admin
Cindy Vander Haar
WHY is it so important to know God’s Word? And what does it have to do with prayer?
The Bible is abounding with inspiration and information about every aspect of life. Every verse has significance, and God makes it clear that all scripture is very important to Him.
He tells us to let His Word dwell richly within us — not just a little bit, but “richly”.
In the beginning of the book of Joshua, He commands us to meditate on the Word day and night so that we will be careful to live accordingly and thereby have prosperity and success.
The longest Psalm in the Bible, Psalm 119, emphasises the importance of His Word repeatedly. He declares that His Word will live on forever — even though everything in our own earthly lives will eventually perish.
He charges us to live by every Word that comes from His mouth. Why? Is it because He is demanding obedience and submission? No, it is so much more. His motivation is His great love and compassion for us. He is Love.
Just a few reasons
When you buy a new car, the designers of that vehicle give you a manual. No one knows your car better than the manufacturers. That manual tells you how to take care of your car so that it will run well and keep running well. God is our awesome Creator and designer, and He has given us the Bible, not only as our complete manual for life, but for something even more powerful.
“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11)
The Lord speaks highly of men who are eager to study and examine His Word. He calls them “noble” men. Webster’s dictionary defines “noble” as “possessing outstanding qualities, indicating superiority, and commanding excellence of mind and character, or high ideals or morals.”
In the beginning…
The world actually began with the words God spoke. God knew the magnificent earth He wanted to create. He had an absolute and perfect blueprint waiting to be birthed into existence. It included every aspect and intricacy of life on this planet.
In the beginning, God only had to say, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1). When He said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters,” our atmosphere and oceans were created.
He spoke the land into existence when He declared, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place and let the dry land appear” and the land appeared. He said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation,” and it did. The stars were hung in the universe when He proclaimed with His own mouth, “Let the lights be in the heavens to separate day and night and for signs and seasons.”
And it was the actual words He uttered, mixed with His faith and His authority, that brought all the creatures on the earth into being.
Nothing has changed
During creation, the words that God spoke were very alive and actively producing His desires. Today, His Word is still “living” and “active.” His promises are operating in thousands of people’s lives with evidence such as salvation, healing, deliverance, and miracles. In Proverbs 4:22, God says His Words are LIFE to those who find them and health to their whole body. Normal, everyday, natural words written on paper cannot produce life and health.
This evidence of power was also seen in Jesus because He and the Father are one. He was called the “living Word sent by God.” He told His disciples that His Words had power, “The words that I speak are spirit and life.” He is the Word (the promise of the Messiah) that became flesh and came to earth to live among us.
Even in Revelation 19:13, it says that Jesus’ name is called the “Word of God.” Psalm 107:20 says that God “sent His word and healed them.” It is no surprise that Jesus healed many people during His three-year ministry on earth and continues to do so today.
There is power in God’s promises and proclamations to change many things in our lives. In 2 Timothy 3:16, God explains that His Word will teach us, correct us, and train us so that we will be equipped for all He calls us to do. His Word gives us direction for our lives and has power to save us for eternity.
It is also our standard of conduct. We are created in God’s image and the words we speak also have power. Our words can bring life or death. So much is written about the things we say. In James 3, we are reminded of how we use the same mouth to bless God and then curse men who are created in His likeness.
We are told that the tongue cannot be tamed and that it is often full of poison. Yes, life and death are in the power of the tongue. We are not to let anything come from our mouths that does not edify or minister grace to others.
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
What does this have to do with prayer?
Why should we speak scripture to God in prayer? Doesn’t He already know it? Why does He say in Isaiah 43:26, “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified?”
He is telling us to put Him in remembrance of His Words? It is for our sake. Think about how we teach our own children. We tell them something and then we ask them, “Now, what did I say to you?” When we tell a baby not to touch a hot stove, we say, “Hot! Don’t touch.” Later, we rejoice when they point to the stove and say, “Hot!” We are pleased because this is for their good and we love them. God is pleased with us in the same way. God requires that we learn His Word and speak His Word for our own good, not His.
Many of us have prayed the “prayer of agreement” found in Matthew 18:19 (NAS), “…if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in Heaven.” So, we often look for a partner to pray with because there is power when two people pray and agree together. When we pray the Words and promises God has already spoken, we are putting ourselves in agreement with Him — the creator of the universe. There are two of us agreeing — God and us! Who better to agree with than God, Himself? – bibleresources.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cindy VanderHaar is a wife, mother, Christian writer and teacher. Her heart is in prayer and missions.
Online Reporter