The Power of God's Word

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” – Hebrews 4:12 NLT

Recently, I was given the opportunity to lead a Bible Study group at my church. We have Bible Study every Wednesday evening, and my Pastor typically covers a specific topic. We also gather and learn based on a particular book of the Bible and then break into Bible Study groups. 

It’s been a little over a month now, and I can tell you that having the experience of leading a Bible Study group has been nothing short of pleasurable and transformative. As our thought-provoking conversations have caused me to pull on the archive of my experiences with God and accumulated Biblical knowledge, I’ve come to realize what a Rabbi God truly is, and how His Word stands firm in our lives. 

There’s nothing that compares or competes with the Bible. It’s the greatest book in the world, God-breathed, full of divine wisdom and knowledge.

Growing up, I heard the Bible referred to as “daily bread.” This makes me think of the Israelites in the wilderness when God provided them with manna or daily bread. In Exodus 16, we see God’s instructions for the food He miraculously provided. The Israelites were to gather as much as they needed, and not to save it for the next day, unless it was saved for Sabbath, which He instructed. But some Israelites disobeyed, only to find the manna they saved for another day was spoiled and maggot-infested by the next morning. 

Now, God’s Word never goes bad. So that’s definitely not the point I’m making here. It’s more that God encourages us to receive daily bread. You don’t have to work for the Word, it’s simply provided for you. But how many of us neglect our Word on a daily basis? Have we grown tired of the daily bread? Have we started to view what’s new daily as an old familiar thing? Possibly… 

There are two things you never want to do with God’s Word:

1. Become too familiar

2. Substitute it for something else

As humans, it’s natural for us to become familiar with our surroundings, including places, people, and things. Often, we don’t appreciate what others mean to us until they are no longer in our lives. We overlook the significance of places we once cherished until we can no longer access them. Similarly, we may misunderstand the value of the things in our lives until they are taken away.

This tendency to take familiar aspects for granted can be dangerous when it comes to our relationship with God and His Word, as it directly impacts our salvation and eternity. If you refuse to engage with the Bible, you will struggle to live according to its teachings. 

How can you keep a Word you don’t know?

What’s even more dangerous is that oftentimes our familiarity with God’s Word creeps in as simply reading to check off our to-do list. Let me read the Bible today because that’s what I’m supposed to do as a Christian… right?

The Word is living, but if you don’t allow it to penetrate your heart, you will remain dead inside. There is no issue, concern, or matter that you face that isn’t in God’s Word. From career to relationships, to family, to business, to finances, to you name it, it’s in the Bible. The Bible is full of wisdom for everyday life, and the success of our lives is dependent on our capacity to consume, devour, and appreciate God’s Word. 

Have you ever noticed that a substitute teacher never teaches with the same knowledge, conviction, or understanding as the regular teacher? If your school experience is anything like mine, substitute teachers often handed out work packets and then retreated to their desks, primarily focusing on managing and disciplining the class. They provided us with assignments, including instruction packets, but they rarely had a complete understanding of the lesson. 

This same thing is true when we substitute God’s Word for something “other.” Your favorite podcasts? Your sermon catalog or IG Pastor? Or how about that Christian YouTuber you love to binge? Sorry to say, but is it The Chosen series? Or maybe simply listening to Gospel music? God provides daily bread, and yet we are getting full on junk food. 

If I could just let you in on a secret… I’m guilty of the same thing. Not every day, but some days, I can find myself running to a substitute, my junk food of choice for a fix. Something that tells me I’m still Christian and affirms my perspective on specific matters in my life. Something that will make me feel good. Perhaps we share the same secret?

When you study and understand the Bible for yourself, what might seem like junk food becomes more like supplements. The Holy Spirit changes your appetite and helps you align with what God has for you. As you immerse yourself in the Word, the things you watch and listen to will begin to affirm the messages God has been revealing to you in your private moments of study.

I truly believe the Bible is alive, because as I study the Word, I start to notice it everywhere! Suddenly, while you're studying scripture, a song you love actually mentions it. Or perhaps during a church service, your pastor references the very same passage you're exploring. You might even spot it on a bumper sticker parked in front of you, or find yourself in a conversation with a friend who shares how God has been speaking to them about the same scripture you’re studying. These are all divine coincidences that confirm the living, breathing, daily guidance God provides through His Word.

God desires for us to intimately know His Word. 

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” – Joshua 1:8 NKJV 

Prosperity is promised to those who make the Word of God their daily bread. The Word is powerful, and our engagement with it is what ensures our success. This implies that a Christian who does not have a close relationship with the Word of God is likely to experience failure. While prosperity is available to everyone, only those who actively pursue it by observing and meditating on the teachings of the Bible will truly attain it.

The Bible is powerful for many reasons, but there are three reasons I’d like to hone in on today. 

What is the Power of God’s Word?

1. God’s Word keeps you pure.

“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.” – Psalms 119:9

Our purity is dependent on our obedience to God’s Word. As I mentioned earlier, you cannot obey a Bible you do not read. It’s impossible. Through regular study and consumption of the Bible, you will begin to gain insight and conviction of God’s will. Every time I read the Bible, I’m challenged to love, forgive, show empathy, and give to others. The Bible will always check your character, motives, and intent. 

God values purity on the inside. Not the appearance of it because you go to church, have a Bible verse in your social media bio, or serve in a ministry at your church. Purity is a heart posture and a determination. Every day you decide to read, meditate, and cherish the Word of God, you are determining in your heart to remain pure. Like Daniel, we must determine not to defile ourselves with choice foods, or junk food, the world says is good for us! (Daniel 1:8)

2. God’s Word provides encouragement. 

“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”  – Proverbs 12:25

The truth is life be lifing. All of us can use encouragement, and what greater encouragement than the Word of God? This scripture is often used in the context of how we interact with others. But I truly believe it has more than one meaning and interpretation. Every Word in the Bible will always serve as an encouraging Word. For example, those long genealogies can encourage you to understand the intentionality of God in choosing our families and redeeming our legacy. Those laws that are so many you simply can’t keep up with, highlight the fragility in your human flesh, and the gratitude and simple dependence we must have on God to live righteously every day. Every word in the Bible serves a purpose, and one of its main uses is encouragement. 

If you are reading this and simply feeling down, I’d encourage you to pick up your Bible and ask God to make the Word come alive in your life today. Ask Him to give you fresh manna and encouragement for this day. Ask that He allow you to see the Word from a new perspective, understand how it applies to you, and give you the grace to live it out with diligence and discipline!

3. God’s Word is a guide. 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” – Psalms 119:105

When you don’t know what to do, God does, and he’ll often reveal it to you through His Word. 

There’s nothing God will tell you that isn’t backed by His Word. There is nothing God desires for you that isn’t found in His Word. The Bible is a personal prophecy and blessing over our lives. God affirms our identities, highlights His many good plans, and reveals to us that every dark season is temporary. 

If you find yourself squabbling for answers, trying to figure out what’s next for your life, grappling with a major decision, or simply searching for identity, it’s all in His Word. You don’t need a psychic or palm reader. You don’t need your zodiac signs and fortune tellers. All you need is God and His Word. Sometimes, the guidance you need comes simply by trusting in the words written in the Bible. 

It’s so like us, so human and fleshy, to seek control and know what’s next all the time. But God doesn’t want us to have control. He simply desires for us to offer Him a surrender. The truth is you’re stronger when you surrender to God than you are when you seek to have it all figured out. Oftentimes, without the living Word transforming your heart’s desires, even surrender is impossible. 

What answers are you seeking? I can’t promise you that you’ll receive the response you are hoping for, but like Paul, I believe God will supply you with sufficient grace in the meantime as you lean on Him and His Word. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Purity, encouragement, and guidance are necessities on our path to prosperity and good success, as Joshua 1:8 mentions. Some practical tips for you if you desire to intimately know God’s Word are to get a physical Bible, partner your Bible reading with a daily devotional book, and have a notebook to write down what God is teaching you. Also, remember to always pray before you read the Bible. Even when you don’t understand what you are reading, know that God is building a foundation of faith in you, and in due time, what you read will begin to unfold in your life beautifully!

God’s Word is powerful! So my question to you is, have you eaten your daily bread today?

Some powerful scriptures in the Bible that I absolutely love:

• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

• “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” – Isaiah 6:1

• “Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.”  – Proverbs 31:25

• “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21