The Word of God has incredible benefits. The Bible is a firm foundation for Christians that never wavers; however, it has the power to change our hearts from the inside out. Ask any believer about the power of God’s Word and be prepared for answers that speak to how it turned their life around. God wants to have a close relationship with us, and despite knowing this, many of us forget how simple it is to begin that relationship. When we open ourselves up to a relationship with God through scripture, we begin to discover God’s unconditional love for us and those around us. When we come to the sure and steady Word, we find the only firm foundation we can stand. There is nothing else that compares to having a close relationship with God and the Bible. Here are six powers of God’s Word.
The Power to Guide Us
God promises to guide us through every point of our lives. He designed us with a unique purpose in mind and has a destiny for us. The promise of this guidance can be found in Psalm 48:9-14. The psalmist writes in verse 14, “For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.” While the Bible clarifies that we will receive this guidance, how exactly do we receive it? If we look at the beginning of the passage, we are pointed in the right direction. Verse 9 says, “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.” The key to this guidance is having a close relationship with God. This requires us to spend time in His company meditating on His “unfailing love.” We are extremely blessed by God’s promise to be our guide.
The Power to Transform Us
God uses the Bible to change us. One of the great things about the Bible is that it is unlike any other book that exists. There is no place where God is recognized so clearly. One of the reasons God gave us the Bible is to transform us so that our lives more clearly reflect Jesus. Yet, we can’t understand how God changes us through His Word until we recognize why we need to be changed. First, we are made in God’s image. He created us to reflect His beauty through our worship, our humanity and our character. The Bible is a tool for renewal. We see the glory of Christ and God’s beauty most clearly in the Bible. It reflects who God is, what He has done for us, and how we should live. God uses the Bible so that we can demonstrate His image. When you open up the pages of your Bible, you should take a second to pray that God will transform you so that you resemble Jesus better. There are few prayers greater than this.
The Power to Reward Us
The Bible tells us directly about the things that Jesus will reward. One of the wonderful things Christ rewards is faithfulness through trials. First Peter 1:6-7 says, “…In this, you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Ultimately, God wants us to walk by faith in all circumstances. Keeping faith during those trials is no exception. It is difficult to fight for faith when tough circumstances are occurring in our lives. Yet, our endurance proves our genuine faith and will bring promises rewards from God. Our Heavenly Father also desires our full commitment to His truth. Jesus reminds us that He is the truth. When we reflect, self-examine and commit, we honor God and secure our reward from Him.
The Power to Save Us
In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he puts the message of the gospel before us. First Corinthians 15:1-4 says, "Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel gI preached to you, which you received, hin which you stand, and by which iyou are being saved, if you jhold fast to the word I preached to you—kunless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died mfor our sins nin accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised oon the third day pin accordance with the Scriptures..." God’s Word reminds us that Jesus died and rose again for our salvation. When we trust in God’s Word and the power of His Word, we are redeemed and delivered.
The Power to Strengthen Us
The Bible has not only the power to save us, but also the power to strengthen us. First Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation….” In this verse, the Word of God is described as milk to both strengthen us and grow in our faith. The wonderful thing about the Bible is that it isn’t just an ancient book of theology. It is a powerful book that completes the longing of our hearts. God’s Word strengthens us every single day while also nourishing our spirit. Our lives depend on God’s Word and truth.
The Power to Prepare Us
God’s Word prepares us for our journey ahead. This includes our future. It also has the power to prepare us for our mission. As believers, our greatest work God equips us with is obeying the command of Christ to “make disciples of all nations,” (Matthew 28:18-30). We are encouraged to grow in our walk with Jesus and proclaim God’s Word with others. Since we trust God and believe His Word is true, we allow God to full work in our lives.
There is great power in reading scripture and believing in its power. There is no other book that exists that can change us as the Bible can. When we trust in God and His Word, our lives become anew. When you trust in the gospel, your life will be transformed forever.
