The Power of God’s Word

Joyell Nevins
January 23rd, 2006

What are some powerful things in this world? Guns, tornadoes, bulldozers, all have a lot of power and can have a serious impact. But I want to introduce you today to the MOST powerful thing there is.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

One of the things I loved when I first heard Mitzi Holdren teach is that she went through verses word by word. So let’s do that here. “For the Word of God is quick” – quick is the greek word zaos, and it means to live, both literally and figuratively. Personally, I think both literal and figurative apply here. “and powerful” – powerful is the greek word energes, which is where we get our English word energy. Energes means to be active, operative, and effectual. We learned recently that when something is effectual it produces the desired result. It doesn’t just have an impact, but it has the impact it was purposed to. “Sharper than any twoedged sword . . .” Sharper is the greek word tomoteros, which means to cut as if by a single stroke.

I have a Cutco knife that is extremely sharp. In my old house on Market street, I was cutting bread with it when I sliced right through my two fingers (there is still a mark where it happened). Blood went gushing everywhere. We called it the massacre because blood got on the ceiling, the floor, the counters, etc. And all that was from one stroke. That’s what the Word is like – it does what it’s meant to do, efficiently and quickly.

Ephesians 6:12-13 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Then Ephesians lists what’s part of your armor – gospel of peace, truth, righteousness, etc. What I want to draw your attention to is at the end of the list:

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:The Word is also called a sword in Revelations, when Jesus Christ comes back. It says he has a sword coming out of his mouth, which is the Word of God. And anybody who’s seen Lord of the Rings or Braveheart or any movie of that era knows what damage swords can do!

The Word is also called a sword in Revelations, when Jesus Christ comes back. It says he has a sword coming out of his mouth, which is the Word of God. And anybody who’s seen Lord of the Rings or Braveheart or any movie of that era what damage swords can do!Here’s another analogy of how powerful the Word is:

Jeremiah 23:28-29 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? [I’m sure you guys know what power fire has and what it can do!] saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

My fiance Jason has a set of dinner bowls. One time I was goofing around and dropped and broke one of the bowls (as you can see I’m not too handy in the kitchen). Since the bowl broke into three clean pieces, Jason was able to glue it back together and use it again. Well, in Jeremiah that word “break” means . Unlike the bowl, the hammer dashes the rock into a thousand pieces with NO hope of putting it back together. Again, what the Word is meant to do it gets done!

Psalms 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

That word “delivered” is commonly translated escaped – it gets you out of a situation. To me, I think of an argument. When Jason and I first got together I told him look, I’m a strong willed person and I may not always listen to you. But I will ALWAYS listen to the Word. I have found in all my relationships that the Word of God is the BEST way to stop an argument, period. You can’t argue with the Word. What did Jesus do when the Devil himself came at him (Mark 4)? That’s right – It is written. He used the Word of God, and escaped that temptation and nasty situation.

Psalms 147:18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Again, look at the power in that. The word “melt” means dissolve. When you mix oil and water, it separates and you still have oil and water. If you mix sugar and water, the sugar DISSOLVES and there is no hope of getting that sugar back again. Same thing with the Word. Never underestimate its power.I know I’ve used a lot of analogies, and now I want to give you a true story of how I’ve seen the Word of God change lives. My friends Stephen and Rhonda West run a Bible study/fellowship at the VA, a local rehab program. I have had the privilege to meet some of the men they work with and watch their lives change. One guy, Greg, checked into rehab June of ’05 after an attempt to commit suicide. He had no job, no house, and seven cents to his name. Greg had been in and out of rehab before, but to no avail. This time, he started going to the West’s Bible study. Through that, through the Word of God, one year later I was able to attend an anniversary celebration of Greg’s success. He has a job, a house, a serious girlfriend who also loves God and His Word, and even runs a fellowship out of his home.

Another guy, George, who again had been in and out of rehab, was so excited because he went home for Thanksgiving and for the first time his mom didn’t have to check the house to see what he’d stolen after he left.

This is real, people. The Word of God changes lives. It mends relationships. It has power. Yes, people are loving and wonderful and let God’s light shine, but it all comes back to the Word.

Fellow Laborers, both last year and this year, is a great idea. It can be a great program. But sometimes things get hairy – there are complications, issues, people aren’t all they should be, whatever. Yet I sat at the Family Reunion last year and was amazed at the testimonies – at the growth I saw in my fellow Fellow Laborers. Same this year – the Fellow Laborers are growing and changing because of the Word of God – it is a sword, it is fire, it dashes, it dissolves.

Stacy Siedlecki taught earlier this year that when God said “I am that I am” in Exodus, that means “I become what I become” – basically God is everything you need Him to be. Well, the Bible is God on paper – it’s God’s words to us. It says in II Peter 1:3 that the Word has everything that pertains to life and godliness – whatever you need, the Bible has it for you.

Psalms 119:160-62 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

I love the heart David has for the Word – it’s like a treasure hunt for him. But what I want to draw your attention to is “endureth for ever” and “true from the beginning”. I heard a great story of a little boy who walks past a blacksmith’s shop. The blacksmith is banging a hammer on the anvil, and at his feet is tons of used up hammers. The boy asks what happened to all these hammers? The blacksmith tells them “the anvil makes them so”. The storyteller related the strength and endurance of the anvil to the strength and endurance of God’s Word – no matter how people beat on it or try to twist it or discredit it, the Word stands true. Talk about a solid foundation!

I Peter 1:23-25A Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

The word “endure” is the greek word meno. It is a primary or root word that means to remain, abide, stand. The Word of God isn’t going anywhere, folks. I’d like to quote an email devotional called God’s Minute:

“After all God worked through 40 different men, who lived on three different continents, from every walk of life, who lived over a sixteen hundred year period to write His letter to us. The result is the Bible was still created containing not one single contradiction.”

That’s a pretty big statement, for a very big book. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this – I hope that you too, can say you treasure the Word of God as one that has great spoil, and realize the POWER that you have through it.

I want to leave you with an exhortation of Paul’s that is my heart to you.

I want to leave you with an exhortation of Paul’s that is my heart to you.Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

God bless you all!

Comments(1)