What it is, its power, and why we cannot survive spiritually without it.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
QUICK – To respond rapidly and without delay
POWERFUL – Having great power or force or potency or effect or capable of exerting power or influence
SHARPER – Having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing;
PIERCING – To penetrate. Cut or make a way through; “Light pierced through darkness”
DISCERNER – To perceive with the eyes or intellect; To detect. recognize; comprehend, see clearly, have insight.
12 SYMBOLS OF THE WORD OF GOD
1: A fire to refine
That purifies, consumes that which comes from wrong motives, and leaves unharmed that which is genuine, good, and comes from a pure heart and right motives.
Jeremiah 23:29 [Is], not my word like as a fire? says the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaks the rock in pieces?
2: A hammer to convict
That crushes evil like a hammer crushing rock; And; like a hammer that shapes steel and iron into something useful and productive like a tool, a sword, or body armor.
Jeremiah 23:29 [Is], not my word like as a fire? Says the LORD; and like a hammer [that] breaks the rock in pieces?
- A mirror to reflect
James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass [mirror]:
24 For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
God’s Word – A Mirror
God’s word is a mirror, in the sense that it allows us to see ourselves as we are; with all of our warts, blemishes, imperfections faults, and the ugliness of the OLD MAN exposed and revealed. In revealing our faults, God’s word allows us to identify things in our lives like wrong attitudes, bad habits, addictions, baggage from the past, and anything that does not line up with God’s standards and purpose for our lives. As our faults are revealed to us and we begin to deal with and become set free from them; our lives slowly start to align with and mirror God’s plan for our lives. This occurs as we [DAILY] read God’s Word, store it in our hearts, treasure it, and use it to defeat the enemy and sin when the tempter comes calling.
As long as we continue to daily read, wash, treasure, and store God’s Word in our hearts, it will continue to reveal to us our flaws, and will also provide the answers, tools, weapons, food, and power we need to change over time, into a perfect reflection of Christ living within us. This is our ultimate goal, and it is an achievable goal that once attained; sets us free from sin and allows us to enter into all of the promises of God.
If we neglect the Word of God! If we move away from its illuminating glow, its power, and reflective qualities, we soon lose sight of our faults and forget the true image of who we are without God; as described in James 1:24. When this occurs, we can quickly return to our fallen state, and the stink of sin will again become evident in our lives as we stop washing in the Word of God, The Water of Life.
This is also true in the natural. In our daily lives, if we get up in the morning and neglect to shower and wash, pretty soon we will become be rank enough to turn heads. If we don’t remember to check our appearance in the bathroom mirror and groom ourselves if we fail to realize we have woken up with dog breath and brushed our teeth, then enter the day and our workplace looking disheveled and smelling like something the cat dragged in, we are going to have a seriously negative impact on those around us. We will look and smell nasty, resulting in people looking sideways at us, whispering about us, and making sure they stay upwind of us.
- Seed to multiply
1 Peter 1:23-25
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.
24 For all flesh [is] as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower thereof falls away:
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Endure(s)
- To undergo (hardship, strain, privation, etc.) without yielding.
- To permit or tolerate.
- To list or continue to exist.
Doers of The Word; Not hearers only :
James 1:21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the engrafted [Implanted] Word, which can save your souls.
The [Engrafted] Word:
Engrafted: Greek : = [Emphutos]: Meaning Born Enate. Only found here in this scripture.
It is the Word of Truth, Inborn and Implanted that one is saved and begotten. James 1:18.
Ephesians 5:26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
The Word is called Seed:
1 Peter 1:23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.
John 3:9. Whosoever is born of God doth not sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
When it [The Word], [The Seed]; is implanted in the soul, it germinates and springs forth into eternal life.
Only the Seed that fails to be sewn into properly prepared soil, and cared for, will fail to bring forth fruit.
Speaking of the church: (You and Me)
Ephesians 5:26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
- A lamp to guide
Psalms 119:105. Your word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
- Rain & snow to refresh
Isaiah 55:10-11
10 For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
- A sword to cut
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Ephesians 6:17
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
- A bow for revenge
Habakkuk 3:9. Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. You did cleave the earth with rivers. The bow here is figurative of His Word.
Read Hab. 3:3-15. (God’s 30 fold greatness).
- Gold to enrich
Psalms 19:7-11.
7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD [are] true [and] righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired [are they] than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: [and] in the keeping of them [there is] great reward.
- Power to create faith.
Romans 10:17. So then faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
And life eternal life:
1 Peter 1:23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.
- Food to nourish
- Milk for babes
1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:
- Bread for the hungry
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
- Meat for men
Hebrews 5:11-14
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles [Words] of God; and have become such as have to need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that uses milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, [even] those who because of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
- Honey for dessert
Psalms 19:7-11
7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD [is] clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD [are] true [and] righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired [are they] than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned: [and] in the keeping of them [there is] great reward.
We can see here in these scriptures that God’s Word is everything that mankind needs to become the sons and daughters that God desires us to be. Without God’s word and its daily guiding influence, nourishment, and light in our lives, we will quickly begin to starve spiritually, and will soon be in deep trouble and heading for disaster.
God’s word; Its Power, influence, and Value.
It is a fire to refine us and burn away the dross of sin and corruption, and things we have done from wrong or impure motives.
It is a hammer to convict us, to break away the stone in our hearts, and shape us into something wonderful and useful for God’s glory.
It is a mirror to reveal and expose our flaws and imperfections so that we can deal with and rid ourselves of them, and; it is to provide for us a true reflection of God, who He is, and His plans for our lives so that we have an example of what our lives can and should look like.
It’s an incorruptible seed to multiply; that enables us to grow; that causes us to bear fruit to feed others. It enables us to grow the church and the family of God and to reach our community and the world for Christ with the Gospel.
It’s a laver, [a basin to cleanse], to sanctify and wash away sin by the Living Water of the Word of God.
It is a lamp to illuminate and expose sin in our lives, and to provide a light to guide our feet along the path of righteousness that leads to God.
It is rain and snow, to water us and give us strong roots that go down deep into God, to cause us to give bud and bear good fruit to feed others, and to produce good seeds to plant into the lives of others.
It is a sword to cut. A quick and powerful Two-Edged Sword that is razor-sharp and piercing, to cut down the enemy with when he comes tempting. It is to expose the heart of man, to provide discernment, and reveal the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
It is a bow for revenge and God’s judgment, to destroy the enemy’s of God; And; God’s arrows have the power to penetrate the hardest heart.
It is gold to enrich our lives. Gold speaking of purity enriches and adds value to our lives and the lives of those around us who we can bless.
It is the power to build faith and the power of eternal life. As we read God’s Word, so faith builds within us. As we believe in God’s word, when we act upon it, and when we become obedient to it, it delivers eternal life through faith and obedience.
It is food to nourish.
1: To provide milk for newborn babes / newborn believers in Christ.
2: It is to provide bread of life for the hungry soul. God’s Word is the Bread of Life, and those who eat and consume it, grow, become strong and spiritually healthy, and ultimately receive God’s gift of eternal life.
3: It is to provide meat for men and women of God, who are mature in faith and able to eat and digest the strong meat of the Word of God, to build spiritual muscle and strength in us so that we can stand against evil, defeat the enemy, and learn to feed others.
4: It is Honey for dessert. It rejoices the heart, it is perfect and converts the soul, it makes the simple wise, is more desirous than much fine gold, it endures forever, it enlightens the eyes, and brings sweetness and joy into our lives.
