The Power of the Word of God
Men and women have suffered indescribable pain because of their love for the Bible. Some have given all they have for a copy of it. Some have spent their whole lives studying it. Some have asked to be buried with it. Millions consider it their most valuable possession.
Yet, there are some who think because we do not have the miraculous working among us today, as they did in the first century, that we somehow lack the power of the first century. Just the book, the Bible, by itself, is not all that powerful, so they think. However, the words of the Bible are just as powerful as if the Holy Spirit was down here speaking directly. Allow me to illustrate:
1. God’s Word has the power to convert the lost sinner. The gospel is said to be "the power of God unto salvation." (Rom. 1:16) James tells us that the implanted word is "able to save our souls." (James 1:21) That is mighty powerful!
2. God’s Word has the power to be the seed of the Kingdom of God. Life begins with a seed. We are all familiar with what happens in the animal kingdom, as well as the plant kingdom. The same is true with the spiritual kingdom, the church. "The seed is the Word of God." (Luke 8:11f) Wherever God’s Word goes, the potential for the church goes also. The mighty seed, the Word of God, has the power to produce the same plant today, Christians, as it did 2,000 years ago.
3. God’s Word has the power to be all sufficient for our needs. Man does not have a need that is not met by the Word. It comforts us, Romans 15:4. It strengthens us to be more faithful to the Lord, Psalms 119:130; 19:8. It protects us from error and sin, Psalm 119:11. It provides us all things necessary to our salvation and in living the Christian life, II Peter 1:3. What is wrong when we feel we need something else? Is it possible that we lack faith in the living, vibrant, mighty Word. If it is true that the Word furnishes us everything we need, II Timothy 3:16,17, and still we want something else, we are wanting something of which we have no need. Maybe we are basing our salvation on feelings, instead of God’s instructions.
4. God’s Word has the power to judge us on that last day. If we reject God’s Word, we will come to regret it. Jesus said, "the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48) The book, the Bible, will be opened and we will be judged by it, according to our works. (Rev. 20:12)
As did the Psalmist, let our hearts stand in awe of the Word. (Psa. 119:161) Let the Word of God be sweet to our taste. Let it be sweeter than honey to our mouths. (Psa. 119:103) The Word of God is mighty and powerful, if we will just allow it to work.
– Max Patterson, 4438 South 89th Road, Bolivar, MO 65613-8012
