Know the Word of God
Bob Yandian
Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Sin comes from three sources: The world, our flesh, and the devil. We are to take the word of God and quote it at the world – who comes against us. Satan and his demonic forces that come against us. And we are to quote it to our own flesh. But to quote the word at these forces, we must know the word of God. Jesus was confronted by Satan and every time He told Satan, “It is written…”
Many churches, today, are not preaching or teaching the word of God. Some Scripture will be mentioned, or these pastors will teach around Scripture. They will use themselves as an object or talk about things that have happened in their life and some Scripture will be mentioned. The word of God declares that in the last days, people will depart from the word of God. The main purpose of the local church is to build up the saints, to bring maturity. The word of God is vital for a lifestyle of growth in the things of God.
Understand the Word of God
“For this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” 2 Peter 5-9
"For he who lacks these things." Lack what things? The knowledge of the word of God. Plus, all the virtue that is added to it. Knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and finally agape love. He says, "For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to the point of blindness, and has forgotten he was ones cleansed from his old sins." You know what this verse is saying? The more we understand the word of God, the more fruitful we become.
What is the Word of God For?
The word brings stability into our life, but it also brings a total absolute assurance. No one can tell me I am not saved; I know I am saved because the word of God tells me I am saved. Isaiah 33:6 says, "Wisdom and knowledge…" This is the input and output of the word. Wisdom is the correct application of the word of God. Knowledge will be the stability of your times. If there is anything the world needs today, it needs stable Christians. And Christians need to be stable.
Notice this, wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of your times and the strength of your salvation. Who is that for? Those who fear the Lord. Reverence for God and His word is the most important thing in your life.
Apply and Hear
“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching.” Matthew 7:24-27
At the closing of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus told them, “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine…” Hears - in the Greek, means “keeps on hearing.” He goes on to say, “and does them.” You could hear all these wonderful things and not do them. The word is to be applied in your life. Wisdom is the correct application of knowledge.
Every Christian will go through trials and temptations. The winds and the rains will come and believers who know the word and apply the word are like “the wise man who built his house on the rock.”
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all “(Psalms 34:19). How does He deliver us out of them all? Mainly through His word. Standing on His word. Believing His word. Putting his word into application into our life - becoming a doer of the word of God causes us to be able to come through the trials of life and come out successful on the other side. You grow through the trial. It is not the trial that makes you strong. It is the word you use in the trial that makes you strong. If trials made us strong, every Christian would be strong. Jesus gave us the example that when the trials, troubles, and tribulations of life come, take the word of God in our heart, and put it in our mouth and speak it.
Obedience Honors the Lord
Obedience is what you do when you are alone. What you do when only God sees what you do. This is more than just your outward actions. This comes from your character. Character is developed and built upon the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). A person who is bearing fruit is a type of disciple. What is the concept of a disciple? Someone who hears the word and obeys it. The greatness of the Christian life is when you hear the word of God you benefit others around you and your life becomes pleasing to God.
Obedience is not just joining the church or the choir or helping in the church. These are all things that are done in front of people. It is more than giving money in the offering or witnessing. None of these things should be done to earn God’s blessing.
Obedience may mean turning off talk radio or listening to secular music while you are driving. There is nothing wrong in these things, but to grow in the things of God, you may have to change. Try listening to the word to and from your way to work.
What Brings You to the Full Knowledge of the Truth
Being obedient to God's plan. God's pattern for spiritual growth comes from the word of God.
Going to church is like eating out. It is great when someone else prepares and serves the food to you, but your personal study of the word is like you eating at home. When you study, pray over it, and meditate on it you get things for yourself. When we meditate on the word the word is possessing your thoughts.
When you find a scripture that seems to stick out to you, think about it for a while. I may think about a verse for a day or two. The Holy Spirit will be able to use the word you have meditated on. He may use a word or a phrase, but it could change your life completely. This is the light of the Holy Spirit which turns the written word into revelation and understanding. It then makes it personal to you.
Obedience is part of our love for God. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” This is what God is asking of us. Even grace is part of our service for the Lord. God has provided everything we need to accomplish His will. Hebrews 8:10 says,” I will put My laws in their mind (this is where we start) and write them on their hearts (this is where we meditate on it and it becomes revelation).”
Oh, the importance of walking in the word and in obedience to God. Psalms 19:11 says that we will receive a great reward not only here in life but also in eternity. Simply take the word of God and become obedient to it. There are so many great rewards when you do. It will cause you to grow, to mature, to become a blessing to others around you as well as to yourself. But most of all, you will be pleasing to God.
