The Miraculous Word Of God
THE MIRACULOUS WORD OF GOD
9/14/2002 AND 9/15/2002
-We have been talking about evangelism.
-In that study we discussed the need to love people, see that they matter to God. We need to be around them and have relationships with people who don’t know Jesus.
-Jesus was called a friend of sinners.
Matthew 9 says:
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ a For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
-We looked at the progress of winning somebody to the Lord.
-We talked about YOUR STORY AND HIS STORY
-We are giving away some books to help you in your own study and lifestyle of evangelism.
-We have next Saturday night as well as a Drama in November.
-I am looking more at making sure you and I are equipped long-term to help those around us.
-I want to end by looking at the WEAPON WE HAVE TO DESTROY DARKNESS IN OUR LIVES AS WELL AS OTHERS.
2 Corinthians 10
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
-That power is God’s Word.
-Knowing and believing the Word of God is like walking around with a nuclear bomb in our pockets.
-God’s power is concentrated in HIS WORD.
-God’s Word is an extension of Himself.
1. GOD CREATES WITH HIS WORD
Genesis 1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
3 And God said,
6 And God said,
9 And God said,
-When a carpenter wants to create, he uses a saw, a hammer and other tools.
-When a painter wants to paint, he dips a brush in paint.
-When God wants to create…..HE SPEAKS AND THE UNIVERSE OBEYS HIM.
-His creative power is released through His Word.
Hebrews 1
1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word...
2. GOD’S WORD IS THE EXPRESSION OF WHO HE IS
-The centerpiece of the universe is the SPOKEN WORD OF GOD.
John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood a it.
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10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, c nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, d who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
-The Word was with God and the Word was God.
-Jesus personified the Word. In other words, HE EXPRESSED THE WRITTEN WORD AS A PERSON.
-Jesus was the will and power and Word of God walking around among humans.
-His actions were the Word working among us.
-The Word was here and God created with it. Then Jesus fleshed out the Word among us so we could see it and touch it.
-Jesus and the Word are both the essence of God’s power and mighty being.
Isaiah 55
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Jeremiah 1
11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching b to see that my word is fulfilled.”
Psalm 107 (NASB)
20 He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
Romans 1
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power - duvnami": (miraculous) power, might, strength - of God for the salvation- swthriva: deliverance, salvation- Fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and most importantly the pleasure of sin. A.W. Pink. –In other words saved to all that God did for us in Christ-
of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
3. GOD’S WORD HAS AUTHORITY OVER DEMONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES
Matthew 8
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.
-Jesus called this great faith.
-This Centurion understood the principle of authority.
-He knew that others could give him an order and he would obey it.
-In the same way, he would give orders to others and they would obey him.
-He trusted the Word of Jesus as the same power as the person of Jesus.
-He understood that the Word of Jesus was an extension of who He was.
-Jesus didn’t have to be there physically.
-We need to grasp the principle of authority.
4. WHEN YOU SPEAK GOD’S WORD AND BELIEVE IT- YOU RELEASE THE POWER OF GOD TO PEOPLE
-As I am preaching today, I am conscious that if I have faith in His Word…it is released to help and change you.
1 Peter 3
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
-See yourself as a carrier of the treasure of God.
-As you speak it in faith….it releases God’s power.
-You speak His Word and then He shows up to do what is written.
Matthew 28
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in a the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 1:1-5). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
