No Substitute

Living Abundantly 
According to God's Word Series

Read Time: 4 Minutes

There is no substitute for reading the Word. We communicate by words and God has made Himself known to us by His Word. In order to know God and what He wills for us we must know His Word.

We can trust in God through His Word, for His Word is truth. All other words are not the truth. Man's wisdom and great thinking -- great and profound and soul searching and thought provoking as it may be -- is not truth.

I Corinthians 2
:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom,
    but [in contrast] in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

:13 Which things also we speak,
        not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
        but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;
        comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Deliverance and salvation comes to people not because Paul was wise and a great speaker (which he was) but because he spoke the Word of God, spiritual words.

John 17
:17  Sanctify them through thy truth:
    thy word is truth.

Psalms 12
:6 The words of the LORD are pure words:
        as
silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalm 119
:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

God's Word spoken unleashes the power of God.

Matthew 8
:8 The centurion answered and said,
        Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof:
        but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

Mark 11
:23   For verily I say unto you,
        That whosoever shall say unto this mountain,
            Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;
        and shall not doubt in his heart,
        but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass;
        he shall have whatsoever he saith.

This is the truth of God's Word, are you going to believe it?

Your words have an effect.

Proverbs 18
:20  A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
    and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue:
    and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

God has chosen us to be His children and ambassadors. He has empowered us with His Word.

II Corinthians 3
:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
    written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God;
    not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves;
    but our sufficiency is of God;
:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament;
        not of the letter, but of the spirit:
        for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

It is now up to us to realize what we have and believe it. I am not saying that we need to spend countless hours with our head in the Bible memorizing it and being well read in order to perform His Word, no. But do read it daily; lock on to a truth and hide that in your heart for the day. Don't be afraid to tell others what you have read either.

Psalm 107
:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
    whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Stand bold and strong on God's Word. God's Word spoken produces results:

Proverbs 4
:20  My son, attend to my words;
    incline thine ear unto my sayings.
:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes;
    keep them in the midst of thine heart.
:22 For they are life unto those that find them,
    and health to all their flesh.
:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence;
    for out of it are the issues of life.

There is no substitute for hiding the Word of God in your heart. Your quality of life depends on the Word of God you hide in your heart, believe, and manifest.