Life in His Presence

The second tool God uses to transform us into who He has created us to be is His Word.

The Word of God is living and active and is able to transform you from the inside out.

The Secret

Now here is the secret:  the power of God’s Word continues to work in you while you are working.  Because His Word is alive, it is always working.  When you take the time to fill your heart with God’s Word, God’s Word continually sustains your inner spirit.

Andrew Murray in “Living the New Life” says this:

Young Christian, God has asked for your heart, your love, your whole self.  You have given yourself to Him.  He has received you and would have you and your heart entirely for Himself.  He will make your heart full of His Word.

This is the key to the secret power of God’s Word.  The Word must enter our hearts.

That may seem to be a no brainer, but there is a vast difference in reading the Bible, even studying the Bible…ok…even further – memorizing the Bible.  These activities alone places God’s Word in your head.  Now, that is a good thing.  But the Bible in the mind doesn’t produce life transformation.  The Bible must enter and reside in the heart.

Back to our mentor Andrew Murray:

On this account it is of great importance to know how we must deal with the Word.  The Lord says that we must receive it and lay it up in our heart.  The Word must possess and fill the heart.  What does that mean?

The heart is the temple of God.  In the temple there was an outer court and an inner sanctuary.  so it is in the heart.  The gate of the court is understanding.  What I do not understand cannot enter the heart.

The Word enters into the court through the gate of understanding.  There it is kept kept by memory and reflection.  Still it is not properly in the heart.

From the court there is an entrance into the innermost sanctuary.  The entrance of the door is faith.  What I believe, that will I receive inot my heart.  Here it becomes secure in love and in the surrender of the will.  Where this takes place, there the heart becomes the sanctuary of God.

And so you ask Andrew Murray why this important?  His response:

The Lord and His might are where His Word is.  He considers Himself bound to fulfill His Word.  He considers Himself bound to fulfill His Word.  When you have the Word, you have God himself at work in you.

Here are some steps to take.

(1)  Read the Bible regularly.

This means scheduling time that is set aside for reading the Bible…not a christian book or magazine.  You can even read the Bible online.  Whenever God’s people began neglecting God’s Word, they fell away.  God’s people fell face down in humility and repentance when they realized they were neglecting God’s Word.  If you have been ignoring God’s Word in your daily routine, take time now to talk to God about this.

(2)  Zero in on passages you feel God is speaking to you as you read.

Read specific passages several times.  Pray over what you reading.  Ask God to make clear what He is saying to you through the passage of scripture.  Andrew Murray says this:

One verse chosen to meet our needs, read ten times and then laid up in the heart, is better than ten verses read once.  Only as much of the Word as I actually receive and inwardly appropriate for myself is food for my soul.

(3)  Take a verse or two, and meditate.

Meditating is contemplating a portion of scripture through repetition.  Reading it over and over again.  As you meditate on scripture you may find your heart catching on fire for God.  Again, noting Andrew Murray:

Choose for yourselves what you consider one of the most glorious promises about making progress and becoming strong, and learn it by heart.  Repeat it continually as the language of your positive expectation.

(4)  Pray the Scriptures.

There is power in God’s Word.  God’s Word works faith into our hearts.  As we pray God’s Word over situations in our life, the Word will bring a confidence that we have what we ask for.  Also, God’s Word guides our prayers to be in line with His will.

Prayer:

God, thank you for the power of Your Word.  There is life in Word.  Open my heart to the life and power in your Word.  Work living faith into my heart through Your Word.  As I read and meditate on Your Word, I am confident that your Word will be activated in my heart to transform my life.  Jesus, guide me and teach by Your Holy Spirit.  My heart’s desire is to obey You and please You.  Amen.