There were many radio ministries during the Charismatic Movement that helped nurture and strengthen my walk as a believer. One such programme was the ministry of Dr. Douglass, a man who taught a simple message while carrying a burden for India. The opening theme song to his programme has always stayed with me and it serves as the catalyst for this exhortation:
“The Word is working mightily in me;
The Word is working mightily in me;
No matter what the circumstances;
What I feel or see;
The Word is working mightily in me.”
Does the Word of God have this level of impact in your life? Cornerstone just concluded its Training and Equipping (T&E) classes which consisted of seven different modules with 349 registered students. The classes are not meant to be just a seasonal encounter with the Word, but a practiced lifestyle whereby the Word becomes a part of everything we do. This is the primary purpose for the Hashtag 365 journey through the Word of God. Why is placing an emphasis upon the Word so important? “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Rom 10:17
It’s the Word of God that serves as the foundation for faith. It’s through faith that the worlds were framed and created through the Word of God (Heb 11:3). Do we fully appreciate the importance of God’s Word and its meaning for our lives? The study and love for the Word of God should be foundational in the life of a believer. This goes beyond the casual mentioning of verses or knowledge of many of the biblical stories that may be known to us. The Word of God is a “Living Word” and it has power in the establishing of God’s Kingdom upon earth.
There’s a concerning trend in many churches where the study of God’s Word takes a back seat to increased church activities. This was not the example of our Lord Jesus Christ Who was Himself filled with the Word and knew its power. He clarified doctrinal disputes to those who challenged His authority and teachings. He was able to fend off the attacks of the enemy with the words, “It is written.” (Matt 4:1-10)
The enemy understands the power and authority of God’s Word and seeks to undermine it whenever possible. He seeks to do this by chipping away the foundations of God’s spoken Word as noted in the opening words of the Bible. “In the beginning God…” (Gen 1:1) The secular humanists of our day promote the lie of evolution while going about the task of redefining Truth. As you proceed through the Book of Genesis, you see added attempts to undermine the foundational truths concerning marriage and God’s Laws to name just a few. Satan knows that if he can convince man to accept an alternative or watered down version of God’s established Word, he can further his dominion over the earth. Is this not what’s taking place today? We must not allow this to happen!
If the above is true, then how do we as God’s people view the Word of God? Is it truly the foundation of our faith? Do we have a love for His Word in addition to the embracing and acknowledging of Truth? The Church is being tested on this very point as the plumb-line of God’s Word is being applied on a corporate and individual basis; how are we responding (Amos 7:7-8)? What does the Word of God truly mean to you? Is it relegated to just being a book that accompanies you to church or a casual reference guide in your personal devotional time?
The Apostle Paul spoke of God’s Word as being a sword that can be wielded as an offensive weapon (Eph 6:17). He also spoke of the Word as a sword that has the potential to work deep inside a person; to divide the soul and spirit while getting to root issues of the heart (Heb 4:12). What does the Word of God mean to you? Is it working mightily in all that you do? Let’s pray that the Word of God will always be the standard and plumb-line that defines Cornerstone and its people.
