For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. —1 Corinthians 4:20
As Greeks, the Corinthians loved great orators, but Paul reminded them that words alone are insufficient if no actual power is behind them. This is something we need to keep in mind as we incorporate the Word of God into our lives each day. The things we read in Scripture, the promises we love to hear, are not simply poetic phrases or the musings of a great author. There is power in those words.
The things that we read in Scripture are true and can be acted upon as truth. Many of us have spent at least one Christmas Eve assembling gifts that had to be ready for the next morning. We may have struggled for a while, but once we decided to actually read the directions, things began to come together, and the words and diagrams on the page actually became the product. This is true of the Word of God as well, only on a much grander scale. If we look at the instructions in the Bible and do what it says, power is manifested in our lives. Consequently, our lives begin to change, and what we read on the page begins to appear in our lives. Jesus said in John 13:17, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” The Word of God is not just words, but the Word of God is power. When we do what it says to do, things happen—wonderful things, amazing things, comforting things!
The book we call holy is just that; it is a holy book like no other. Though it is poetic in nature at times and contains literary eloquence, it is alive! When you follow its instructions, the words on the page appear in your life. What you read each day in the Bible, do. There is power in the Word of God that is unparalleled by any other writing. It alone has an author who speaks, and everything He says must happen. The kingdom and the book of the kingdom are not just words—they are power. Act on them today!
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