The divine scriptures given by God as revelation and instruction.
The Word of God
The divine scriptures given by God as revelation and instruction
1. The Biblical Definition
When Scripture speaks of “the Word of God,” it uses rich and varied language. It does not only mean a written text; it means God speaking—His self-revelation, His creative power, His covenant promises, His commands, and ultimately His Son.
Key Biblical Terms
Hebrew: dābār (דָּבָר)
Meaning: word, speech, matter, thing, event.
In Hebrew thought, a “word” is not just sound; it is an active reality. When God speaks, things happen.
“By the word (dābār) of the LORD the heavens were made” (Psalm 33:6).
Greek: logos (λόγος)
Meaning: word, message, reason, account, expression.
Used of Jesus Himself: “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Also used of the preached message: “the word (logos) of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Greek: rhēma (ῥῆμα)
Meaning: spoken word, utterance, a specific saying.
Often refers to a timely, applied word from God: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhēma) of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
So biblically, the “Word of God” includes:
The Eternal Word – Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14).
The Written Word – Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Spoken Word – God’s present utterance (prophecy, preaching, personal leading, always tested by Scripture).
Scripture’s Own Definition
Scripture defines itself as:
God-breathed: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (literally “God-breathed,” 2 Timothy 3:16).
Living and active: “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12).
Unbreakable: “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
Truth: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
Enduring: “The word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
The Word of God, then, is God Himself speaking—through Christ, through Scripture, and by the Spirit—revealing His nature, will, and saving purposes.
2. Old Testament Foundation
From the very first verse, the Bible presents God as One who creates and governs by His Word.
Creation by the Word
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).
God’s speech is not commentary—it is creative power. Ten times in Genesis 1 we read “God said…” and reality conforms to His Word.
Psalm 33:6 summarizes this:
“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.”
Here “word” (dābār) and “breath” (rûaḥ – also “Spirit”) are closely linked. The Word and the Spirit work together.
Covenant and Command
God’s Word forms the basis of His covenant with His people:
At Sinai, God speaks the Ten Words (the Ten Commandments – Exodus 20:1–17).
Israel is commanded to live by every word God speaks:
“Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
The Word is not optional advice; it is the covenant constitution of God’s people.
The Prophetic Word
The prophets constantly declare, “Thus says the LORD.” They are not offering opinions; they are mouthpieces of God’s Word.
Jeremiah speaks of the Word as fire and a hammer:
“Is not My word like a fire?” says the LORD,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29).
Isaiah reveals the effectiveness of God’s Word:
“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
The Word as Life and Guidance
The psalmists celebrate the Word as:
Lamp and light: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Pure and tested: “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6).
Life-giving: “This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life” (Psalm 119:50).
For Israel, the Word of God was:
The source of creation
The foundation of covenant
The voice of prophecy
The guide for daily living
All of this prepared the way for the ultimate revelation of the Word in the person of Christ.
3. The Fulfillment in Christ
The New Testament makes a staggering claim: the eternal Word became a man.
Jesus: The Living Word
John 1:1,14:
“In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”
Jesus is not merely a messenger of God’s Word; He is God’s Word. He is:
The perfect revelation of the Father (Hebrews 1:1–3).
The exact expression of God’s nature.
The fulfillment of all that Scripture anticipated (Luke 24:27).
Jesus and the Written Word
Jesus’ relationship to Scripture is absolute:
He submitted to it
He resisted Satan by saying, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4,7,10).
He lived in obedience to the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17).
He affirmed its authority
“The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
“Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18).
He fulfilled it
“All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44).
His birth, life, death, and resurrection are all presented as fulfillment of Scripture.
Jesus’ Spoken Word: Authority and Power
When Jesus spoke, His words carried immediate spiritual power:
Authority over demons:
“He cast out the spirits with a word” (Matthew 8:16).
Authority over sickness:
“Only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8).
Authority over nature:
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the sea… and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:26).
People recognized this difference:
“They were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority” (Luke 4:32).
In Christ, the Word of God is no longer just text on a page—it is a Person speaking with divine authority, backed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. The Power for Today
How the Holy Spirit applies the Word to the modern believer
This is where a continuationist, Spirit-filled understanding is vital. The Word of God is not a dead letter; it is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The same Spirit who inspired the Word now illuminates, empowers, and confirms it in the life of the believer.
The Spirit and the Word: Never Separated
The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture:
“Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
“All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).
The same Spirit who breathed out the Word must now breathe it into us.
Jesus said:
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).
The Spirit makes the Word:
Alive in our hearts
Sharp in spiritual warfare
Fruitful in our character and ministry
The Word as a Sword in Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:17:
“And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rhēma) of God.”
Notice:
It is the sword of the Spirit—the Spirit wields it.
It is the rhēma of God—a specific, spoken, applied word.
In spiritual warfare, the Holy Spirit takes the written Word (logos) and makes it a spoken, targeted word (rhēma) for a specific situation. This is exactly how Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11).
The Word Produces Faith
Romans 10:17:
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhēma) of Christ.”
Living faith is not generated by human effort; it is birthed by hearing God speak through His Word, by the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit quickens a Scripture to your heart, it becomes a faith-creating word.
The Word Confirms the Supernatural
A continuationist view insists: God still confirms His Word with power.
Mark 16:20:
“And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.”
The pattern of the New Testament is:
The Word is preached.
The Spirit confirms it with miracles, healings, deliverances, prophetic utterances.
Hebrews 2:3–4 speaks of God bearing witness “both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.”
The Word and the Spirit together produce:
Conviction of sin (John 16:8).
New birth (1 Peter 1:23).
Healing and deliverance (Psalm 107:20; Matthew 8:16–17).
Boldness in witness (Acts 4:31).
The Word as Spiritual Nourishment and Transformation
1 Peter 2:2:
“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”
The Word is spiritual food. Without regular intake, believers remain weak and immature.
Romans 12:2:
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
The primary tool the Spirit uses to renew our minds is the Word of God. As we meditate on Scripture, the Spirit rewires our thinking, aligns us with God’s will, and releases us into His purposes.
Expecting God to Move Through His Word
When you approach Scripture with faith and openness to the Holy Spirit, you should expect:
Conviction – the Word exposing and cutting (Hebrews 4:12).
Revelation – the Spirit illuminating truth (Ephesians 1:17–18).
Direction – the Word guiding specific decisions (Psalm 119:105).
Power – the Word spoken in faith bringing healing, deliverance, and breakthrough (Psalm 107:20; Mark 11:23).
The Word is not just information; it is a channel of divine power when believed and spoken in the Spirit.
5. Practical Application: Walking in the Power of the Word
Here are five concrete steps to walk in this truth.
1. Submit to the Word as Final Authority
Decide once and for all: God’s Word is the highest authority in my life.
Reject any teaching, experience, or feeling that contradicts Scripture.
Make this your posture: “Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears” (1 Samuel 3:9).
Practical action:
Daily, before reading, pray: “Holy Spirit, I submit to Your Word. Correct me, teach me, transform me.”
2. Feed on the Word Daily
You cannot live a Spirit-filled life on a starvation diet of Scripture.
Set a daily time for reading and meditation (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2).
Read both systematically (through books) and meditatively (slower, deeper reflection).
Practical action:
Start with a plan: e.g., one Gospel chapter + one Psalm/Proverb + one epistle section daily.
Write down one verse each day to meditate on and confess.
3. Combine the Word with the Spirit in Prayer
Turn the Bible into prayer fuel.
When a verse convicts you—repent.
When a promise stirs you—claim it.
When a command confronts you—ask for grace to obey.
Practical action:
Pray Scripture back to God:
“Lord, You said, ‘He sent His word and healed them’ (Psalm 107:20). I receive Your healing Word into my body now.”
“You said, ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you’ (Acts 1:8). Fill me afresh with Your Spirit to be Your witness.”
4. Speak the Word in Faith
The Word is meant to be spoken, not just studied.
Jesus said, “Whoever says to this mountain…” (Mark 11:23).
The centurion believed in the power of a spoken word (Matthew 8:8).
Practical action:
Identify areas of battle (fear, sickness, lack, oppression).
Find 2–3 Scriptures for each area.
Daily declare those Scriptures aloud, in Jesus’ name, expecting the Spirit to confirm the Word.
Example:
Fear: 2 Timothy 1:7; Isaiah 41:10.
Provision: Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 9:8.
Healing: Isaiah 53:4–5; 1 Peter 2:24.
5. Test All Experiences by the Word
In a Spirit-filled life, you will encounter impressions, prophetic words, dreams, and manifestations. These must all be tested by Scripture.
“Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:20–21).
The Spirit never contradicts the Word He inspired.
Practical action:
When you receive a prophetic word or inner leading, ask:
Is it consistent with Scripture?
Does it exalt Jesus as Lord?
Does it produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)?
If not, reject it. If yes, prayerfully act on it.
6. Key Scriptures and Brief Commentary
1. 2 Timothy 3:16–17
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”