NEVER HAS IT been more apparent just how much the Body of Christ needs the anchor of God’s Word. We must learn to trust it with our whole hearts.
I believe the day is fast approaching when God’s Word will be our sole source, because everything that can be shaken upon the earth will soon be shaken. We need to come to a deeper understanding that God’s Word will endure any amount of pressure we put on it.
We usually take people at their word. If our employer tells us we are getting a raise, we might immediately start planning how to spend the extra money!
We react like this in faith when we hear words we trust. Because we believe what we hear, we act on what is said.
How much more should we believe the Word of the Holy One Who created the universe?
Motivation From Coaches
How many young football players have heard their coach say, “You’re going to start Friday night,” and were thrilled by those words! They weren’t even in the game yet, but those words created such an excitement that when game time came, they went wild on the field.
Picture this: In the middle of the game, the first-string quarterback gets hurt. The backup quarterback has been sitting on the bench waiting for a chance to show what he can do. But he’s apprehensive because he has to replace the starting player—the guy who’s always been the hero.
The coach says to the backup quarterback, “I believe in you! You’ve got the goods! Now go out there and show the people that you’ve got what it takes!”
Words! That quarterback grabs his helmet, straps it on, and runs like a ball of fire onto the field! He says to himself, “I know I can do it. Just give me that ball!”
Words of faith and confidence from a wise coach can energize a player and fill him with ability he didn’t know he had! Yet some Christians have difficulty believing and acting on the scriptures. The Word of God should create more excitement in us than a coach’s words create in a football player.
We trust the words of others. How much more should we trust God’s Word!
We react like this in faith when we hear words we trust. Because we believe what we hear, we act on what is said.
Reasons Why
One reason Christians don’t receive from God is, they don’t take Him at His Word. Or they never put any pressure on that Word. They try to do everything in their own strength. They have never learned how trustworthy God’s Word really is.
We see in Romans 4:21 (AMPC) that Abraham was “fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised.” Hebrews 10:23 (NLT) tells us to “hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”
Here is another reason many Christians do not receive from God. They may believe He’s able to answer their prayers, but they’re not convinced He’s willing. Some aren’t even sure His power is still operating today. It is a biblical principle that before we receive, we must believe God is willing and able to grant our petition. His Word declares that He is willing! Second Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV) says, “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
Acting On Our Beliefs
Even in our everyday lives, we must believe before we can receive. For example, most people in the United States today have bank accounts. We wouldn’t use them to try to make a purchase unless we believed there was money in those accounts.
Our actions are based on our beliefs. The same thing holds true in the supernatural realm. We believe God; therefore, we take Him at His Word.
Without exception, every time Jesus’ words were believed and acted upon, the results were miraculous.
The disciples learned to believe and act on Jesus’ words even in the face of contradictory circumstances. Notice this account in the Bible.
Peter and his partners had fished all night and caught nothing. After they came ashore and were washing their nets, Jesus asked to use Peter’s boat. He got in and taught a large crowd that had been following Him. Afterward, He said to Peter, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets” (Luke 5:4). Peter protested, because it didn’t seem reasonable for them to go back out onto the lake and start fishing again. Nevertheless, he recognized the authority in Jesus’ words and acted on them, even though it seemed foolish to do so.
When Peter and the others obeyed Jesus’ specific directions, they caught so many fish that their net began to break. And when they loaded the fish into their boats, they became so full that they started to sink. (See Luke 5:4–9.)
Jesus told these men exactly where to fish. When they followed His instructions, look at the results—God’s miraculous abundance and provision! There is a biblical principle in this for us. As we obey the Word of God, we will experience abundant provision in our lives too.
If only God’s people would put their trust in His infallible Word! What mighty exploits would be wrought on this earth to set people free—to get them saved, healed, and delivered to God’s glory.
We need to get to the place in our walk with the Lord that when we see something in His Word or that Word speaks to our hearts, we immediately respond, “Lord, at Thy Word I will obey!” Let’s take our position with God’s Word as our weapon and refuge, because His Word will never fail us!
[Editor’s note: This article was previously printed in the December 2015 issue of The Word of Faith.]FAITH IN ACTION
Words Are Containers
What does a container do? It holds or contains something. Because God’s Word is holy and pure, it contains love, joy, peace, power, and ability. It holds whatever pertains to life and godliness. And it contains within itself the power to create whatever it says it will do.
Our words are containers too. But many people don’t realize this. When they speak, they are pouring out the contents of their words all around them.
Our words can contain faith, happiness, joy, and peace—or unbelief, despair, hatred, and division. Words either pollute the listener or build him up.
What kind of words are you speaking?
Author
Kenneth W. Hagin
Share this Post