THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD
Never before have words been given so much power than in today’s digital age. We pay great attention to words used by politicians, scientists, celebrities, the news media, and content posted by the public on social media. Words have the power to provoke, attack, accuse, bully, hurt and at the same time, entertain, unite people, provide hope, comfort, security, and pleasure. We select and use words – whether spoken or as text - to advance our convictions, confirm our beliefs, confront falsehoods, create alliances, cover real intentions, or convince our audience of some ‘truths’.
Not surprisingly, many believers also use the Word of God in much the same way: alternately applying scripture as authoritative text or malleable truths, to defend or oppose a point of view, to chasten or comfort another, to cover ambivalence or confess our true emotions. In other words, we pick and choose whatever suits us.
But the Word of God is not like any word that exists and used by anyone anywhere. They are not suggestions for positive thinking and self-help. They are words that equip and enable us to have a relationship with God and sustain our living through this relationship.
We’ll just let the Word of God speak for itself as we lay out the case for its distinction and authority.
First Things First
To set the record straight, the Bible tells us this: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1). It says plainly that God is personified in His Word; He and His Word are one and they don’t contradict or deviate from each other.
The Bible is the only source of God’s authoritative Word. Before the Israelites entered God’s Promised Land, Moses reminded them to obey God’s instructions with this emphasis: They are not just idle words for you - they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. (Deuteronomy 32:47).
To be sure, all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Tim 3:16).
In addition, we need to recognize that 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. (Hebrews 4:12).
Power In The Word of God
Maintaining an active relationship with God is crucial for keeping His Word alive in our hearts. When was the last time someone said something that saw you through a very difficult time and gave you the courage to go on till you eventually experienced a breakthrough? Was it powerful because the person used very unusual words or because the relationship was important to you?
Likewise, connected to God, His Word has new meaning in our lives and does four things in us:
The Word of God Nourishes Our Soul, Spirit, And Mind
After Jesus had fasted forty days and nights and was tempted with instant food by the devil, He became more certain of what was a good diet for the soul. Thus, He rebutted the devil with these words: Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4).
We learn from this that as humans, we need not only physical food taken through the mouth but also spiritual food that we get from understanding and reflecting on God’s Word. It nurtures and sustains us daily, and enables us to obey God. Without it, it is very difficult for humans to live on willpower alone.
Just turn to the book of Job. He faced a succession of personal and family loss yet he held on to God’s infallible Word like a life-saving rope through long and tumultuous storms of life.
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12).
Job’s cry to God, his multiple traumas, and eventual turnaround was worthy of the Oscars but they were also powerful because of his relationship with God. It was the relationship that kept God’s Word alive and kept him alive through the tragedies.
The Word of God Directs Our Steps
Imagine you’re in a space so dark it’s not possible to even see your hand if you held it in front of your face. It’s beyond human capacity to see in total darkness but let’s imagine that before you entered that space, someone you trust gave you a few tips for navigating without sight. You have two choices: go forward or remain in a default state.
You may instinctively replay those precious tips in your mind and move with extreme caution because in the place of uncertainty, every move, every turn has significant bearing on your future and your well-being. But you soldier on, trusting the one who gave you those life-turning words.
On the other hand, some of us in the same situation would rather stay put and persuade ourselves to resign to the status quo which is a life that is more of the same. To us, knowledge is power and so better the devil we know than one that we may face if we take new steps into the unknown. While we may not be experiencing earth-shaking crises, our lives are quietly eaten away by a debilitating sense of passivity that is deprived of all motivation, joy and spontaneity. We can only describe the realities we now see with great eloquence, yet we struggle to depict a future that is different.
It has been said that life with God is a moving journey and not a carpark we keep circling around. God’s Word is the map, the fuel and the compass for our lives.
Try to add a spark of joy to your day and commit the following verses to memory!
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
The unfolding of Your words gives light, it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
Direct my footsteps according to Your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133
The Word of God Guards Our Hearts
We all know that heart health is more than how we feel emotionally. Heart diseases and failure happen when the form and function of our physical hearts begin to weaken and deteriorate. Without the intervention of medicine and treatment, we are walking time bombs.
We need to know that sin is also a harmful disease that silently invades our spiritual hearts and robs us of the courage and strength to make godly decisions. The remedy for spiritual heart risks is the Word of God: I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (Psalm 119:11).
In addition, a regular dose of Scripture is beneficial to our spiritual well-being because 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. (Hebrews 4:12).
We can be sure that the Word of God works because all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Word of God Accomplishes The Purposes Of God
Up to this point, we have laid out the life-nourishing, guiding, and sustaining benefits of God’s Word. The question of purpose is not something easy to articulate. We can produce a long list of why we should do this or that and think that the more logical and convincing it sounds and the more nods it gets from people, we’re doing something that God wants us to do.
We can keep up the rhetoric, but it doesn’t make it true. Most times, God’s thinking lies above human logic and does not give us neat scripts where everything falls into place. Instead, we are like inveterate adventurers, constantly exploring new terrains and charting new paths throughout our lives. Like Award-winning thespians, we are called only to be conversant with our own roles and not occupy the director’s seat. God alone accomplishes His purposes as we trust Him, one step at a time.
Eventually, we will see His divine purpose unfold through natural circumstances.
In conclusion, we will let God have the final word from Isaiah 55:11 [paraphrased]: My word that goes out from My mouth… will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
