True Freedom - wk 4 - God's Word

We’ve been talking about Freedom. Specifically about the true freedom that God gives us and how that true freedom gives us purpose. God is our source of true freedom. Without Him freedom wouldn’t even exist. The only way to experience true freedom is in God’s presence. God’s freedom gives us purpose. He has rescued us from darkness and made us citizens of His kingdom. After we experience this change in our lives, Jesus calls us to surrender to Him. We live surrendering lives, continually giving God control and letting Him change the way we think and transform us into the loving people He has created us to be.

Today we are going to continue this River Valley Church study about freedom as we talk about God’s word. I really like the practical tips that River Valley puts forth in this study. I believe that if you try some of these ideas out next time you sit down to read your bible, God will use that time to speak to you in ways you may have never thought possible. I know that He will bless you and touch your heart in powerful ways. Life changing ways.

I love the way David speaks of God’s word in Psalm 19. He starts by talking about God’s creation. He says that the sun and the skies proclaim God’s glory. Even without uttering a sound or a word, their message about God’s glory goes out to all the world. Then he talks about God’s word and says this...

Psalm 19:7–8 NLT

7 The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.

God’s word is so powerful that His creation reflects it. After reflecting on what God’s words are, how powerful they are, and what they mean to him, David declares that he wants his words to be pleasing to God as well. As a follower of Christ, like David, I want my words to be pleasing to God as well. So let’s spend a few minutes getting a solid understanding of what God’s word is. Today I want to talk about 3 truths about God’s word and then we will look at those practical tips from River Valley Church.

If you are taking notes, let’s dive right in. What is God’s word? God’s word is food!

GOD’S WORD IS FOOD

*rips paper and eats. “mmm… sweet.”

While I don’t recommend eating paper (especially with ink on it), God’s word is quite nutritious. Seriously though, don’t eat your bibles. There is nothing in the bible that says you need to eat God’s word...

Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

Hang on, that wasn’t the one I was looking for...

Ezekiel 3:1 NLT

1 The voice said to me, “Son of man, eat what I am giving you—eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel.”

I’m just having a little bit of fun. Don’t eat your bibles. This scripture is painting us a picture of how important God’s word is. Just like we must have food to nourish our physical bodies, God’s Word must be “consumed spiritually” in order to be effective. It’s vitally important to us.

Ezekiel was describing a vision where God told him to eat the scroll that had a message for the people of Israel. Next God repeats the commission without riddles and spells it out clearly for him...

Ezekiel 3:10–11 NLT

10 Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. 11 Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”

Find God’s words and eat them. Let them sink in. Read it, study it, reflect on what it is telling us, and then meditate on it continually. The very first Psalm contrasts those who listen to the words of the wicked vs those who listen to God’s word. Those who listen to God’s word delight in it and meditate on it day and night. In the Psalm we read earlier, David continues to describe God’s word and he even talks about how it tastes...

Psalm 19:9–10 NLT

9 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

God’s word is food. It is sweet, delicious, and desirable. I need it every day. On average, I eat food 2 or 3 times per day to survive and by all appearances I enjoy a little too much of it. That makes me wonder if I see God’s spiritual nourishment the same way. How often to I sit down and eat from God’s table? How much to I crave His word?

In the NT, Peter says now that we are followers of Christ it is time to stop eating the ice cream and fried snickers of the world. Get rid of evil behavior and...

1 Peter 2:2 NLT

2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment,

Just like a baby cries out for milk and needs it to live, grow, and mature, we need the Word of God. God’s Word brings life. God told Joshua to meditate on His word day and night, not deviating from it to the left or to the right. It was the only way he would succeed and be prosperous. In other words...

Consuming God’s Word is the Key to Spiritual Growth.

What is God’s Word? God’s word is food. It is vital to our success. We need it’s nourishment. We need it every day. We need to consume it constantly and consistently. God’s Word is what sets us free. If you are taking notes, the second truth about God’s Word is...

JESUS IS THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD

Jesus is God’s word. He already existed when the world was created. (John 1:1) Everything was created through Him. He is the source of life. His life brought light and His light can never be extinguished. He is the eternal, powerful Word of God...

John 1:14 NLT

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Just think about how amazing that is. God’s Word, so powerful that the sun and skies testify to it throughout the entire world without uttering a sound. So powerful that it breaths life into a pile of dust. So powerful that it is incapable of being false or misleading. God’s Word is so powerful that it took on human form and walked the earth and experienced what we experience. He lived in a fragile human body while simultaneously healing the sick, setting free the captive, raising the dead. So powerful that even after the human body was destroyed He conquered death and is alive today.

How do we know this? Because God’s Word is so powerful that He is still revealing His truth to us today. Jesus once asked the disciples who people say that He is. After the disciples told Him, He asked who they say that He is...

Matthew 16:16–17 NLT

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.

The Greek word that Jesus used to describe God’s revelation to Peter is apokalypto. Jesus said that Peter experienced an apocalypse. Contrary to what the movies want you to believe, an apocalypse is a Revelation from God. God’s way of supernaturally making you aware of His truth.

Chances are you have experienced an apocalypse. Maybe you were reading the Bible and a scripture jumped off the page to you. You’ve probably even read it a thousand times, but this time it stood out and you saw something you’ve never realized before. Or you were praying about something and suddenly a verse came from nowhere into your mind. Or you were listening to the radio, at church, or just talking to friends and someone mentioned a scripture that you know must have been just for you because it spoke directly to your situation.

This is God’s word at work in your life. That is God’s apokalypto to you. Congratulations, you’ve been through an apocalypse. God wants to use His Word to speak to you and encourage you. He will use His word to speak to you about areas of your life that are less than wholesome where He wants to be more involved. Teaching you what He says is right. Paul told Timothy that all scripture is inspired by God for that purpose...

2 Timothy 3:16 NLT

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Revelation is the work of the Holy Spirit. We are not capable of producing an apocalyptic word. Our responsibility is not to reveal the Word, but to meditate on the revealed word. The Holy Spirit brings revelation as we meditate. This brings us to the 3rd and final truth about God’s Word. What is God’s Word? God’s Word is Food, Jesus is the Eternal Word of God, and third...

THE WORD OF GOD IS SPIRIT AND LIFE

If you read the Bible as if you are simply reading a book, it will probably be dry, boring, and without power. It will be confusing. This is what happens when we try to understand the Bible purely with our mind. The Bible is the Word of God. It’s not simply a book that helps us have a better life or have guidance to live a moral life. Even Jesus spoke in parables that people couldn’t understand when they tried to figure it out with their minds in their own understanding. Listen to how Jesus defined His words to the disciples…

John 6:63 NLT

63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

The Word of God is literally Spirit and Life. God’s words possess power to bring about their own fulfillment. His word is alive and powerful. When God speaks, life happens. Listen to these 3 verses...

Hebrews 4:12 NLT

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Psalm 33:6 NLT

6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.

Jeremiah 23:29 NLT

29 Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?

God’s word is alive and powerful. It’s so amazing to think about that verse in light of an apocalyptic experience that you have had. When I was 13 I was baptized into a works based church. At the time, my mom had learned a lot about God’s truth so she told me, “It’s not baptism that saves you, it’s Jesus. So while you are up there pray and ask for Jesus to forgive you and come into your heart.”

At the time, I was just like, “Okay.” I really didn’t understand anything. I prayed and waited for some special feeling, but nothing happened. A couple of years later I remember having all of these questions and I was probably annoying mom with all of it. That’s when the power team came on TV and started doing all of these amazing things and talking about Jesus and sharing God’s word.

That night I couldn’t tell you much about what they were saying, but I can tell you that it was my first experience of an apocalypse. God revealed so much to me and answered so many of my questions and it all made perfect sense. They had something that I didn’t have. They had the powerful living Word of God living in their hearts and I needed it. It was what I had been searching for and I couldn’t live without it. How had I survived all that time without the most important food a person needs?

Key thought #2. God’s word is powerful and it works in us...

God’s Word is Powerful and It Works In Those Who Believe.

When writing to the church of the Thessalonians, Paul expressed his thankfulness that they didn’t just see their words as human ideas but as God’s message to them. God’s words, which Paul and his team shared with the church. Then God revealed His truth in the words to the church. After that revelation, God’s words didn’t just stop working either. God’s words continued to work. He didn’t need to send new words, change some of them, or rearrange them. God’s word is truth and the same word continues to work in those who believe...

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT

13 Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.

What does it mean to you that God’s word continues to work in you? Think about the same word you heard when you first believed, how is it continuing to work in you? If you don’t think that it is still working in you, why? According to Paul, scripture is useful in encouraging and correcting us, have you tried everything scripture tells us to do? What are some scriptures that God has put on your heart recently that you can meditate on? What about that initial word, have you been meditating on it?

God’s word is food. We need it all day, every day. It is our source of spiritual nutrition. Jesus is God’s Eternal Word. He is reliable, powerful, and alive today. God’s word is literally Spirit and life. His word exists in the world and can bring about their own fulfillment. Our God is beyond amazing.

A word that we have been tossing around a lot today is meditating. Throughout scripture we are instructed to meditate on scripture day and night. But how do we do that? What exactly is meditation? This is where we are going to get into some practical tips, so get your notes ready and your phones if you want to take some pictures of the references on the screen.

First let’s define meditation. The Hebrew word for “meditate” is “Hagah” and it means…

hagah: to reflect; to moan, to mutter; to ponder; to make a quiet sound such as sighing; to contemplate something as you repeat the words.

We’ve talked quite a bit about food today. In light of that, the best way to visualize God’s word, which is our spiritual food, is to think of meditation as rumination. Essentially, that means to “chew the cud.” That’s how cows eat. They will chew on their food for long periods of time, then swallow it. In the same way, we chew on God’s word for a long time, then let it sink deep within us.

Then a cow will regurgitate the food from one of it’s stomachs to chew on it again. Chewing the cud. Then they will repeat the whole process over. In the same way we call up God’s word that we let sink deep and we toss it around in our minds again. Continually repeating the process. Meditating day and night.

Psalm 119:15 ESV

15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.

Read the Word, think about it, study it, say it out loud, talk about it, write it down, put it somewhere you will see it and read it over and over again, and repeat. “Okay, that’s great!” Some of you may say, “Actually, that’s nasty!” Either way, “How can I read one scripture and think about it all day long and regurgitate it again and again?” I’m glad you asked.

Let’s talk about 4 practical tips for meditating on God’s Word as described by River Valley Church.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR MEDITATING ON GOD’S WORD

Personalize the Passage

Emphasize Each Word

Verbalize

Internalize

Let’s start at the top. The first thing we are going to do is personalize the passage. This one is simple. You may already be doing it. When you read a verse, try putting it in the first person by using “I, me, and my.” When you personalize scripture it becomes a living expression within your heart. Look at the first part of Colossians 3:16...

Colossians 3:16a (NLT)

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives...

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill my life...

Second, we want to emphasize each word or phrase of a verse one at a time. To do this, just focus on one verse and read it to God pondering each word or phrase. Each time you repeat the verse, emphasize a different word or phrase. Let’s look at Philippians 4:13 for an example...

Philippians 4:13 (ESV)

13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Pretty cool idea. Pretty simple. Can really change the way a verse hits your heart. The third thing we should try is Verbalizing God’s Word out loud. Speaking God’s word out loud is a great way to remind yourself that His word is true. When the Word comes out of your mouth it builds your faith. Speak specific verses over situations in your life. For example, if you are experiencing fear over a situation or anxiety, read 2 Timothy 1:7 out loud...

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Toss in some of the other two tips and personalize it and add emphasis somewhere. “God has NOT given me a SPIRIT OF FEAR and timidity, but of POWER, LOVE, and SELF-DISCIPLINE.”

Next you’ll want to Internalize God’s word. Worship God from your heart. Just talk to Him while you meditate on His word. Sing praises to Him. Many worship songs come from scripture, maybe you can jump in and start singing actual worship songs. Worship Him by just quoting scripture back to Him, you don’t even have to sing. Pray His Word to Him. Slow down and enjoy His presence as you meditate on His words.

Take out a pen and paper and write down the verses you are reading, adding emphasis and putting your name in there. Drop an “I, me, or my” to personalize it. Underline some parts to emphasize. Here are some great verses to get you started, but you’ll have to look them up for yourself. I’m not gonna do all your homework...

Psalm 46:10

Proverbs 3:5-6

Philippians 4:19

Before we close, I want to give you another string of scripture to look up and study on your own time. These are great verses to meditate on and think about. These are all truths about God’s Word and scripture that proclaims these truths…

The Word of God...

John 8:32 | WILL MAKE YOU FREE

Romans 1:16 | HAS THE POWER TO SAVE

Romans 10:17 | PRODUCES FAITH

Psalm 119:105 | LIGHTS OUR WAY

Psalm 119:92 | RESCUES US FROM AFFLICTIONS

John 17:17 | SANCTIFIES US

Psalm 107:20 | HEALS

Acts 20:32 | BUILDS US UP & BRINGS US INHERITANCE

Isaiah 55:10-11 | PRODUCES FRUIT

Is God’s Word written in my heart? That is a question that all Christ followers should ask themselves. How does the Word of God become written on your heart? Can it happen by accident?

Proverbs 7:1–3 NLT

1 Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands. 2 Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. 3 Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.

Don’t just write this one off. It is important. If God’s Word is to be believed, it is as important to our spiritual lives as food is to our natural bodies. Even more so, because God’s word gives us true life…

Proverbs 4:20–22 NLT

20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

I hope these tips are practical and helpful for you. Especially if meditating on God’s Word is difficult for you to do. You may have to go back to the milk, but if you don’t start somewhere you’ll never know. So just grab God’s Word and eat it. Chew on it. Like the Psalm that says, “Taste it!”...

Psalm 34:8 NLT

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!