Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Might

“So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”
– Acts 19:20

I was reading the book of Acts last week, and after I read the above verse, the Holy Spirit said, “Selah.” I have been thinking on the verse all week. I believe it is applicable for the whole of scripture. My mind went in so many directions, because this was just big for me. I wanted to write something earlier, but I knew I needed to meditate on it some more.

I continued to meditate on this verse after reading the events of this past week with: Weeks battering Bynum; Haggard begging for money; another pastor reneging on loans from parishioners; pastors caught in sexually immoral situations; Randy and Paula White’s divorce; the sub-prime lending crisis; the possibility of a recession; floods, fires, deaths and more deaths. Then there are my own struggles with my unruly flesh...More and more, I ache to be rid of this body of death, and this world that groans for the manifestation of the sons of God. I say, “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.”

Looking at the false teachers and false prophets, those whom the Lord did not send and did not send to speak, I have asked, “How long, Lord?” I have asked about their followers, “Lord, why can’t they see the truth?” There are so many whose eyes are on a different Jesus and a different gospel. Trying to talk to them and show them their error by the word of God is an uphill battle. But God spoke of the apostasy and of people who will not endure sound doctrine and turn away from the truth (2 Thess. 2:3, 2 Tim 4:3-4). He has shown beforehand what will surely come to pass. And there is the reminder…

”The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.”

It is His word that sustains us. It is His word that is Truth. It is His word that continues to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105). It is His word which teaches, rebukes, corrects, comforts, and encourages. It is His word and His Spirit that gives us wisdom and discernment to guide us through the wickedness of this dark and perishing world.

It is His Word that prevails.

I wanted something concrete so I looked up the words “mightily” and “prevailed.” Here’s the American Heritage dictionary definition:

~ mightily

1. In a mighty manner; powerfully.
2. To a great degree; greatly.

~ prevail
1. To be greater in strength or influence; triumph
2. To be or become effective; win out
3. To be most common or frequent; be predominant
4. To be in force, use, or effect; be current

So, the word of the Lord grew powerfully or greatly and was greater in strength, won out or was predominant against the things which came against it. God’s word is being battered today. It is being twisted, squashed, pulled, and ignored by unbelievers and professing believers alike. But without His Word, His truth, what do we have? NOTHING!

God has shown Himself to be mighty and has shown the promises in His word to be true. Do you believe that God’s word is great, mighty, powerful, and predominant so as to win out in every situation of your life, even those things that take time?

Brethren, in the midst of all that is coming, we MUST hold fast to His word. We have to hold on to it because ours lives and the lives of others depend on it. Be reminded that we must have patience, perseverance and continued faith in Him that what He promised, He will bring to pass.

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