To make sure God’s people did not suffer from spiritual malnutrition God commanded His people, “you must commit yourselves WHOLEHEARTEDLY to these commands that I am giving you today. REPEAT THEM again and again to your children. TALK ABOUT THEM when you are AT HOME and when you are ON THE ROAD, when you are GOING TO BED and when you are GETTING UP. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deut. 6:6-9) These highlighted areas are idle times, that’s when the devil speaks to us and tempts us. So, we must use the Word against him like Jesus did.
“Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights…the tempter came and said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” But Jesus answered, “IT IS WRITTEN, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD (rhema: a scripture or a word quickened directly into our heart) that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt. 4:1-4) There are two words used for “WORD” in the bible. The word logos is a well of water while the word rhema is a bowl of water from that well given to us for our immediate need.
We are in a battle for our very souls so WE MUST “put on the full armor of God…Stand firm then…with the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is THE WORD OF GOD.” (Eph. 6:13-17) which 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.” (Heb. 4:12) as wonderful is that is, “All Scripture is God-breathed (theopneustos: God’s breath) and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly THROUGHLY (not just outwardly but through in and throughout) equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
-Bill Stockham