Study God's Word

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified." Acts 20:32. The Word of God is the grand channel through which we're built up. The Word confirms and increases our faith. Sometimes we want to grow in the things of God but hardly do we invest in spiritual things. Some Christians have a library of worldly materials while they have only a few of the Christian's. You can't keep collecting such things and still expect to grow in God. Your life is the character of the things you watch, read and listen to. Your life today is therefore the result of the things you've been feeding your inner man on. If you really want spiritual progress, you'll need to change the things you read, watch and listen to. You need to increase your desire for fellowship with the Spirit and with God's people.

If you have more pleasure in the things of the world than that of God, you're known in Heaven as a carnal Christian. God is concerned about your spiritual growth. He wants your language and daily communication to conform with His Word only. He wants you to increase in spiritual knowledge and understanding. Learn to invest much in spiritual things; make researches, buy tapes, DVDs, CDs, books etc. What you spend most of your time on, what you give the most attention to, what you spend the most of your money on - whether or not you realize it - is the most important thing in your life. Some say God is the most important One in their lives but how much time do they spend with Him? If you really study the Word of God, you'll be in the limelight because Jesus said, "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light" (Luke 8:16).

Your life will catch the fire of the Spirit as you constantly feed on the Word of God. There will be a fire inside you; it's automatic! You remember during Jesus life, whenever He came across a demon possessed person, the demon immediately recognized His presence and cry out. Such is the fire! Rev Smith Wigglesworth said, "Fill your head and your heart with the Scriptures... As you do this, you are sewing seeds that the Spirit of God can germinate... You must be so soaked with the Word of God, you must be so filled with it, that you yourself are a living epistle, known and read of all men. Believers are strong only as the Word of God abides in them. The Word of God is Spirit and life to those who receive it in simple faith... Know your Book, live it, believe it and obey it... Inactivity of faith is a robber which steals blessing."

It's sad you find Christians going for counseling again and again and again. God doesn't want you that way. A Christian can actually grow bodily and be weak spiritually. The spiritual is superior to the physical, that's why it's very important that you grow that way. How then can we grow spiritually? It's by meditating on the Word of God. Sometimes we want to hear the voice of God as He speaks to us. But remember the Word is God (John 1:1) so to be able to know God's voice, you've got to study His Word. It's by the Word of God that we become strong no matter the adversary. "This is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day" (2 Corinthians 4:16 TLB). We're not of those who faint and give up because our inward man is renewed and invigorated with new strength everyday. This doesn't happen automatically everyday.

You must consistently fill your heart with the Word in order to renew the inward man. The Word of God to you will always work for you. No matter what the demands are; no matter what situation stretches you to give up, God wants you to know that He's with you, working on your behalf. The Word of God is alive and has God's signature behind It (Jeremiah 1:12). Jeremiah made a remarkable statement about the Word of God when he said, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16. So we can actually eat the Word of God. This is a very important teaching that Jesus gave after He had finished feeding the five thousand men (children and women not counted): "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who believes in Me who adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me has (now possesses) eternal life.

I am the Bread of Life that gives life - the Living Bread. Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and yet they died. But this is the Bread that comes down from heaven, so that any one may eat of it and never die. I Myself am this Living Bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he will live forever; and also the Bread that I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh (body). Then the Jews angrily contended with one another, saying, How is He able to give us His flesh to eat? And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you cannot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood. He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood has (possesses now) eternal life, and I will raise him up from the dead on the last day. For My flesh is true and genuine food, and My blood is true and genuine drink.

He who feeds on My flesh and drinks My blood dwells continually in Me, and I in like manner dwell continually in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me shall in his turn live through and because of Me. This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever. It is the Spirit Who gives life He is the Life-giver; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever there is no profit in it. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life" (John 6:47-58, 63). So Jeremiah made no mistake by saying he ate the Word of God. No wonder we also learnt from John 1:1 that Jesus is the Word.

Sometimes I wonder if every Christian actually see what's in the pages of Scripture as they read. Do they really get revelations as they read? For me, I keep jumping around as I meditate on Scriptures, I can't stay! And I perfectly understood this same Jeremiah when he said, "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." Jeremiah 20:9. Jeremiah almost gave up as the people mocked him as he declared the Word of God to them. But then, Jeremiah says he couldn't stay because the Word of God burnt in his heart like fire, shut up in his bones! Mine oh mine; I can't stay! I kept bubbling as I typed this message, I tell you. There's power in the Word! As we feed on God's Word, we're taking in eternal life... until we're so filled with It.

We need to feed on the Word of God to be healthy Christians. Through feeding on the Word of God we feed on Christ because He's the Living Word. We feed on the Word by not only reading but hearing also (Nehemiah 9:3). You just don't need to hear it but to consume it after hearing (Acts 17:11). You need to search and read the Scriptures. The Word has its effect even if we do not have it all memorized. We need to study the Word of God to be intelligent Christians (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Corinthians 10:32-33) to be able to deal wisely with the issues of life. We need to memorize the Word of God to be skillful Christians. The reason for memorizing is to be equipped for Christians and non-Christians. We are to meditate on the Word of God day and night (Joshua 1:3) to be spiritually fruitful Christians. Meditating on the Word transfers Christ's life into ours (John 15:5) and we can never remain the same.

We are to do and teach the Word (James 1:22-24); how do we do it if we don't know it? Paul advises us in Colossians 2:6-7: "Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him. Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith, as you were taught." To live in union with Christ as Paul admonished, we're to keep glued to the Word. In today's world, you can watch and listen to video and mp3 sermons, read your Bible and daily devotionals on your iPad, iPod, phones, pocked PCs etc. You can also install software on your PC to help you to easily find the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic etc. translations of some words in the Bible. Take advantage of today's technology to increase your knowledge in the Word of God. We should learn to rest in God's Word.

"or he who has once entered God's rest also has ceased from the weariness and pain of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own" (Hebrews 4:10 Amplified Bible). So why then do you struggle? As long as God is in control of your life, you'll move upward and forward only. How do you see yourself? If you're going through a tough time, it's time to change what you see, the words you utter and how you interpret your situation. Whatever you ponder on controls you, so you must be mindful of what you brood upon. Always think the thoughts of God and His Word. Your joy and happiness depend on the character of your thoughts. Whatever you think of at this moment can change the expression on your face. Every child of God should live to experience a daily outpouring of God's blessing.

It's a daily loading of benefits. Psalm 68:19 says, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." Anyone can tell you to go away, but God would never tell you off. Instead He says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He loves you very much! Most people give up too early as they stand on the Word to claim what belongs to them. Meanwhile, they read Isaiah 55:10-11 which says, "For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void without producing any effect, useless, but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

God says here that His Word is sure to produce results; it's His wish that comes to pass, hallelujah! So then I ask, "for how long have you relied on the Word?" It doesn't matter how long it has taken, what you need is right in there so don't let it go! To be blessed by God, you've got to value His Word above everything else. Don't place high values on clubs, parties, music (other than Gospel), story books etc. than the Word of God. Bible says, "BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly following their advice, their plans and purposes, nor stands submissive and inactive in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down to relax and rest where the scornful and the mockers gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted and tended by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper and come to maturity." Psalm 1:1-3 Amplified Bible. This is a very simple path to true happiness that comes from God. If you're able to do this, Bible says you will always look fresh and bear much fruit. God's Word is the most powerful tool in the world, and it's the reason why so many atheistic and Muslim nations outlaw the Bible. The reason is because the conflict is taking place in the Spiritual realm and of course, Satan understands the power of the Word of God. The Word of God has the power to transform and pull down kingdoms no matter how strong they seem to be. They're empty, they have no foundation! Every Christian needs to learn to become expert in the handling of the word of God because we're spiritual warriors.

In the same way the legions of Rome trained for physical battle with a physical sword, the legions of God need to train for battle against their invisible enemy. The world is subject to God's sword, Satan and his minions fear God's sword. Bible says, "For the word of God is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12. God's sword is an eternal weapon, while the earthly sword is very limited in scope. God's weapon is living, while the earthly sword has no life. The Word is such powerful! The Israelites came short because they refused to hear the Word of the Lord. If we could enter in, we must take heed to the Word. The Word cuts keenly and in all directions. It not only gives life, but slays, as was the case with the Israelites who fell in the wilderness.

We war with the Word, that's why it's impossible for a Christian to live the victorious life without the knowledge of It. The Word reaches the very fountains of life; it lays bare the thoughts and the intentions. As believers, we have a weapon more powerful than any earthly weapon. The weapon is a spiritual weapon and is God's extension through us. As saints, we are God's warriors, representing His Kingdom in this fallen world. We have authority and power through Christ, and we have a sword beyond any comparison in the physical world. As the Roman legions constantly trained to perfect their skills in combat, Paul envisioned the same for the Church at Ephesus in spiritual warfare. As the legions were proficient in handling the sword of steel, Paul wanted the church to be proficient in the Spiritual Sword which is the Word of God.

The sword is the only weapon Paul lists as part of the Christian arsenal. What is the Word of God? It is the ultimate tool in learning how to live the best possible life, free from the restraints of stumbling in darkness. God's Word is truth (John 17:17), plain and simple. We can have perfect confidence in the fact that His Words are accurate, true and unerring. When followed, they guide us without fail in the paths that we need to walk. We can be destroyed by lack of the knowledge of God (Hosea 4:6), but we will be blessed if we hear and keep the Word of God (Luke 11:28). But you see, the knowledge is not just for us. We are to be ready to answer others who ask us (1 Peter 3:15). The all-powerful Sword of the living God is able to cut through every defense our enemy can raise - down to the very division of bone and marrow.

When wielded by a servant of God, nothing can withstand its ability to cut straight to the core of a matter and uncover the truth. As soldiers in God's army, it is our responsibility and duty to use His Word to discern the truth and then follow it. When God's Word shows us something wrong in ourselves, we can use this spiritual weapon to "surgically" remove the offending thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Happy are those who know the Word, who keep and treasure it. Unlike all other pieces of the armor of God, which are solely defensive, the sword is uniquely suited for both defensive and offensive roles. A solid defense is invaluable, but the Sword is the only way we can complete the work we have been given to do. Notice that Jesus Christ used the Bible to counter Satan's attacks (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). We must also learn to live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

We feed our bodies with food to grow but we must also realize that the only way we can feed our spirit is by the Word of God. Feeding our spirit is even more important than that of the flesh. This is because man is a spirit; he has a soul and lives in a body. That's why when a person dies, his body lays motionless and the reason is because his spirit is absent. Beloved, God is able to give you everything you'd ever require in life. No wonder the Psalmist said, "You (God) feed them with blessings from your own table and let them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the Fountain of life; our light is from your light" (Psalm 36:8-9 TLB). Wouldn't you love to drink from God's rivers of delight and partake of the fountain of life? Well, to do that you have to get into the Word of God! This Scripture prophesied about the new creature with particular emphasis on the influence of the Holy Spirit and the Word.

Jesus said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7. So we learn from here that in order to live a happy life, we're to abide in Jesus and His Word. How? By constantly feeding on the Word! Without that, there's no way we're going to live the victorious life. We can be born again and go to church but there's no way we're going to grow if we don't study the Word. You've got to understand that the Word of God is truth, it is absolute reality! Whenever I study the Word, I receive something much more than inspiration. I receive light to direct me in the course of life. I study the Bible to receive something definite or get specific instruction about a situation. If you read the Bible without knowing what you're looking for, you'll be like the man travelling not knowing where he's going.

Tell me, how will he know that he's gotten to his destination? This was the precarious situation in which the Jews found themselves. They knew the Messiah would come but they didn't recognize Him when He did. He walked the streets of Galilee, preaching, teaching, healing and delivering; still they arrested Him and killed Him. Some Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come. Sad, isn't it? There's something beyond the letters on the pages of the Bible; it's the Spirit of God. When you study the Bible like a book that's full of religious history, the information you'll receive from it would be void of revelation knowledge. Until God, through His Spirit, stands up in the book, all you'll have is theology. Without the Holy Spirit the Bible would be mere literature, but when a Christian full of the Holy Spirit reads and acts on it, it produces life!

The Lord Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63. "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18. And we just read from Jesus that His Words are spirit and life. This means that to be filled with the Spirit, we're to feed on the Word. It's interesting we're not just being filled with the Spirit as we meditate but we're actually taking in life; glory to God! We must feed upon the Word by faith, that we may be made alive. The Old Testament with its laws could not give life. Paul says "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." 2 Corinthians 3:6.

God gave Paul and his fellow-ministers their "sufficiency" (2Corinthians 3:5), and made them able ministers of the gospel of the New Testament, the New Covenant, the Covenant of Christ. This Covenant is not of the letter, but of the spirit. The first, the law was written (by letters written and engraved on stones, hence "of the letter"); but the gospel is the dispensation of the Spirit. The letter (law) kills by condemning all who do not obey its commands, but could make no man perfect. The law places under the sentence of death (Romans 7:9-10) but the Spirit gives life. The gospel bestows eternal life; hallelujah! If the scribes and Pharisees had interpreted the laws of Moses correctly, they would have ended up in death. They didn't interpret the laws correctly; instead, they added theirs to them. Stop struggling, for "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming - not the realities themselves..." Hebrews 10:1.

Those laws that came by Moses were just a shadow of the kind of life we'll have from the Father, whereby "we cry, "Abba, Father"" Romans 8:15. One of such realities is the life in its fullness we receive from God's Word. There're new creation realities that you don't get to know until you study the Word of God. It's very important that you realize who you have become and find out what you're to do. Otherwise, you may never be able to live the way God wants you to. The Lord Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6). Therefore, you're no longer of the flesh but of the Spirit. 1 John 4:4 says, "Ye are of God, little children..." This doesn't just mean you belong to God, or that you're on God's side. It actually means that you hail from God; your origin can be traced to Him. Your origin has made you more than a man. You're a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).

The Spirit of God is in every fiber of your being, every bone of your body and every cell of your blood. You need to be conscious of this fact everyday. The Holy Spirit in us is not just an influence; He's the Omnipresent and the manifested presence of God, and now He lives in you.