GOD’S WORDS
INTRODUCTION
The Outline has been developed for all leaders of the Cell Ministry to serve as a guide for our Bible study meetings in the month of August. The subject is ‘Words’,as taught by our Man of God during the class.
This outline is in 4 parts. Part 1 introduces the study, highlighting the importance of spiritual growth and its indicators; and also, the meaning of grace, and what it means to grow in grace. Part 2 teaches on words, what they are, and the power of words. Part 3 expounds on the importance and description of words; while in part 4, we learn the value of words, and how to use them. Each part closes with related questions, to be taken and answered by members of the group.
All Bible study class teachers and cell leaders are to ensure that their members have their Bibles; all the Scriptures in the outline are read during the meeting; and the members look into their Bibles while the Scriptures are read. As clearly stated by our Man of God, at the beginning of this teaching, the purpose of this class is to help the individual member understand the value of words and how to use them. So, don’t rush through the subject as you teach; remember that our intention is to have every member of the class understand God’s Word on the subject matter, and become acquainted with the Scriptures.
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Part 1…………………………….3
- Part 2…………………………….7
- Part 3……………………………..13
- Part 4…………………………….18
– PART 1 –
Introduction:
At the end of this chapter, each member should understand:
- The importance of spiritual growth to the Christian, and have knowledge of the indicators of spiritual growth.
- What grace is, and what it means to grow in grace.
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen” 2 Peter 3:17-18
Every Christian must work on growing; your spiritual growth as a Christian cannot be overemphasized. It’s important to be conscious that you are growing and making progress in your spiritual life. Growth is neither an accident nor a miracle, but it is attained through the application of revealed principles and means.
There are indicators to show you are growing in your Christian life. In your physical body, for example, you may not see actual growth take place, but you do see the results – for example, the size of shoes and clothes you wear change overtime; these are indicators of your physical growth. In the same way also, in the spirit there are indicators to show that you are growing.
Indicators of spiritual
growth
Below are some indicators that reveal spiritual growth:
- Are you more excited about the Word today than you used to be?
- Are you happy to be associated with your brethren?
- Are you demonstrating more love towards the brethren? Demonstrated love is one of the ways to know if you are growing, stagnant, or moving backwards.
- Do you find fewer faults and mistakes with the brethren?
- Do you see the brethren as being more perfect?
It is vital to use the indicators of God’s Word to guide yourself, because the more you grow, the less of the faults, mistakes and imperfections you’ll find in others. You’ll notice that you are full of love for the brethren and that all their wrongs are somewhat non-existent to you. The Bible says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren…” (I John 3 v 14).
The more you grow, the more perfect you find others to be, and the less of their imperfections you see. This means the less faults and mistakes you see in the brethren, the more growth you are experiencing; but the more faults you find in the brethren, the less growth you are experiencing, because you are not giving yourself to the Word of God.
Growing In Grace
From 2 Peter 3:17-18,we see how important grace is, such that God wants all His children to grow in it. But what is Grace?
Grace is:
- The expression of God’s life and glory in you.
- The beauty of God in your life.
- The love of God expressed through you.
- The joy of the Spirit expressed through you.
- The glory of God’s Word manifested in you.
- The revelation of God’s kingdom exuding through you.
- The beauty of God’s love in you: the outward reflection of an inner glory.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ brings joy into your spirit. The more you know Him, the more you reflect Him; but the less you know Him, the less of Him you reflect. The Lord Jesus is the Word of God, and the Bible teaches that the Word of God is a mirror. So, the more you look into His face, the more you see yourself in Him, and the more like him you become; then His life and love are expressed through you even more.
Your most important prayer should be that you continually increase in passion for the Master, because the more passionate you are for Jesus, the less you consider other things, and the less you consider yourself. He becomes everything; He becomes your focus and dream, and consequently every other thing fades away. The Bible says, he that continues to look into the perfect law of liberty, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed (James 1v 25).
Therefore…
- Consider Jesus in your life.
- Consider him in dealing with other people.
- Consider him in dealing with your brothers and sisters. Let Him be your motivation; let Him be your reason for all, and you will always be happy.
Questions & Answers:
- We know that we have passed from death to life because we_______________________
- Love the brethren
- Admire the brethren
- Fellowship with one another
- Attend church services
- All of the above
Answer: A
- The more faults you find with the brethren the less growth you are experiencing because you are not _________________________
- Discerning properly
- Praying often
- Giving yourself to the Word of God
- Attending Sunday services
- A&B
Answer: C
- All these are indicators of spiritual growth except:
- More excitement for the Word
- Joy in associating with the brethren
- Being full of love for the brethren
- Seeing less of the imperfections of the brethren
- Always complaining about the mistakes and imperfections of the brethren
Answer: E
- The following is true of Grace:
- Grace is the expression of God’s life and glory in you
- Grace is the beauty of God in your life
- Grace is the Love of God expressed through you
- Grace is the Joy of the spirit expressed through you
- The revelation of God’s kingdom exuding through you
- 1 & 2 only
- 2, 4 & 5
- 1, 4 & 4
- All of the above
- 1, 2, 3 & 5
Answer: D
– PART 2 –
Introduction:
At the end of this chapter, each member should understand:
- What words are; and,
- The Power of Words.
What are Words?
Words are sensible sounds of a language through which messages are communicated and can be identified by natives of the same; that is, natives of that language.
Words are important and should be valued just as money is valuable; however some people don’t have value for money so they are wasteful. The way to be rich is to have good value for money and the sense of wisdom to use it. In the same vein, it is important to learn the value of words and how to use them; if you do, you will live an extraordinary life of success. This is true because the Bible shows us that words are very important, and from the very beginning God began to demonstrate to us the value of words and how to use them.
The Power of Words
Genesis 1: 1-2 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters“
Notice from the verse of scripture above that although the Spirit of God was there, the earth was still chaotic. This shows that though the Spirit of God was present, it did not mean everything was all right; God had to speak to the situation.
Genesis 1 v 3 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light”. In the proper rendering God said “Light be”. The first change came when God spoke definite Words; and those Words came to pass.
Genesis 1 v 4
“And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from
the darkness”.
This is a marvel; the light was not separated from darkness before this time. It is interesting to note that only God knew there was light, but if man were looking without the eyes of faith, all he would have seen would be darkness. Always look at circumstances and situations with the eyes of faith; that is, the faith of God. A scripture that’s connected to this is in the New Testament; 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”.
God
called the light to come out of darkness; this shows all things are possible. It
doesn’t matter how dark your world or circumstances may be, light can shine out
of that darkness. Glory to God!
All through this chapter, God commanded one thing and the other to be and they became. Throughout creation, God spoke words; He said let there be light, and there was light, He spoke the heavens and the earth into being, showing us the power of words.
Let’s take a look at God’s relationship with Adam in Genesis chapter 3.
Genesis 3 v 1-4
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die”
The devil challenged what God said; he told Eve that you will not surely die if you eat of the tree – he deceived her.
Genesis 3 v 6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Notice here that although the serpent was talking with
the woman, Adam was there with her. This is contrary to the notion that Adam
had gone out to the farm when it all happened; no, he was there right with Eve,
because the Bible records that she gave the fruit also to her husband with her.
Genesis 3
v 8-9 – “And they heard the voice of
the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his
wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the
garden. And the Lord called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?” They
heard the voice of God walking and talking. They did not see a form; they heard
a voice.
Genesis 3
v 10-11 “And he said, I heard thy
voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the
tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat”
The first thing God asked them was ‘who told you that you were naked?’ This is significant because when God made man, he was to receive spiritual information on how to live; he was to live according to what he was told. We are to live by what we are told, that is why God gave us His Word. Jesus said, “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4 v 4).
Man
was created to live by the Word of God, not by imagination or observations.
Living by your imagination or observation is dangerous. Be careful of the source
of your thoughts; don’t live your life by worldly wisdom, or by your own
acquired wisdom, live by the wisdom of God’s Word.
In Genesis
3 v 10, when Adam said I heard your voice in the garden, it showed that God
primarily revealed and manifested Himself with a voice. He gave him instructions
in Words and when He came looking for Adam, it was the voice they heard, showing
the importance of words.
Words are valuable
Hebrew 11 v 1-3 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear”
The
word ‘worlds’ here is translated from the word Aion. Aion is the course of life, a destiny, one’s
life in the world and the circumstances associated with that life. The word ‘framed’
also used in the Scripture above, is translated from the word Katartizo. Katartizo means to repair, mend, perfect and
restore.
When God wanted to change any situation or
circumstance, the material He used were words – the Rhema of God; that
is, the spoken Word. God effected changes,
repaired the earth through words; so for whatever challenge you may be facing
in your life, you can change it through the spoken Word of God.
Note: Use of terms and expressions in scriptures
There are different connotations and expressions for words used in scriptures such as:
- Voice: the voice is the Word of God (Genesis 3 v 8) “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”
- Words of God and Word of God: these mean the same thing; whether singular or plural, it refers to what God says.
In Genesis we see how God spoke creation into being. Over in the New Testament, we find a beautiful introduction of the Word in the book of John.
John 1 v 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”.
Reading through verses 1 – 12 of John chapter 1, it tells us that the voice of God created all things. That same voice of God that came into the garden made all things. John 1 v 11 – “He came unto his own, and his own received him not”. This is the same picture we see in Genesis, where God came to Adam, but he ran away and hid himself from God.
John 1 v 14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”.
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us; this is that same voice that Adam heard. Adam did not see a form, he heard a voice; the same voice that said let there be light, the same voice that spoke and creation came into being; that same Word took on flesh and dwelt among us.
It is essential to understand that when we talk about the Word of God, we are not just talking about words in themselves but we are referring and dealing with something of the substance and nature of God. We are dealing with something deeper than units of a language; we are dealing with something supernatural, beyond this world.
In Genesis 4 v 3-7, we learn from the story of two brothers – Cain and Abel. They both brought offerings to the Lord; however, Cain offered what he liked, but Abel offered what God wanted. God rejected Cain’s offering because he gave what he had, not what God wanted, but Abel gave what God wanted.
Genesis 4 v 3 -5 “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect”.
As a Christian you cannot live for God as you
choose, you live for Him, as He wants you to. How do you worship God? Different
religions worship God the way they think God should be worshiped, but God has
shown us how to worship Him and we can discover this from His Word.
Questions for personal meditation
- Are you pleasing God or yourself?
- Are you living the way God wants you to or are you living the way you think?
- Are you doing what God is asking you to do, or are you doing what you think is right?
- Is God happy with what you do?
- What is His will?
- How does He think?
- What is on His mind?
These are the questions you have to bear in mind. And to answer these questions, you have to know God’s Word, study God’s Word, and know what He wants.
Questions & Answers:
- If you learn the value of Words and how to use them you will live an extraordinary life of success.
True or False?
Answer: True
- _______________ made all things
- The voice of God
- Abraham
- Christians
- A & B
- Adam and Eve
Answer: A
– PART 3 –
Introduction:
At the end of this chapter, each member should
- Understand the importance of Words
- Get acquainted with more scriptures on Words
- Understand the description of Words
Importance of Words
Words
are used for creation, communication and expression; and we see the creative
function of words in the scriptures. Jesus used
words in healing the sick, raising the dead, and changing circumstance. He
multiplied fish and bread, and opened blind eyes with words
Even the lame were healed by words. Jesus spoke
to the winds and waves and they were calm; He talked to a tree and it heard
him. This shows us the importance of words.
In salvation, the Bible shows us the importance of words: Romans 10 v 9 -10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation“; how important words are.
In Matthew 12:37, Jesus said, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” If you will go to heaven or hell, it is going to be determined by your words – this shows us how important words are.
1 Peter 1: 23 says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”. We were born again by the Word of God. Hallelujah!
Always remember that every living thing must remain connected to its source for its continued existence. For example in Genesis 1 v 11 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.”
‘Earth’ referred to in this Scripture is the land; plants have their source from the earth, and they can only be sustained by their continued connection to their source. The grass can only survive in the earth. The same with the fishes; in verse 21 “And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.“ Fishes came from water and they cannot survive outside water; they only survive in water.
Man’s spirit came from God, while his body came from the earth; thus, your physical body came from the dust while your spirit came from God; that is, from the Word of God. This is why the Bible says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, because this physical body belongs to this earth. Your real life came from the Word of God; the life you live today is from the Word of God.
- We came from the word.
- We are products of the word.
- Then the word died for us and gave us life.
- Now we are one with the Word; we live the life of the Word.
- Our whole life now is the Word of God.
Jesus was the Word made flesh, but we are the Word of God in flesh; thus, the only way we can and should live, is to live and talk the Word of God. So as we study the Word, we are looking at ourselves because we are the Word of God in flesh.
More scriptures on the Word:
- John 15 v 7 ” If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you“
- Psalm 107 v 17 -20 “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses, He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions“
- Hebrews 4 v 12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged 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”
- Hebrews
13 v 5-6 “Let your
conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye
have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we
may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do
unto me”
God’s Word had the ability to produce results.
- Isaiah 55 v 11 ” So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”. God’s Word doesn’t fail!
- John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”
- Hebrews
1:2-3 “Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and
the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power”
The Description of Words
There are 4 important things with which to describe and understand words:
- Words are vehicles:
They transport or transmit faith or fear, love or hate, life or death. In Romans 10 v 17 the Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Also Proverbs 18 v 21 says ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’. The question then to ask yourself is this: when you speak, what do your words transport? Is it faith or fear, love or hate, life or death?
In Mathew 12: 36 the Bible says, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment”, thus men shall give account for every useless word they spoke, on the day of judgment.
- Words are seeds:
Words are seeds and they produce after their kind. Luke 8:11 “…the seed is the word of God.”
- Words are Amplifiers:
They amplify and reveal your thoughts. Words also amplify and reveal your character.
- Words are Conduits:
Words are pipelines for impartation; that is, power can be transported through words. In Luke 4 v 36 we seehow the Words of Jesus came with power. We transmit the power of God through Words.
Questions and Answers
- Words are used for;
- Creation and communication only
- Creation, communication and expression
- Expression and Production
- Identification and submission
- All of the above
Answer: B
- The Christian is God’s Word in flesh
- True
- False
Answer: A
- Words are vehicles because they transport;
- Faith or fear
- Love or hate
- Life or death
- All of the above
Answer: D
- Which is true?
- The Christian is a product of the word
- The Christian is one with the word
- The Christian has the life of the word
- The life of a Christian is the word of God
- The Christian is the word of God in flesh
- 1 & 5
- 2 & 4
- 1, 3 & 5
- All of the above
- 4 & 5
Answer: D
- _______________________amplify your thoughts and character
- The spirit
- Words
- Confession
- Meditation
- The word of God
Answer: B
-PART 4 –
At the end of this chapter, each member should
clearly understand the value of words and how to use them.
The Value of Words
First, we will look at the man Abraham.
Genesis 17:1 -5 “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee”
Observe the tenses; in verse 5, God spoke in the past, when He said ‘…for a father of many have I made thee’ How did God make him? By saying it; He made him father of many by Words. God said it and it was so. God also changed his name to be consistent with what He had made him.
Isaac and Jacob
The Bible records in Genesis 27, that when Isaac was old and full of years, it was time for him to deliver the Abrahamic blessing to his first son; so on this occasion, he sent for his favorite son, Esau, and asked him to go and prepare him venison, after which he will bless him. “…he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die” Genesis 27 v 1-4.
However when you study the Bible you’d observe that a long while before this occasion, on a certain day, Esau came home from haunting and was hungry, “And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob” Genesis 25 v 30-33
Esau sold his birthright for food. The problem with Esau was that he took words lightly. The Bible tells us that Esau was profane (Hebrew 12 v 16); he did not have reverence for spiritual things. He didn’t know that the birthright was sacred, but his brother Jacob knew the importance of words. And as far as words were concerned, as soon as Esau rejected his birthright and sold it for a meal, the birthright automatically was Jacob’s. So when it was time for the blessing, Jacob got the blessing with the help of his mother who planned with him.
“And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth…” Genesis 27 v 6-9
Their mother Rebekah was aware that Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob, but Isaac did not know so he still referred to Esau as the first son. Now, Jacob came to Isaac with the venison prepared by his mother.
Genesis 27v 18-20 “And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, how is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, because the LORD thy God brought it to me“
Jacob and Rebekah were able to deceive Isaac because his eyes were dim. In addition, Esau was a hairy man, while Jacob was smooth, but on this occasion, Jacob used animal skin to cover his body. Isaac was suspicious according to Genesis 27 v 22-24 – “And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am”
Notice
the words of Isaac, a man that understood the value of words; Genesis 27 v 27 “And he came near, and kissed
him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See,
the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 28
Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and
plenty of corn and wine: 29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to
thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee:
cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth
thee”
When Isaac blessed Jacob, he released words. He
didn’t give him landed property, or any physical thing; he blessed him with
words. In verse 29, he said, ‘let people
serve thee’. This is just like when God said ‘let there be light’ and light became. In the same way, as soon as
Isaac released those words, they became.
Now shortly after Jacob left their father, Esau returned with the venison. Verse 30 – 32“And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto him, who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau”.
Notice the terminology used in verse 32, Esau said “… I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau”. Esau was trying to be smart and claim the birthright he had already despised. The apostle Paul expounded this in Hebrews 12 v 16-17 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears”.
The amplified rendering of the scripture above says: “That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For you understand that later on when he wanted (to regain title to) his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, (disqualified and set aside) for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance (what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made) although he sought for it carefully with (bitter) tears”
In other words, Esau tried to regain title to the inheritance after he sold it for a meal, but there was no opportunity for him. God saw that Esau had no regard for spiritual things.
Isaac knew the importance and the value of words, such that when Esau came to be blessed, and Isaac suddenly realized what had transpired, the Bible says Isaac trembled very exceedingly. He knew what had happened; he understood the value of words, and when Esau pleaded with him, he said he couldn’t reverse his blessing, “… I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed” Genesis 27 v 33
Isaac was like his father Abraham who had great regard for words. All God told Abraham was ‘I have made thee a father of many nations’, and the Bible tells us ‘He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God’ Romans 4 v 20. He took God’s Words seriously.
The Word said, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” Isaiah 55 v 11.
Those who don’t understand the value of words will pay dearly for it. Isaac’s words sustained Jacob such that everywhere he turned to, the words of his father went with him.
How To Use Words
Let’s take us a look at how to use words, from the scriptures.
Revelation 12 v 10-11: “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death”
They overcame not by worldly wisdom or human intelligence, but by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.
Hebrew 13 v 5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”
Agreeing with the Word and confessing the words are two different things. You can agree with the word, but it will not make much difference until you speak it. The Word must be spoken to produce results, just as seeds must be sown to have a crop. Remember, the word is seed (Luke 8 v 11). Agreeing with the Word means you have seed, but until the seed is sown, you will not have a crop.
Bible study Exercise
Another way to use the Word is to read it to yourself, in the first person. For example:
Isaiah 54 v 13-14 “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. 14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee”
This scripture is seed but you have to plant it to produce results, i.e. to produce the crop. Applying Hebrews 13 v 5-6, which says, “…so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”, you have to make a bold confession, saying, ‘my children are taught of the Lord in the Name of the Lord of Jesus Christ, and great is the peace of my children, I am established in righteousness and I am far from oppression, and from fear and terror, and it shall not come near me.’ This is how to sow seeds; as you say these things, you will have a harvest. You have to be consistent with your words, keep saying it, don’t stop talking it!
Psalm
37 v 4 says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of
thine heart”. So you say,I delight myself in the Lord and I have the desires of
my heart. The words you speak form a character in you and you will go in the
same direction with your words.
Proverbs 3 v 5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” So you say, I trust in the Lord with all my heart, and I don’t lean to my own understanding; I acknowledge Him in all my ways and He directs my path.
Colossians 1 v 9 -10 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God”. So you say, ‘I am filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. I walk worthy of the Lord and I am fruitful in every good work.’
Learn to use the Word. Read the Word to yourself in the first person until it becomes a part of you and works in your Spirit.
Assignment:
Pick
out 10 different scriptures and write them out just the way they are in the
Bible. Then, beside them, in another column, write them out in the first person,
addressing yourself. Practice this, and see the Word produce extraordinary
results in your life.
Questions and Answers
- God made Abraham the father of many nations through
_________
- Isaac
- Sarah
- Increasing his faith
- Words
- C & D
Answer: D
- By words __________________became Lord over His brethren
- Abel
- Jacob
- Esau
- Lot
- Joseph
Answer: B
- Agreeing with the Word and Confessing the Word are the same things
True or False?
Answer: False