The Power Of The Word

THE POWER OF THE WORD

“For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” - John 17:8

Words have incredible power. The words you speak to another may either lift them up or put them down. Many people are hungry for words of affirmation or encouragement. A right word at the right time can make an incredible difference.

Yes, there is incredible power in words, but the greatest words ever spoken came from the lips of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. With His Word, God created the universe. His simply spoke and it was done. When God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, He uttered words that still impacts lives.

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Speaking for myself, I love to eat. Yet Jesus said that mankind cannot live solely by natural food. He needs spiritual food to really thrive. This soul food comes from the mouth of God. Jesus said that man shall live, “but every word that proceedeth out the mouth of God.” We need more than just a word or two. We need to live by every word.

Furthermore, in John 15:7, Jesus said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” There is power in His Word!

When Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17, He prayed, “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” He gave His disciples the words of the Father.

Notice that three things happened when Jesus shared the Father's words with them.

THEY RECEIVED

First of all, “... they have received them.” The disciples readily received the words that Jesus shared with them. In Jesus' day, the religious crowd seemed to reject His words. Others seemed more interested in seeing a miracle or receiving a free meal. Sounds like a lot of people today, doesn't it? Yet Jesus gave of His time, sharing the words of the Father and His disciples received them. As you read your Bible and listen to sound preaching, do you receive the Word by faith?

THEY KNEW

Also, Jesus said that His disciples, “... have known surely that I came out from thee...” They knew that Jesus came from the Father. Jesus had told them that. Yet they also saw His miracles. They knew that Jesus was more than just a good teacher. Today, many will say that Jesus was a good teacher, but they never will admit that He came from the Father. They do not wish to confess that Jesus more than just a normal guy. While many believe Him to be a good teacher, they are not convinced that He was much more. The disciples were convinced. They knew He came from the Father.

THEY BELIEVED

Jesus said, “...they have believed that thou didst send me.” The disciples believed that Jesus came to earth with a divine purpose. He was sent to this world on a rescue mission. His birth was a miraculous event, predicted by the prophets, planned by the Father and unfolded in their lifetime. His birth, life, death and resurrection were all part of a divine plan. This plan was designed before the foundation of the world. God had a solution to man's problem before Adam fell in the Garden of Eden. Nothing catches God by surprise. He knows, in advance, what is going to occur. At the right time, Jesus came to die for our sins. The disciples believed that the Father sent Jesus on this soul-saving mission. Do you believe?

The disciples were changed by the words of Jesus. In John 6:68-69. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” The disciples believed the words of Jesus and it made a difference in their lives. The very same disciples would eventually be filled with the Holy Spirit and would spread the message of Christ throughout the world. God used common men to do an uncommon work because of the power of the Word.

Faith in Jesus and His words will transform any person. I enjoy hearing the testimony of those who've been changed by the Gospel. The all-powerful God uses His powerful Word to make a difference in the lives of people like you and me.

I am thankful for the power of the Word. What about you?