What happens is that a believer begins viewing things differently. One begins viewing things from the lenses of Jesus Christ. One views things from the angle of love and victory. You view things the way God views them through His Spirit. The question that begs in the believer’s mind is, “what is the will of God concerning this matter or person?” How can you view things from that angle if you do not know him? How will you know him if you do not read His word? How will you build your faith if you do not know his will? So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
The word of God is the source of strength, authority, and direction to every believer. It is the power of God. Powerful as Jesus was, He always identified with the scriptures. He set the pace for all believers as far as reading the word of God is concerned. So, let’s have a look at some of the reasons why we need to have a close relationship with our bibles.
- It is our source of direction. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to our path” Psalms 119:105(NIV) The obvious reason why we need light is to see. We cannot see in darkness. Darkness is defenseless against the light. Has no single chance of existing. So, when we walk in the light, we are not able to walk away from the will of God. Remember, the Christ is author and finisher of our faith. Our faith is the ultimate path of life. We live in what we believe in. The word of God lights our path and we are able to see where we are going and we cannot miss out and fall. The Good news is that the word of God cannot mislead us.
- The word of God is the source of excellence and success. “Do not let the book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do what is written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua 1:8(NIV) It is so exciting to know the secret behind success. It is by reading and meditating on the word of God. We do not need to seek any other power apart from the ultimate power that is in the word of God. If we follow what is written in the word of God, we will definitely succeed. He did not inspire Moses to write that portion of scripture for the sake of it. God meant it. If the word of God calls for us to be obedient, hardworking, diligent, humble, honest, and mindful of one another, among other instructions, let us do what it says and wait for the results.
- The word of God is our source of strength. “Them that know their God shall be strong and shall do exploits.” Daniel 11:32(KJV) There is a strength that is usually generated by knowing God. It is not a matter of how big or small a situation is. Once we understand the person in charge, how we are related to Him, and his capability, then we can traverse through anything. When talking about the one in charge, we are talking about the Almighty God. Creator of everything, our Father. From understanding who He is and what He can do, I understand that His power works in me to overcome. Dear friend, you will portray strength in this life if you take your time in the word of God. Not only will you show strength, but you will also do exploits in your dealings. What do I mean when we talk about doing exploits? I am simply talking about excelling beyond expectations. It all lies in the place of knowledge. Not any other knowledge but the knowledge of the word of God.
- “Whoever believes in me, as the scriptures has said, streams of living waters will flow from within him.” John 7:38(NIV). Is this not awesome? Having the word of God not only builds us. It also builds the people around us. It is the light of God. Once you have it, you illuminate it to others. We are the salt of the world. We carry the flavor of God upon the earth. Once the word of God dwells in the life of a believer, it works in him/her, both to do and will according to his good purpose. What is this purpose? The purpose is to reconcile men to God. The word of God will affect our lives positively so that others may be attracted to the kingdom. As a believer, you will see situations going through total darkness. But your presence will illuminate the light of God. Instead of leaving the situation worse or leaving it the same way you found it, you will brighten it up and life shall be experienced. The sick shall be healed, the blind shall see, and the oppressed shall receive freedom. Above all, the love and knowledge of God shall be experienced. I think this is the best platform to say that OUR INPUT AFFECTS OUR OUTPUT. We are the ambassadors of the kingdom. We represent the kingdom to the people in the kingdom and those outside. We cannot do that if we do not have knowledge about it.
Let me wrap up this article by encouraging all believers to be found in the habit of studying God's word. It is the power of God. Once we have it in our hearts, we become God’s powerhouse. We can traverse any situation. We shall enjoy the goodness of the Lord in this land of the living and we shall lead more people to Him who called us.