THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD

"The word of God which effectually." Everything depends upon learning the art of receiving that Word into the heart. And in learning this art, the first step is— faith in its living, its omnipotent, its creative power. By His Word "(God)

The value of the words of a man depends upon what I know about him. If a man promises to give me half of all he has, it greatly matters whether he is a poor man or a millionaire. One of the first requirements for fruitful Bible study is the knowledge of God as the Omnipotent One and of the power of His Word.

His Word Possesses Creative Power

The power of God's Word is infinite. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast" (Psalm 33:6,9). God's power works in His Word. God's Word has creative power and calls into existence the very thing of which it speaks.

The Word of the living God is a living Word, and gives life. It can call into existence and make alive again that which is dead. Its quickening power can raise dead bodies, can give eternal life to dead souls. All spiritual life comes through it, for we are born of incorruptible seed by the Word of God that lives and abides forever.

This is one of the deepest secrets of the blessing of God's Word- the faith in its creative and quickening energy. The Word will work in me the very character which it commands or promises.

"The word of God effectually worketh in you that believe." Nothing can resist its power when received into the heart through the Holy Spirit because it works effectually in those who believe.

"The voice of the Lord is in power." Everything depends upon learning the art of receiving that Word into the heart. And in learning this art the first step is— faith in its living, its omnipotent, its creative power. By His Word "(God) calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17).

His Word Possesses Hidden Power

As true as this is of all God's mighty deeds from creation to the resurrection of the dead, it is also true of every word spoken to us in His holy book.

Two things keep us from believing this as we should. The one is the terrible experience of the Word being made ineffective by human wisdom, unbelief, or worldliness. The other is the neglect of the scriptural teaching that the Word is a seed.

Seeds are small and may be long dormant; seeds have to be hidden, and when they sprout, they are of slow growth. Because the action of God's Word is hidden and unobserved, we do not believe in its power. Let us make this one of our first lessons. The Word I study is the power of God unto salvation: it will work in me all I need, all the Father asks.

His Word Possesses Transforming Power

What a prospect this kind of faith will open up for our spiritual life! We will see that all the treasures and blessings of God's grace are within our reach. The Word has power to enlighten our darkness: in our hearts it will bring the light of God, the sense of His love, and the knowledge of His will. The Word can fill us with courage to conquer every enemy and to do whatever God asks us to do. The Word will cleanse, sanctify, and work in us faith and obedience. It will become in us the seed of every trait in the likeness of our Lord. Through the Word, the Spirit will lead us into all truth. It will make all that is in the Word true in us and so prepare our hearts to be the habitation of the Father and the Son.

What a change would come over our relationship to God's Word and to the morning watch if we really believed this simple truth. Let us begin our training for that ministry of the Word by proving its power in our own experience. Let us begin to seek to learn the great faith lesson, the mighty power of God's Word.

The Word of God is true because God Himself will make it true in us. We have much to learn about what hinders that power, much to overcome to be freed from these hindrances in order to receive that power. But all will be right if we study our Bibles with the determination to believe that God's Word has omnipotent power in our hearts to accomplish every blessing of which it speaks.