The Power of the Word of God

Deut 32:46-47

Introduction – It is one thing to defend what the word of God is. This was attempted last week. It is quite another thing to understand what the word of God does. Unfortunately, too many Christians give intellectual ascent to the validity of Scripture, and then put it away as though that settles it. But this is not a reference work, or a coffee table showpiece. This is your life (Deut 32:46-47).

The Text - and He said to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law. “For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess.”

It Is Your Life – In every nuance of the word, the word of God is your life.

Eternal Life (1 Pet 1:23-25) – The word of the gospel is the means by which incorruptible seed brings a second life. We were born again through the word of God.

Sustaining Life (1 Pet 2:2-3) – Not only is the word powerful to save, but it is powerful to sustain that life as well. The Word is pictured here like your mother. Having given birth to you, it is only natural that you would turn to her for sustenance.

Purifying Life – It reveals our sin (Heb 4:11-13) and sanctifies us (John 17:17). As a sword, it is very efficient to lay us open and carefully dissect all of our secret thoughts and intentions. But it also works as balm to cleanse us, heal us, and purify us of all our spiritual maladies.

Quality Life – It makes all that we put our hands to good (1 Tim 4:4) and instructs us in what is good and lovely (Phil 4:8). When God created the world, He pronounced it all very good, and He did so by His Word. And so, it is by His Word that we learn to discern in this fallen world what is beautiful, what is noble, what is worthy of our notice and care.

Assures Us of Life (1 John 5:13) – The Word is given in order to take away our fleshly doubts and to evoke in us more experiential grace. It tells us, “God is with us”.

How to Use God’s Word as the Means of Transformation (Rom 12:2) – It is the high calling of God in Christ Jesus that believers be conformed to the image of His incarnate Son. This is accomplished by faith through the work of the Spirit. And the ‘tool’ that the Spirit uses is the word of God.

Reading (Deut 6:6, 11:18) – The Word is compared to milk for a baby and bread to the saints (Deut 8:1-3). This points to our need for daily intake of the Scriptures. And like bread and milk, it is good to partake of over and over and over.

Meditation & Study (Ps 1:2) – Hebraic meditation doesn’t look like a New Age attempt at ‘out of body’ experiences. The Hebrew word has the idea of muttering to oneself. It is as if one cannot get that verse out of one’s mind, and doesn’t want to.

Hearing (Rom 10:17) – We underestimate this gathering, and we underestimate the value of hearing the word read and preached. But God has called us to hear fallible men preach fallible messages from His infallible Word and, with faith, expect to hear from heaven itself. As we grow in our understanding of this, we should expect to come prepared, hungry, attentive, and tenderhearted – ready to be transformed.

Singing (Psalm 95:2, Col 3:16) – Singing the Psalms is not a new idea, it is an ancient idea we are recovering. We learn what God wants us to sing about by singing His songbook, and we are blessed as God uses that to place the Word deep in our own hearts.

Applying (Luke 11:28, James 1:22) – Application of what you learn only makes the rest of the Word more clear. If you do not apply that which know, you cannot expect to understand the deeper things of God.

What You Must Do – Too often the duties of the Christian life, which everyone agrees should be done, are not. Too often you say, “I should be doing this”, but you aren’t. You’re too busy, you say. It’s too boring, you think. You accuse God of not motivating you.

Confess (1 Thess 2:13) – The word of God is not effective to those who do not believe. If the fruit of your life is a longstanding lack of Bible reading and study, the first step is repentance.

Be Honest – Are you hungry? If you are, here is the food. If you aren’t, it begs the question, are you alive?

Be Diligent (Psalm 19:10) – We ought to read our Bibles with more diligence than men who dig for buried treasure. Pick a good translation. Set reasonable goals. Stop making excuses.

Dave Hatcher – March 25, 2001