UNDERSTANDING THE PHRASE WORD OF GOD BY PR. KALUNGI DENIS

KIREKA CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

What Does the Phrase, “the Word of God” Mean?

The phrase, “the Word of God” or “the Word of the Lord” has a number of different meanings in Scriptures, It can mean either something that God has decreed or something that God has said when addressing humans, words that God spoke through the prophets, Jesus Christ, or finally, God’s written Word.

This can be illustrated as follows:

It Can Be Something That God Has Decreed

God’s decrees are His divine pronouncements. His words cause things to happen. Specifically, the Bible gives a number of examples of this. In Genesis, we read that God commanded the light to appear {Genesis 1:3}:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. {Genesis 1:1-3}  Light came about because of the spoken word of God. He spoke, a light appeared. When God decrees something it becomes a will of necessity, it is known as “the Word of God” or “the Word of the Lord.

”The psalmist further expound this, by the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. {Psalm 33:6} or by the Lord's decree the heavens were made; by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created.”

The heavens were created by the divine decrees of God.

These types of decrees were something that God desired to occur? They were not necessarily spoken to anyone. Yet, they are called “the Word of God” or “the Word of the Lord.” Indeed, the universe is upheld by the Word of God. The writer to the Hebrews said:

The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. {Hebrews 1:3} 

Therefore, God’s divine speech causes certain events to happen, and on some occasions, causes things to come into being. His divine decrees caused the universe to come about and it allows the universe to continue to exist.

 It may refer to God verbally addressing humans or individuals

When God verbally addressed certain humans in the past, His words were known as the Word of God. Scriptures give a number of illustrations of God addressing humans in human language. For example, God personally spoke to Adam in the Garden of Eden:

And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” {Genesis 2:16-17} 

Thus, the phrase, “the Word of God” or the “Word of the Lord” can refer to the actual words God used in speaking to humans in their own language. This type of personal address from God is found throughout the Scriptures. When the Ten Commandments were given, God personally spoke them to Moses. The Bible says:

And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.” {Exodus 20:1-3 RSV} 

Therefore, the Word of God may refer to the actual words that God spoke to humans. In these instances, the people were hearing the very voice of the living God. His words were completely understandable; spoken in ordinary human language. The people were expected to obey these words that God had spoken.

 It can also refer to God speaking through human prophets

The phrase, “Word of God” is also something that is said by God’s chosen spokesmen {Amos 3:7}. The Bible says that God spoke to His people through the words of the prophets. These words consisted of the ordinary language spoken through human beings. When the biblical prophets spoke for the Lord, their words were called the “Word of God.” The Lord promised that the prophets would speak His words. He said to Moses: I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I want. I myself will hold responsible anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophet will speak in my name. But any prophet who presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods? That prophet must die. {Deuteronomy 18:18-20 NET} 

While the words of the prophets were the speech of human beings, they carried God’s divine authority. The words spoken by God’s prophets were supposed to be obeyed. However, those who falsely claimed to speak God’s word were to be punished.

For instance, the Lord promised to tell prophet Jeremiah what to say to the people. The Bible says: The LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to everyone I send you and say whatever I tell you.” {Jeremiah 1:7 NET}

The Lord assured Jeremiah that his words to the people would be God’s words. We also read {Jeremiah 1:9 NET}: Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me.” 

Scriptures make no distinction in the authority of the words that God directly spoke and those things that were spoken by His prophets. Everything that was said was considered to be the Word of God because God was their ultimate source. God used ordinary human beings and spoke through them in their own language to communicate the Word of God. Consequently, the words were to be obeyed.

It also refers to God’s written word

Finally, the “Word of God” can refer to God’s Word in written form {Psalm 19:9-10} in the Bible. After being proclaimed orally, God’s Word was put into written form. Moses was told to write down God’s words:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” {Exodus 17:14 } 

Elsewhere, we again read about God telling Moses to write something down:

And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” {Exodus 34:27 RSV} 

Jesus Christ as the Word of God

God the Son, Jesus Christ, is known as the Word of God. At the beginning of John’s gospel we read the following:

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {John 1:1-3} In the Book of Revelation, John describes the risen Christ as the “Word of God.” He wrote: He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. {Revelation 19:13}

This description, the Word of God, is only used for God the Son; it is not used for God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. God the Son, Jesus Christ, is the one member of the Trinity who personally communicated God to humanity. However, since there are only two references in the New Testament that refer to Jesus Christ as the Word of God, this usage is rare.

The Word” also appears in the Bible as a title for Jesus Christ, both as a spirit in heaven and as a human on earth. Consider some reasons for this conclusion: The Word lived before all other creations. “In the beginning was the Word. The word was at the beginning with God.” {John 1:​1, 2} Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation He is before all other things.”​ {Colossians 1:​13-​15, 17}. The Word came to earth as a human. “The Word became flesh and resided among us.” {John 1:​14} Christ Jesus “emptied himself and took a slave’s form and became human.”​ {Philippians 2:​5-7}.

The Word is God’s Son. After stating that “the Word became flesh,” as quoted above, the apostle John continued: “We had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father.” {John 1:​14} John also wrote: “Jesus is God’s Son.”​{1 John 4:​15}. The Word possesses Godlike attributes. “The Word was a God,” or “was divine.” {John 1:1}; An American Translation, Jesus is “the reflection of God’s glory and the exact representation of his very being.”​{Hebrews 1:​2, 3}.

The Word rules as a king. The Bible states that on the head of the Word of God are “many royal headbands.” {Revelation 19:12, 13}; footnote/addendum the Word is also named “King of kings and Lord of lords.”{Revelation 19:16} Jesus is called “the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords.” Read also {1Timothy 6:​14, 15}.

The Word serves as God’s spokesman. The title “the Word” apparently identifies its bearer as one whom God uses to convey information and instructions. Jesus said that he performed this role: “The Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak so whatever I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”​{John 12:49, 50}.

What does God say about his word? Or the assurance of the word of God 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. {Hebrews 4:12} see this below for the word is live and active, this means a word is a person:

who talks

who hears

who has feelings and emotions

We also see the writer of Hebrews saying its active meaning it does work, it is sharper to cut the one who holds it and to the one whom it’s sent to.

All Scriptures are God-breathed and are useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. {2 Timothy 3:16-17}

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. {Psalm 119:9}

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. {Isaiah 40:8}

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. {Psalm 18:30}

My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips, Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David {Psalms 89:34-35}.

The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled {Jeremiah 1:11-12} so God is there to watch the word he spoke becoming true.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. {John 7:38}

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it {Isaiah 55:10-11}

Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by and every vision comes to nothing? Say to them, ‘this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.’ Say to them, ‘the days are near when every vision will be fulfilled {Ezekiel 12:22-23} a vision carries God’s word, meaning He is going to put his word right.

I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you, have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your name {Psalms 138:2} God exalts his word more than his name.

How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced? {Numbers 23:8} this was Balaam confessing to Balak, meaning no one can curse you if the word of God has not. 

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? {Numbers 23:19} his word will work any time, any minute.

What is the power of our words as the co-creator in the name of Jesus Christ? 

A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof {Proverbs 18:21-22} meaning God gave us the power to declare and decree what we want.

You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways {Job 22:27-28} God is willing to establish our words or declarations. Declare what you want to see and it will be established.

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yes, your own lips testify against you. {Job 15:6} you will be condemned by your own words.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the Day of Judgment {Mathew 12:36} so a blessing or judgment on the last day is in our words.

You are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth {Proverbs 6:2} mind your words as God keeps his word to come right your word also will come right.

What can the power in the word of God do? 

God’s Word has the power to convict us of Sin {Acts 2:37}. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do?

God’s Word has the power to regenerate us {James 1:18; 1 Pet 1:23}. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. 

God’s Word has the power to give us Saving Faith {Rom 10:17} Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

God’s Word has the power to give us Prevailing Faith {Mk 11:24; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14-15} Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

God’s Word has the power to Cleanse us {Ephesians 5:25-26} Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,

God’s Word has the power to Build us up {Acts 20:32} Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified

God’s Word has the power to Equip us for Service {2 Tim 3:16-17} All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ {Matthew 4:4 & Deuteronomy 8:2-3} we can feed on the word of God

God’s Word has the power to make us Fruitful Believers {Psalm 1:1-3}Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.

God’s Word has the power to Strengthen us {Isaiah 40:29-31, 1 Pet 5:10} And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

God’s Word has the power to give us Wisdom {Psalm 119:130; 2 Tim 3:16-17} the unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

God’s Word has the power to give us Assurance of Eternal Life {1 John 5:13; John 3:36} I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

God’s Word has the power to bring Joy to our Heart {Jeremiah 15:16; John 15:11} When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty

God’s Word has the power to give us Patience, Comfort, and Hope {Rom 15:4}. For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope

God’s Word has the power to protect us from Error and Sin {Mt 4:4, 7, 10; Psalm 119:11; 2 Tim 3:13-16} Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God 

How do we hinder the word of God from working in us?

A closed mind and hardened heart

The Bible warns us in Ephesians 4 not to close our minds and harden our hearts against God. This leads to minds that are “darkened” and “hopelessly confused”. Such minds will have great difficulty in understanding and remembering the Bible. Instead, we ought to set our hearts on the Holy Spirit, who will “write” God’s Word on our minds {Ephesians 4:17-18}

Unbelief

Unbelief “blinds” our minds. Unbelief does not necessarily refer to an outright rejection of God. People of other faiths also believe the facts about Jesus. As Christians, we can harbor unbelief simply by selectively believing some parts of the Bible and rejecting the rest. Once we allow any unbelief to slip into our hearts, the enemy will give us more and more reasons to doubt God’s Word, until we become hardened and blinded to the truth. Every word that God speaks has its purpose and we should not dismiss or diminish it. If anyone teaches us otherwise, we ought to be cautious to test what we hear so we do not fall for heresies {2 Corinthians 4:4}

Incomplete submission to God

Our minds are “hardened” against the Bible when we do not submit to Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Complete submission means we do our best to obey God’s will; not just hear the Word and not follow. Satan will use any hint of rebellion in our hearts to steer us away and tempt us to rationalize away the importance of keeping God’s commandments. {2 Corinthians 3:14, 16}

Worldly pleasures and concerns

Worldly anxieties and carnal pleasures can choke God’s Word out of our hearts so that we “only think about this life here on earth”. The Bible calls us to reflect on and recite God’s Word all the time. When we submit to our fleshly desires, Satan will use the things of this world to distract us with things that are “amusing”, “relaxing”, or seemingly more “important {Matthew 13:22, Philippians 3:19} & Romans 8:7}

Sorcery and mind-altering activities

God warns us that magic charms and magic arts trap people and destroy us. Our minds will be “bewitched” and appear to be put under a spell. This is observed in people who appear as if their minds are perpetually floating somewhere else. Their eyes seem dazed, glazed over, “startled”, or worn down. There is little joy or peace. Often, this is because they have participated in mind-bending or altering activities that have given Satan a direct foothold in their minds. Some examples include:

Mind-numbing chanting

Mind-freeing meditation

Soaking or trance-like music

Drugs, alcohol, and drunkenness

Hypnosis, séances and psychics

Sorcery, magic arts, and witchcraft

Living in alternate worlds such as online worlds, alternate identities, double dressing {Ezekiel 13:20 & Revelation 21:8}

Miss-using God’s words

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption {Ephesians 4:29-30}

How can we renew the Spirit of our minds to learn God’s Word?

Romans 8:6, for to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Ephesians 4:22-23, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds

James 1:21-22, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror

 Hope. That God will yet undertake their cause, And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast {1 Peter 5:10}

Faith, Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for {Hebrews 11:1-2} 

Respond to the Word in Obedience, there is a danger in thinking that if we read the Bible we have done God's will. We read the Bible in order to know God's will. Obedience, however, is what transforms knowledge into power, and power is what creates change. Powerful living is produced by powerful obeying.

Spread the Word, obeying the Word brings power into your life. Sharing the Word multiplies that power in the lives of other people. We share the Word by example, by teaching others, by sharing both our faith and the gospel with non-believers, and by serving others as the Word directs us. When we share the Word, we lead others to know God and enable them to empower others to do the same

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. {Matthew 7:24}

Tips to the word of God (when you read it)

Ask yourself why?

To who is it written?

What?

When?

Where

How?

What happens when we memorize or meditate about the word of God? 

Check Joshua was told to keep the word, Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” {Joshua 1: 8-9}

If you have the word with you, you can stand the ground to resist temptations

You can make wise decisions

It will reduce stress

It will build confidence

Prayers 

Lord, please give me your wisdom now as I approach your word. Help me discern the truth of this text. Help me not rely on my own understanding. Thank you God for the clarity, encouragement, and hope your Word brings. {James 1:5}