
“The Jewish elders had commended the centurion to Christ because of the favor he had shown to ‘our nation.’ He is worthy, they said, for ‘he hath built us a synagogue.’ But the centurion said of himself, ‘I am not worthy.’ Yet he did not fear to ask help from Jesus. Not to his own goodness did he trust, but to the Saviour’s mercy. His only argument was his great need.
“In the same way every human being can come to Christ.” Ibid., 65.
9 What effect did the word of Jesus have upon the stormy sea? Mark 4:37–39. What did this cause them to say? Verse 41.
note: “Every man’s experience testifies to the truth of the words of Scripture, ‘The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest. . . . There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.’ Isaiah 57:20, 21. Sin has destroyed our peace. While self is unsubdued, we can find no rest. The masterful passions of the heart no human power can control. We are as helpless here as were the disciples to quiet the raging storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of Galilee has spoken the word of peace for every soul. However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, ‘Lord, save us,’ will find deliverance. His grace, that reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love the heart is at rest. ‘He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so He bringeth them unto their desired haven.’ Psalm 107:29, 30. ‘Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ ‘The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.’ Romans 5:1; Isaiah 32:17.” The Desire of Ages, 336, 337.
10 What will be the effect of the Word when hidden in the heart? Psalm 119:11.
note: “The Saviour took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature,’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.
“The Saviour overcame to show man how he may overcome. All the temptations of Satan, Christ met with the word of God. By trusting in God’s promises, He received power to obey God’s commandments, and the tempter could gain no advantage. To every temptation His answer was, ‘It is written.’ So God has given us His word wherewith to resist evil. Exceeding great and precious promises are ours, that by these we ‘might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.’ 11 Peter 1:4.
“Bid the tempted one look not to circumstances, to the weakness of self, or to the power of temptation, but to the power of God’s word. All its strength is ours.” The Ministry of Healing, 180, 181.
11 By what is the heart cleansed? John 15:3.
note: “The Bible is not exalted to its rightful place among the books of the world, although its study is of infinite importance to the souls of men. In searching its pages the imagination beholds scenes majestic and eternal. We behold Jesus, the Son of God, coming to our world, and engaging in the mysterious conflict that discomfited the powers of darkness. O how wonderful, how almost incredible it is, that the infinite God would consent to the humiliation of his own Son that we might be elevated to a place with Him upon his throne! Let every student of the Scriptures contemplate this great fact, and he will not come from a study of the Bible without being purified, elevated, and ennobled. The truth will be opened to the mind, and applied to the heart by the Spirit of God. . . . When there is little attention given to the Word of God, divine counsels are not heeded, admonitions are in vain, grace and heavenly wisdom are not sought that past sins may be avoided and every taint of corruption cleansed from the character.” The Bible Echo, October 15, 1892.
12 What great weapon does the Holy Spirit use? Ephesians 6:17.
note: “In the Bible we have the unerring counsel of God. Its teachings, practically carried out, will fit men for any position of duty. It is the voice of God speaking every day to the soul. . . . The work of the Holy Spirit is to enlighten the darkened understanding, to melt the selfish, stony heart, to subdue the rebellious transgressor, and save him from the corrupting influences of the world. The prayer of Christ for His disciples was: ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth.’ [John 17:17.] The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, pierces the heart of the sinner and cuts it in pieces.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 441.
Adapted from “The Victorious Life,” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, 1924.
The Power of God’s Word.
‘Faith cometh of hearing, , and hearing by the word ot Christ.’—Eom. x. 17.
‘Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.’—J As. i. 21.
‘We also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.’—1 Thess. ii. 13.
‘For the word of God is living and active.’—Heb. iv. 12.
THE new life of a child of God depends so much on the right use of God’s word, that I shall once again speak of it with my young brothers and sisters in the Lord.
It is a great thing when the Christian discerns that he can receive and accomplish all only through faith. He has only to believe; God will look to the fulfilling of what is promised. He has every morning to trust in Jesus, and the new life as given in Jesus and working in himself; Jesus will see to it that the new life works in him.
But now he runs the risk of another error. He thinks that the faith that does such great things c
must be something great, and that he must have a great power in order to exercise such a great iLuk.xviL s, faith.i And, because he does not feel this power,
6; Rom. r >
7—8- he thinks that he cannot believe as he ought . This error may prove a loss to him his life long.
Come and hear, then, how perverted this thought is. You must not bring this mighty faith to get the word fulfilled, but the word comes and brings you this faith which you must have. «The word is living and powerful.» The word works faith in you. The Scripture says,
tRo,n. x. i7, « Faith is by the word.» 2
Think on what we have said of the heart as a temple, and of its two divisions. There is the outer court, with the understanding as its gate or entrance. There is the innermost sanctuary, with the faith of the heart as its entrance. There is a natural faith—the .historic faith—which every man has; with this must I first receive the word into my keeping and consideration. I must say to myself, «The word of God is certainly true. I can make a stand upon it.» Thus I bring the word into the outer court, and from within the heart desire reaches out to it, seeking to receive it into the heart. The word now exercises its divine power of life; it begins to grow and shoot out roots. As a seed which I place in the earth sends forth roots and presses still deeper into the soil, the word presses in
•iT1HS..H.i3; wardly into the holy place. The word thus
iStil-ii» i works true saving faith.8
Young Christian, pray understand this. The word is living and powerful; through the word you are born again. The word works faith in you; through the word comes faith. Receive the word simply with the thought that it will work in you. Keep yourselves occupied with the word, and give it time. The word has a divine life in itself; carry it in your inmost parts, and it will work life in you. It will work in you a faith strong and able for anything.
O be resolved then, pray, never to say, I cannot believe. You can believe. You have the Spirit of God in you. Even the natural man can say, This word of God is certainly true or certainly not true. And when he with a desire of the soul says, «It is true; I will [ believe it,» the living Spirit, through whom the ,J word is living and powerful, works this living faith. Besides, the Spirit is not only in the word, but also in you. Although you do not feel as if you were believing, know for certain you can believe.i Begin actually to receive the y^jJJJi} word; it will work a mighty faith in you. Eely * upon it, that when you have to do with God’s word, you have to do with a word that can be surely trusted that it of itself works faith in you.
And not only the promises, but also the commands have this living power. When I first receive a command from God, it is as if I felt no power to accomplish it. But if I then simply receive the word as God’s word, which works in those that believe,—if I trust in the word to have its working, and in the living God which gives it its operation,—that commandment will work in me the desire and the power for obedience. When I weigh and hold fast the command, it works the desire and the will to obey; it urges me strongly towards the conviction that I can certainly do what my Father says. The word works both faith and obedience The obedience of the Christian is the obedience of faith. I must believe that through the Spirit I have the power to do what God wills, for in the word the power of God works in ma The word, as the command of the living God who l^SLrLXe: loves me> *s mv power.i
J»TLa.1*’ Therefore, young disciples in Christ, learn to receive God’s word trustfully. Although you do not at first understand it, continue to meditate upon it. It has a living power in it; it will glorify itself. Although you feel no power to believe or to obey, the word is living and powerful. Take it, and hold it fast; it will accomplish its work with divine power. The word rouses and strengthens for faith and obedience.
Lord God, I begin to conceive how Thou art in Thy word with Thy life and Thy power, and how that word itself works faith and obedience Jl. i Om in the heart that receives and keeps it. Lord,
Fit i.23. r
teach me to carry Thy every word as a living seed in my heart, in the assurance that it shall work in me all Thy good pleasure.
7. Forget not that it is one and the same to belieoe in the word, or in the person that speaks the word, or in the thing which is promised in the word. The oery same faith that receioes the promises receioes also the Father who promises, and the Son with the saloation which is gioen in the promises. Pray see to it that you neoer separate the word and the lioing God from each other.
2. See to it also that you apprehend thoroughly the distinction betwixt the reception of the word «as the word of man » and «as the word of God, which works in you that belieoe.»
3. i think that you now know what is necessary to become strong in faith. Exercise as much faith as you haoe. Take a promise of God. Say to yourself that it is certainly true. Go to God and say to Him that you rely on Him for the fulfilment. Ponder the promise, and cleaoe to it in conoerse with God. Rely upon Him to do for you what He says. He will surely do lt.
4. The Spirit and the word always go together, l can be sure ooncerning all of which the word says that l must do it, that l also can do it through the Spirit. l must receioe the word and also the command in the confidence that lt is the lioing word of the lioing God which also works in us who believe.