John 1:1-2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.”
Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
How much do you love the Word of God? Do you read His Word every day? Do you allow it to challenge you and change you? Do you find wisdom, comfort and rest in it?
We would do better if everyone had a tremendous respect for the Word of God.
When called to preach, it’s vital to study the Word. This Word is precious. Loving the Word will change you from the inside out. You can’t love God if you don’t love His Word.
The Word actually is God.
Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful (active), and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Word knows stuff and it pierces to the meeting of thoughts and intentions.
‘The Bible is a living force that cannot be stopped.’ —Napoleon
How many books can claim to be alive?
Jer 23:29 “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?”
Psalm 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”
Solomon was the wisest man (besides Christ) who ever lived. He wrote Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Knowledge is good, but wisdom is knowing what to do with the knowledge.
Ecc 12:11-14 “The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful. Their collected sayings are like a nail-studded stick with which a shepherd drives the sheep. 12 But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out. 13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
The whole thing is knowing what’s in this Word and keeping it because this is the duty of man. God knows and expects us to know the Word (and to obey it!).
Do you know and understand God’s Word? Are you willing to take the time to study His Word and seek to understand it better every day?
Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
The Gospel of Christ is the power of God. The word ‘Christ’ means ‘the one with anointing.’ Jesus was the one who was anointed. The word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news.’ This good news of the anointing is the power of God unto salvation.
The Word is the power.
Heb 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:”
Heb 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
The Word is power.
The Word is more than just the born-again experience, receiving the Holy Ghost, and being baptized in Jesus’ name. There is a deeper meaning.
‘Power of God’ means ‘miraculous power, strength, inherent power residing in God by virtue of His nature.’
The power that is in the Word is power to save, to perform miracles, influence, resources, all in this Word. It is powerful enough to bring salvation.
The gospel, good news, has power through this message that has resources, can perform miracles, give blessings, and is unto salvation.
Have you experienced the power in God’s Word? How has His Word changed your life?
Salvation means more than being filled with the Holy Ghost, it’s healing, total preservation, deliverance, safety, keeps you safe.
This Word is ‘logos’ which means ‘a spoken voice, like a prophecy’ or ‘speech’ or ‘thought.’ It could also mean ‘the plan’ or ‘expression of knowledge’ or ‘purpose.’
John 4:24 “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” NLT: “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
The rain comes down and puts itself into the earth and waters the seed and brings a harvest.
Isa 55:10 “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:”
The Word has salvation, but you’ve got to receive it by faith. Doubt or rejection of the Word causes loss of its power.
Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
If there’s no receiving, there’s no believing. Church is not about food and nice clothes and fellowship and lights and music, but it’s about the Word, receiving the Word. This is the most important thing going on Sunday. This is what will change you and transform you!
It’s daily bread that you need for life and transformation. It’s full of all kinds of stuff, the voice of God, the plan of God, the deliverance of God, the salvation in God, all wrapped up in the Word.
What does it mean to receive the Word by faith? How have you experienced this in your own life? How have you not experienced this? Do you need to get rid of doubt? What do you need to change?
The Word became flesh. Love and grace and hope walked among men and women.
There is a Word for everything!
Financial, relationship, healing, it’s in the Word.
Phil 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
God isn’t going to give you whatever you desire or want. He will give you good, godly desires and wants. When you have a need, God will provide it.
God put Word into the power of salvation. The Spirit that we call God is Word. When that Word touches you, it’s the Spirit touching you.
When you hear the Word and respond and receive with faith, you are changed.
That Roman Centurion who had a sick servant didn’t need Jesus to come in His flesh, he just needed Jesus’ Word. If Jesus speaks, it’s done.
What do you need in your life? Not what do you want, but what do you really need?
The power of God is unto them that believe. Believe what? The Word. John the baptizer experienced the anointing coming. That was the Messiah. The Good News received through faith is powerful, unto deliverance, blessing and prosperity, preservation.
If you believe, confessing is only part of faith. You can’t have faith without confession, but also you can’t have faith with only confession. If you believe it’s going to rain, you’ll put on your boots and carry an umbrella.
Faith is profession, trusting, and following. Faith is confessing, trusting, and walking it out.
Our problem is we go to the Word when we’re doing well, but when trouble shows up, we go everywhere else but the Word. That is so foolish! It’s like saying, ‘I’m dying, but I’m not going to the hospital.’ There are people who will take you to where you can get help! The church is a ‘hospital.’
Jer 31:31-34 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Covenant means ‘contract.’
Ez 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”
God is Spirit and the Word was God. If you want to know the Word of God, you’ve got to receive the Spirit of God. When you receive His Spirit, you have the power to know and to do. When the Word is written in your heart, you’ll begin to walk it out. Only those that are doers of the Word actually have the benefits of salvation. You can’t be a doer of the Word without the Word!
Why do we study the Bible? Don’t just memorize the Word for the trophies. You are interacting with God. He is a light to your path. Hope in the Word. Without a love for the law and the commandments (the Word), you will die in your mess.
When the devil shows up and you don’t have the Word, you will fall. But, if you have Word in your heart, he can’t touch you. All it takes is a little. Get in alignment with the Word.
2 Tim 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
A sound mind is in agreement with the Word.
When that Word, that Spirit, gets upon you, you will walk in power, delivered from anger, frustrations, sin. The anointing sets you free!
What do you need to be set free from? What do you struggle with? Are you willing to search the Word for yourself and receive what God has for you?
Excerpted from a sermon preached by Pastor Anthony LoCascio.
For the full YouTube audio/video, click here.
If you are looking for an Apostolic Pentecostal church and are in the Chicagoland area, come check out The Life Church located at 3030 Central Road in Glenview, IL. Services are Sundays at 1pm and Wednesdays at 7pm. We would love to see you there!
The Life Church 
Reblogged this on Christina Li Books.