GOD’S WORD CHANGES EVERYTHING

Of all the ways our sovereign, mighty God could have chosen to accomplish His will in the universe, which includes our planet earth, He chose to work through His Word.

Imagine that! He just speaks and whatever He wants to happen, happens. Whatever He wants to do, His word does.

He made the universe by His Word.

Psalms 33:6 NLT
[6] “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.”

He reorganised and replenished the barren planet earth, preparing it for His human family by speaking His Word.

Genesis 1:3-4 NLT
[3] “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.”

Genesis 1:9-11 NLT
[9] “Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. [10] God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. [11] Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened.”

Day after day, God spoke and chaos gave way to order, the empty planet was filled with vegetation and creatures of every kind, on land, in the water, and in the air. His crown of creation came to life by the breath of His mouth.

Genesis 2:7 NLT
[7] “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Most amazing of all, He wrote and preserved His spoken word in a book to which everyone has potential access and in a language spoken by humans. Resourceful humans have taken that book and translated into many of the nations’ languages so that it can infiltrate the whole earth.

(We who live in the Information Technology and Digital era will know that God’s Word is available, free of charge, on the Internet in many languages by downloading the Bible onto our phones or computers. God has made it easy to access everything that He has spoken that is of significance to us.)

Does God still speak? Does He have more to write in another book which He will make available to us in the future? Some have claimed that God has given them revelation in addition to the Bible, for example “The Book of Mormon”, and other similar religious writings. Are these claims valid? No, because most have spawned religious cults that alter or contradict the Holy Bible.

What does the Bible say about itself?

Hebrews 1:1-2 NLT
[1] “Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. [2] And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son….”

God sent His Word to earth in the form of His Son, Jesus.

John 1:1 NLT
[1]”In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God….
[4] The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone….
[14] So, the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

Jesus is not only God’s Word in human form, He is also God’s final Word. God has nothing more to say to us than what He has already said in and through His Son.

Does this mean that God does not speak to us anymore?  Of course not!  God is continually speaking, through the natural world, through His written Word, and through the Holy Spirit in tandem with the Word, who lives in us.

Just as the Word produced the visible universe including our earth and all its details, so God upholds His creation by His Word.

Hebrews 1:3 NLT
[3] “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command…. “

Jesus revealed the power of His spoken word in the many miracles He performed, healing and delivering suffering humans and even controlling the violent elements in nature by a command.

Matthew 8:8 NLT
[8]”But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed…
[13] Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.”

Matthew 8:24 NLT
[24]”Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping….
[26] Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.”

What power, then, does God’s Word have in our lives? Our words have  power in our lives, power to affect our and other lives for good or evil,

Proverbs 18:21 NLT
[21]”The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

but God’s Word, spoken to us and through us, has power to change everything.

We make the mistake of thinking that we can simply quote God’s Word and God is obliged to act. That is presumption! Satan tried that trick on Jesus, but He didn’t fall for it.

Matthew 4:3 – 7 NLT
[3] During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
[4] But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
[5] Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple,
[6] and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” [7] Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”

Satan tried every means to get Jesus to misuse God’s Word. Jesus knew and spoke the truth. In effect, He responded to Satan like this, “Daddy didn’t tell me to do that!”

So, how can we harness the power of God’s Word so that we walk in step with the Holy Spirit and navigate a dangerous world?

A few years ago, again, through the Word, God taught me an amazing lesson. He said, “Don’t ask for a miracle. Ask for a word.” In essence, What I understood was, “A miracle is open-ended. There is no guarantee that God will provide the miracle you ask for. However, if you ask for a word, God will speak to you, and you can rest assured that He will do what He says.”

Jesus’ response to the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread is significant,

Matthew 4:4 NLT
[4]”But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Whatever means He uses, when God speaks a word to us, we can safely adjust our lives to that word.

King David sets us a beautiful example.

God sent the prophet to David with this message, after David expressed his desire to build a temple for God,

2 Samuel 7:11-13 NLT
[11] … “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! [12] For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. [13] He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever…. “

David’s response is a great lesson for us,

2 Samuel 7:18-19 NLT
[18]” Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? [19] And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
[25] “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. [26] And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.”

David prayed God’s promise back to Him. God fulfilled that promise by preserving David’s dynasty until the birth of Jesus, the descendant of David who will reign forever.

We have another amazing example in Paul’s life. Afloat on the Mediterranean Sea in a terrible storm on his way to Rome, no doubt Paul was below deck praying. God gave him a promise that all the people on the ship would survive despite the shipwreck.

Paul stood on that promise when some of the sailors tried to escape on a lifeboat, putting the lives of everyone on board at risk. God was faithful to His word. Not a single person was lost at sea.

There’s an important principle in these examples. When we take the time to live near God and His Word, He directs our Iives by His word so that, when we call on His name, He responds to us in harmony with what He has said.

Paul’s counsel to us is

Colossians 3:16 NLT
[16] Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.”

We should be so saturated with God’s Word that His instructions and promises are always quickly accessible and in all circumstances. He can speak that word to us that will steady and secure us in our time, if need. The power of that word will change everything.