Chapter One The Word of God Lights up Our Way

The Importance of Scripture

Nino Owens

November 17, 2018

Introduction

I am going to ask that we all bow our heads in prayer. Every head bowed and every eye closed. Today we are going to talk about what it means to follow Christ. What it means to keep his word close to your heart. To be guided by the word of God. To use it as a weapon against the enemies of this world. Too often we find ourselves neglecting the most important thing God gave us. That is the word of God. The Bible.

Prayer

Father we come before you in awe of who you are and what you have done. Your scripture that you have given us says that you are everlasting to everlasting. That you are the unending God. So, it is to this God that I pray to tonight. The unending all-knowing God. Let your will be done today. Let your everlasting love burst out today. Do a mighty work in all our hearts today. In Jesus name, Amen.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light to my path.”

This is one of the greatest passages in the Bible because it amplifies the importance of the Bible. The Bible is the direct way that God speaks to us. So often we try just go off and listen to God’s voice. Yes, that is important to do, but do not forget that God has literally spoken to you through the word of God. The word of God is the primary way that God wants to talk to us. So, when you do not read the word of God what that does is it causes you to lose the main way that God wants to speak to you.

But what this verse is saying is this: when you read the word and love the word by living it out. God will bless you by lighting up the path he has for you. Read the verse again.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light to my path.”

1. The word of God lights up our way.

God does not light up our path in the way that we like to think. For many of us we like to think big. You might have many aspirations and desires. Things that you want to accomplish. Some might say I want to be a preacher or a scientist. But if you knew the journey that must take place in order to get there you would probably turn and go the other direction. But even if you didn’t turn and go the other direction you would be to be overwhelmed to handle that kind of knowledge.

You see this scripture is telling us that when we read the word of God it lights up a few steps in front of us so that we may now where to go. Not the whole path. But just a few steps. When you hold a lamp in your hand it will carry only enough light so that you may barely see in front of you. Its purpose is to not light up the whole road but only a little. Because God reveals his will day by day not decade by decade.

Now when we think about this illustration that the Psalmist is using. We must look at all aspects of the verse. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.” The verse indicates that all of us are on a dark road. And the word of God lights up the way in which we should go.

But there are many other lights along side the road. It is easy to get distracted and wonder off our on path and go out of curiosity to the many lights in the darkness. For all of us we are all on a journey and 2 Peter says that the enemy Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

There are many lights in the darkness. What I mean by that is that there are many distractions in this world. God wants you to walk along the path that he has for you, the plan to prosper you and guide you, but the only way to be guided on this path and to not fall into the temptations or fall in love with the idols of this word; is to fall in love with the word of God. To know it by heart.

In Matthew Chapter 4 Satan tempted Jesus three times. Three times when Jesus was at his weakest. He just fasted 40 days and nights with know food. Satan comes and tempts him with bread saying, “if you are the son of God turn this stone into bread.” And Jesus replied saying man shall not live by bread alone, but by every living word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then Satan brings Jesus to a high cliff and says, “jump down your scripture says that the angels will not let your foot hit a stone.” Jesus says, “The scriptures also say do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Then Satan brings Jesus to the highest point of the temple and say’s to him “all this I will give to you if you bend down and worship me. And Jesus says away from me Satan. And the Bible says Satan left him.

Three times Satan comes to try and distract Jesus from his goal and tempt him. But since Jesus knew the word of God, he was able to stay on his path. He was able to look straight ahead and not get distracted by the bread despite the hunger he had. How did Jesus do this? How did Jesus overcome the devil?

Yes, he was the son of God, but he over came the greatest enemy in human history by knowing the word of God. My question to you is do you know the word of God?

Look at the greatest person that ever-lived Jesus Christ. The one who we still talk about more than any other person two thousand years later. He knew the word of God. He hid the word of God in his heart.

When darkness comes your way, the Bible tells us to throw the word of God at it. says “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

The primary way that you will be able to attack the enemy is with the word of God. Yes, you can defend yourself against him with the faith in your heart. But the primary way to attack the enemy is with the word of God.

Jesus was not just defending him self when he told Satan scripture. No! Jesus was attacking Satan with scripture. That is why Satan fled away from him. The word of God is our guide to life. Therefore, if we do not listen to the word of God. What you are doing is throwing away the lamp that God has given you to help you.

Satan hates when you read scripture, because you are reading the very thing that is his kryptonite to him. When you read scripture, it lights up your mind of all the wonderful things that God wants to tell us. You see if there was no Bible then we would not know about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

God knew this and that is why he created the word of God. The old and new testament. People often times neglect the old testament. But it is the old testament that God used to overcome evil in Matthew Chapter four against Satan. Or in Luke Chapter 10 against the rich lawyer who tried to test God and many other instances in scripture.

It is important to read the word of God, because it is the direct way that God speaks to us. It is the direct way that God what to do in certain situations. The word of God is more than 66 books combined into one. It is the voice of God spoken for all the earth to hear. It is the lamp in which we are to hold so that we may walk in the direction and path that God has chosen for us. The word of God lights up our way.

The word of God not only lights up the way in which we are supposed to go, but the word of God also encourages us in our darkest times.