As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious (1 Peter 2:2-3).
Just as good nutrition is indispensable to proper physical growth, God’s Word is the essential nourishment for spiritual growth. When a Christian neglects God’s Word, he’ll be susceptible to attacks from the devil and subject to the elements and corrupting influences of this world. Remember, through the Word, we renew our minds, build faith and character. Hence, we must continually feed on the Word.
2 Peter 3:18 says, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” Then in Chapter one verse three, it again stresses the importance of the knowledge of God’s Word. It says, “According as
his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”
God has already done for you and given you everything you require for an excellent life of glory and righteousness. However, living that life of dominion, success, and prosperity that He’s ordained for you depends on how much of His Word you know and put to work in your life. It’s about your knowledge and application of the Word.
So, get to know the Word. Jesus said you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Have a compelling desire to grow by the Word, to know God’s truth. Have scheduled times when all you do at such times is studying and meditating on the Word. Get on the Pastor
Chris Digital Library (PCDL) every day to watch and listen to faith-building messages that’ll transform your life.
Every time you open the Scriptures to study, you can learn something new and meditate on specific things the Holy Spirit brings to your consciousness. Therefore, cultivate the habit of studying the Word for yourself.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10).
There are three vital things you must do to effectively work the Word and enjoy God’s provisions for you always. First, your heart must line up with the Word. The Bible says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…” (Romans 10:10). That means you’re made right with God when you come into agreement with His Word in your heart.
The second thing is, your mind must line up with your heart on the Word. This implies that the Word must have meaning in your understanding. Without that meaning, you can’t communicate what’s in your heart through language.
Then, third, you must speak the Word—“rhema” (Greek); a word directed to a specific person, at a specific time, for a specific purpose. It’s the active Word given for a particular situation. That was what Ezekiel uttered in the valley of dry bones; he said, “I prophesied as He (the Lord) commanded me” (Ezekiel 37:10).
If your speech or utterance isn’t in line or in agreement with what God has said, you’ll get the wrong result. The opening text says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). The word translated “confession is made” is the Greek word “homologeo,” which means to speak in consent, or in agreement with another.
The inspiration of the Spirit provides us with God’s Word (rhema). Our meditation on this word or declaration of it produces tremendous results, bringing the Word into manifestation.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).
As a Christian, it’s so important that you have an understanding of the Word. That understanding will help you have a concept of the Scriptures in a way that’s far beyond the generic; your approach to the Word will be different. This is important because unless you understand the Word, you won’t know how to apply it to your life and situations.
The Word is Himself, God. That’s what we read in our opening text. When He speaks to you, He becomes to you and in you what He says. Every time you study it, you feed your spirit, and you’re able to live the life of the Word. Then you discover that your Christian life every day is full of joy and excitement.
As you prepare your goals for the coming year, make studying the Word, devoting quality time to search and meditate on the Scriptures, a top priority. This will cause you to be enlightened, informed, refreshed, strengthened, and graced for greater effectiveness in your work and ministry, and all that the Lord would have you do in the coming year and beyond. You’d find yourself walking in the path that He’s chosen for you before the foundation of the world.
Remember that your life has a purpose, and the purpose of God for you is revealed and becomes clearer as you fellowship with the Word and the Spirit. He’ll grant you insight through the Scriptures. He’ll bring your thoughts to something that He wants you to know now, that you can apply to your life. Then, His wisdom will leap out of the message and inundate your heart, and you find that you’re walking the path of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Hallelujah!
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us (1 John 5:14).
God’s Word is His will expressed to us; therefore, praying according to His will is praying the Word. This is a very important element in prayer that not so many understand and practise: praying by the authority of the Word of God. When we pray, it’s important that it’s on the basis of the revelation and insight given to us by God through His Word. We must act our faith in prayer, on the basis of the Word of God; if God’s Word covers the subject, then we’re audacious in faith to receive answers.
When we pray according to His will—His Word—He hears us. The fifteenth verse says, “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”This means that when you pray according to His will (His Word), He hears and answers your prayer.
Some people, while praying, just talk and don’t care whether or not what they’re saying is in line with the Word of God. Your prayers must be consistent with the Word to be effective. Don’t just pray; pray the Word. God already gave His Word to show us everything that He’s given to us, everything that He’s made us, and everything that we can do in Christ Jesus.
Thus, when you pray, until and unless your words are in sync with His divine provisions in Christ, you’ll be praying amiss. He’s revealed to us how to ask; how to pray, and what our requests can cover, so you can have faith when you pray to Him. And your faith grows as you learn the Word of God. The more of God’s Word you know, the more faith you’ll have, and the more accurate and effectual your prayers will be.