The Power of the Word
Scripture has been an important part in shaping who I am today. As a young woman, I started reading the Bible from cover-to-cover in high school. That continues. Sometimes I read from Genesis to Revelation and other times I skip around depending on what I feel the Lord is impressing upon me to read for the things of life being faced at the moment. Let me take you on a short meander through Psalms to see what King David said about how God’s Word benefitted his life and will yours, too.
God’s written word read and taken into our hearts keeps us from the paths of the destroyer (Ps. 17:4). The destroyer is Satan whose main goal is to attack us in order to steal, kill, and destroy. We are made aware of his tactics and devices by the Word of God. The Lord reveals the pathway of Life as well as the path that leads to destruction. The book of Proverbs is a good book to read to clearly see the difference between these two pathways of living. God’s Word puts us on His pathway that leads to Life everlasting. The only other path found apart from God and His Word leads us to death, separating us from God. Yet Ps. 18:30 encourages us with these words: “As for God, His way is perfect: the Word of the Lord is tried; He is a buckler to all those who trust in Him.” Perfect simply means complete, being entirely safe, wholesome, and full of integrity. It’s dependable! In fact, its trustworthiness has been tested and proved true throughout generations of time. A buckler means a defense against any attack of the destroyer to try to kill our joy and trust in the Lord, to steal the truth from our hearts, or to destroy any confidence and hope we have in the Lord Jesus.
The Word of the Lord is right, or steadfastly correct, being spoken in truth (Ps. 33:4). His Word brings healing and deliverance from any form of destructive situation (Ps. 107:20). It cleanses our ways - our manner of behavior and thought processes (Ps. 119:9) - when we consider God’s Word in every part of our daily lives. It prevents us from engaging in sinful practices (Ps. 119:11) when we hold it deeply in our hearts. Hiding the Word in our hearts is done through reading it, speaking it, memorizing it, and allowing it to transform the way we think and respond to things that happen to us. We guard the Word by intentionally putting it into practice. The result is a delight to our souls as the Lord then deals bountifully with us (Ps. 119:16-17). Delight is such an interesting word. Ps. 37:4 encourages us to “delight ourselves in the Lord.” The definition of delight in that verse means to make yourself soft or tender towards hearing and doing what the Lord says as well as becoming pliable in hearing His Word as it transforms your soul into likeness with Him. The meaning of delight in Ps. 119:16 means that we approach God’s Word with acceptance and great pleasure. Why should we do this? Because God’s Word gives us life (Ps. 119:25) and that life is abundant (John 10:10) through Jesus Christ our Lord. The life we receive through the Word strengthens us internally (Ps. 119:28), establishes us (Ps. 119:38), releases God’s mercies, salvation/deliverance (Ps. 119:41), and promotes trust to well up within our hearts to the Lord (Ps. 119:42).
The Word of the Lord gives hope to the soul (Ps. 119:49), comfort in afflictions (Ps. 119:50), keeps us steady to avoid going astray into things unhealthy for us (Ps. 119:67), gladdens our hearts (Ps. 119:74), and provides revelation truth to walk in its light to our steps (Ps. 119:105). The Word of God is such a powerful weapon that it is defined in Eph. 6:17 as a Sword. That Sword of God’s Word is further defined in Heb. 4:12(Amplified) as being “alive and full of power - making it active, operative, energizing and effective; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and the [immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [that is, of the deepest parts of our nature] expressing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.” Did you know that reading scripture could do all that? It examines our hearts to see if we truly are living in His ways of life. It transforms our souls into being more like Jesus - loving, kindly compassionate, and full of peace. It empowers us to know that God’s ways are higher than ours and that His Holy Spirit walks alongside of us and within us to make us overcomers in all areas of living.
Let me end this by quoting from Isaiah 55:11 with Words straight from our Father God’s mouth: “So shall my Word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God’s Word is neither ineffective nor wasted. He sends it and when it returns to Him, it has completed all that it was sent out to do. You are His masterpiece, being re-created in Christ Jesus through the power of His Word, for good works that God has ordained you to walk in. Let His Word lead you and guide you every step of your day. Saturate yourself with God’s Words of life and power.
Love,
Wanda