Keep God’s Word In Your Heart

According to scriptures, you can't separate God from His word. Anywhere His word is, He is. In Jn 1:1, the bible tells us that, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God". Notice the fact that it says "The word was with God...". We saw this reality play in Mark 16:20 where the bible says "the disciples went and preached every, the Lord was working with them, confirming the word with signs following". What they preached was the word, what worked with them was God. And since God worked with them, signs had to follow them.

God can't be working with you and leave you without a sign to show. In Isaiah 65:8, the bible paints a picture of what happens to a person who has God's word within him, it says "this is what the LORD says: As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, 'Don't destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all". The bible used grape to signify that a person's sojourn may have gotten to a point of scorn and intense bitterness, but if there is still God's word dominating within him, then he cannot be destroyed.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WORD A LITTLE...

I believe the era of “fleshy” knowledge has come; knowledge that can instantly be felt, and immediately compel you to do the needful. I get upset when I hear people make remarks like “Wow, Anslem, I heard a powerful quote today…”. They heard powerful quotes, and even powerful teachings, but there just wasn’t enough power in those quotes to transform their lives. What is the use of a powerful quote that has no powerful effect on my life? “Hmm… hmm… hmm…, that’s really powerful”, but that’s where it ends.

I believe God applied this principle when He sent His only begotten Son to die for the world. He had sent powerful words to His people through prophets and kings, but those powerful words only brought little results. And then He sent the “fleshed” word, Jesus Himself. John 1:14 says that “the Word was made flesh, and it dwelt among us”. It is the “fleshed” word that has prospered Christianity, even till this day. If the knowledge of God is all that you possess, then you know too much already. Because that’s the true knowledge that adds “flesh” to everything we do.

 Daniel 11:32 says “they that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits”. Other words may motivate you, but God’s word will add life to you. John 6:63 says “it is the Spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing; the word that I speak unto you are spirits, and they are life”.

God’s word has a spirit that adds life to people and things. Things may be down, the economy may be tough, but God’s word is always sure. Matt 24:35 tells us that “Heaven and earth may pass away, but God’s word shall not pass away”. Anything is free to happen, but whatever happens won’t change the fact that God’s word will not pass away. No matter how complex a challenge may appear, it will surely pass away for God’s word. Now, Let Me Show You a Few Attributes of God's Word...

- IT GIVES YOU CONTROL OVER POWERS

In this kingdom; you must have something greater than material things to gain access to material things. The devil uses money as a defence; God uses His wisdom as a defence. Ecclesiastes compared money and wisdom when it said "the excellency of wisdom is that it gives life to them that have it". God's word is God's wisdom; being a Christian without applying God's word or wisdom to your daily life won't give you life. This is why many Christians suffer ache, lack and want.

The devil may have taken charge of the money, but according to scriptures, God has given you the word that controls the money. Being in charge doesn't necessarily mean being in control. The devil may be in charge, but you can take control by the word. Heb 1:3 says "He controls all things by the word of His power". Apostle Joshua Selman called this system "True Riches"; a system that controls a system in charge. This also means that you need to worry less about the devil and worry more on how to access revelation of God's word.

THE DEVIL IS NOT THE REASON WHY YOU'VE NOT RECEIVED WHAT YOU NEED, YOUR LACK OF CONTROL IS.

The full verse of Heb 1:3 reads "who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power". In other words, it is clear that God controls all things by the word of His power. We also understand from scriptures that "The Word" signifies the personality of Jesus. All power belongs to God, but He controls all things by the word section of His power. This means the word is God's remote controller to the affairs of life. Now God has given you the same remote controller so that you can control the affairs of your life. I believe that scripture is emphasizing the importance of God’s word in our daily lives.

Witches may have powers, demons may have powers, but all power belongs to God, and all things are controlled by the word of His power, including occult powers. This also means, no matter how many devilish powers are working against you, you have the remote controller to stop their operations. If you can understand this, then the end has come to all those torments around your life. All you have to do is locate a word that relates to the challenge you are going through, then begin to control it.

How can you be having the remote controller to the affairs of your life and yet you still lack many things? If you get to your sitting room, and you don't like the station that is broadcasting, all you have to do is change it with the remote controller. That is the same way you should change the things you don't like around your life. No one will force you to watch a channel you don't like, and that's the same way the devil cannot force you to be afflicted. If you're lacking anything in life, then you've not been using your remote controller. Bishop David Oyedepo has often shared a story of how his daughter was afflicted.

All medications on her proved abortive. Then he said to himself “Lord, there must be a way out”. He took his bible and began a deep search from scriptures, and according to him, 69 | P a g e 7 he found the words that restored the health of his daughter. That is how it should be! No economic situation is strong enough to make you unemployed. People who have the word naturally gain control. Any MD of a company may tell you there is no vacancy, but when you have the word, you can create the vacancy. When you are working with the word, MDs don’t have the final say, it is you that have the final say.

Your lecturers may tell you that you will not graduate if you don’t sleep with them, but as long as the word is concerned, that’s not the final say. A lecturer threatened a Christian sister that she will not pass his course until she sleeps with him. She went back to her hostel and began to speak God’s word on the lecturer’s name, and by the time the lecturer saw her again, he said “I have been looking for you, please come and collect your result”. Don’t compromise your Christian faith because of what people have said, what they have said won’t count if only you will say God’s word.

- IT EMPOWERS YOU FOR FAME

In Isaiah 60: 1-2, the bible says, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee". You are probably very familiar with that scripture. Who doesn’t want to rise and shine? I have often heard that the presence of light is the absence of darkness, but why is there so much darkness in the lives of many believers? Does it mean they have not received the light of Christ? Let’s find out…

In Luke 5:1-8, Jesus, the light of the world, was present in the same place where Peter had struggled all night but couldn’t catch a fish. Jesus even stayed for a while to preach to the people that followed him. And through those times, Peter still couldn’t catch a fish. Then after a while Jesus said to Peter, “launch out into the deep, and let your nets down for a draught”. Peter responded by saying “I have tried all night but caught nothing, nevertheless, ‘at your word’, I will let down the net”. That’s the key! “At your word”. You can’t rise or shine until you respond to the demands of the word of God. God is Omnipotent, He is with you right now, and that also means your Light has come to you. But you cannot rise nor shine until you apply His word to your situations.

 If Peter did not apply the word that Jesus spoke, He would not have caught any fish. The light was present, but Peter did not shine until he rose up to the demands of the word. So, the “Arise” in that scripture means “to engage the word”, and after you’ve engaged the word, you’re sure to “Shine”, and that’s because your Light has come. The fact that God is with you gives you an assurance that the word will work for you.

Ezekiel was also in the presence of God - The Light, in the valley of dry bones. Light was present, but the bones were still dry. I often pity people who say things like “God knows my needs”; true, God may know your needs, but He won’t act until you speak His word concerning the need. It was something similar that happened to Ezekiel; God asked him if those bones could live, and he responded saying “only You know”. Which means only God knows if the bones can live. But God further made it clear that even though He knows that those bones could live, He still needed Ezekiel to speak His word to the bones.

See how Ezekiel described that scene in Ezekiel 37:4,7, "Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. So, I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone". So, you see, it was the word of God which Ezekiel declared that caused those bones to rise. The reason why many people are so close to challenges is probably because they are too far from the word of God. James 4:8 says “draw near to God, and He will draw near to you”. Jesus further elucidated in John 15:7 when He said “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”.

- IT MAKES YOU TOO TOUGH TO BE DEFEATED

A certain man was diagnosed with a terminal disease, and was told he'd die in 3 months. The more he heard the report, the “sicklier” he became. He decided to start going to church; and each time he did, he returned with excitement from what was preached. After some weeks, he decided to stop visiting the hospital, since he was going to die anyway. He focused on going to church, which was the only place that gave him joy. 12 months passed, he had even forgotten that he was scheduled to die 9 months before.

When he finally remembered, he rushed to the hospital to confirm what had happened, and to his amazement, the terminal disease had been supernaturally removed from his body. Every time you study God's word, virtue flows from the word to you. Remember what Jesus said when the woman with the issue of blood touched Him, He said "virtue has left me". You just can't remain the same with consistent study of the word. That man kept hearing the word, and what was programmed to kill him found him too tough to kill.

God's word in you makes you too tough to be defeated. God's word places a mark of exemption on you. Gal 6:17 says "let no man trouble me, for I bear the mark of Christ in my body". No wonder the bible also says "destroy him not, for there is a blessing in him".

- IT'S USED FOR MAINTENANCE

Our lives constantly need maintenance. According to 2 Tim 3:16, the word of God is our life's maintenance tool. It has capacity to run both preventive and maintenance on an individual. corrective Some years back, I was diagnosed with brain tumour.

I had headaches every day, and I couldn't stay in environments that were too illuminated. They recommended medications for me, which I refused to use. Surprisingly, the more I studied the word of God, the healthier I became. A friend once told me how he escaped the plague of insanity. During his ordeal, he couldn't identify anyone nor read anything. But surprisingly, he could read a copy of my book. He even read the words aloud such that everyone that were in his ward with him could hear.

When he finally recovered, he told me that "my book was what hastened his recovery". He further said he could feel the words correcting his mind. Develop a habit of studying the word of God daily. Doctors may run check-ups on you, and may even prescribe a medication, but only God's word prevents and corrects.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT REVELATION, RIGHT WORD, AND SENT WORD…

God's word does not delay, it works instantly. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that "the word of God is quick and powerful...". However, the reason why God's word does not work "quickly" for many Believers is mostly because they don't know how to apply the word. Revelation of God's word may cause you to wonder, but it is the right word that turns you into a wonder.

Many believers are busy wondering about the amazing power of God, while many others are experiencing and manifesting that power. 1 Cor 2:4 makes it clear that "the gospel that we preach is not meant to entice people, but to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit". If you can't see the demonstration of God's word in your life, then you've not applied it in the right way. Revelation that is not a right word or sent word will only motivate you. People have stopped looking for words that motivate, they're looking for words that transform.

An encounter with right words and sent words would definitely transform any Believer. “OKAY KEVIN, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVELATION, RIGHT WORD, AND SENT WORD? “

Revelation is knowing the truth of scriptures; and it is the truth you know that sets you free. The difference between distinct believers is the level of revelation they operate with. Don't be deceived by the saying that "God will show mercy upon who He will show mercy", revelation will attract God's mercy at any time. 

Even if God does not want to bless you, your access to revelation will change His mind. That's probably why Isaiah 65:8 says "destroy him not, for there is a blessing in him". When you have true revelation, destruction can't come to you. Revelation from God's word means having a divine understanding of the scriptures. It means seeing the word how God sees it. But seeing the scriptures how God sees it is not a guarantee that you will be delivered from your challenges.

People get revelations every day; from preachings, from books, and even from the Holy Spirit, but not all revelations are fit enough to fix the challenges we go through. Don't get me wrong, right words and sent words are also revelations, because they are revealed by God; but it is not all revelations that are right words or sent words. And what we really need to resolve the challenges we encounter is not just revelation, but right words or sent words. Many people have gotten plenty of revelations on why they should get married, but why are they still single?

Many students have not gained admission into the University, not because they don't have revelations from scriptures that promises academic success, but because they don't have the right word. Many unemployed graduates have declared all the scriptures they know about getting a miracle job, but why are they still jobless? RIGHT WORD… Even though God's word may be true, not all true words from scriptures are right for all situations.

Many years back I developed a mysterious migraine that lasted for many days. I attacked the migraine with all the scriptures I knew, but it seemed like the more I declared those scriptures, the more intense the migraine became. I woke up on the fourth day and picked my Bible, with the understanding that "there must be a way out". Meanwhile, I had tried to use medication, but it didn't work. I began to study, and it wasn't long before I found John 8:32 "you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free". I then said to myself "but I know the truth, that by the stripes on Jesus I have been healed".

After that discovery, I screamed "MIGRAINE, GO NOW!", and it disappeared instantly. Right words must be found. Prov 24:14 says "so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto your soul: when you have found it, then there shall be a reward, and your expectation shall not be cut off". If your expectations are still cutting off, then it means you've not found the right word. You may have found the true words, but you need the right word to activate the true words.

The reason why that migraine lasted for days is because I was dwelling on the true words I knew, instead of searching for the right word that will activate the true words. If you've been believing God for a miracle marriage, job, career breakthrough, academic breakthrough, health restoration, or anything at all, and you've not seen the manifestation, then it means you've not found the right word yet. You can't find the right word and not experience the manifestation of your desire. It said "when you have found it, there shall be a reward, and your expectation shall not be cut off".

In other words, the proof for finding is the reward, and the reward is usually your expectation. So, don't tell me that God has not answered your prayers, have you found the right word? SENT WORDS... While a right word must be found, a sent word is usually sent to an individual by God Himself. Ps 107:20 says "God sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions". Ps 105:19 explains to us that until the time that Joseph's word came, the word of the Lord tried him.

So, while we may go after right words, we have to believe God for a sent word. It was a sent word that Jacob received that influenced the whole of Israel. Isaiah 9:8 says "The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it lighted upon Israel". There is a difference between what is read, what is heard, and what is sent. From experience, God sends a word to His people to deliver them or help them overcome what is coming. It was a sent word that Jesus gave to Peter in Luke 22:31 33 when He said "behold, Satan has asked permission to tempt you all, but I have prayed for you that your faith will not fail you".

Believe me, if Job had access to a sent word from God, maybe he would not have suffered the afflictions he suffered. People who enjoy sent words are people who are always in the spirit; it was Apostle John who said "I was in the spirit on the Lord’s Day when I heard". Job was serving God, but he was not in the spirit. He lived in fear all the days of his life; the bible particularly says that "the things which he feared came upon him".

You can't be living in fear and still be in the spirit; the presence of fear declares the absence of your spirit. 2 Tim 1:7 tells us that "God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind". If God has not given you the spirit of fear, then the presence of fear in you indicates the operation of a wrong spirit. One evening, I had a very unpleasant argument with the family I lived with in Lagos, Nigeria.

I consciously took a walk outside the house so I could ease off the pain I was feeling. Then I asked God "now that I am weeping over this matter, what are You going to do about it?". Surprisingly, I heard His voice saying "My son, don't worry, the sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the glory I'd reveal to you in return". It was a year after that I found those exact words in Roman's 8:18. And truly, today, I can't compare the sufferings of that time to the glory that God has revealed and still revealing to me.

Back on the 26th August, 1987 while Bishop David Oyedepo was away on a mission trip to the United States, God suddenly visited him and said, “Get back home and make my people rich”. Today, I have no doubt that several thousands and perhaps millions around the world have been delivered from the shackles of poverty and brought into realms of financial fortune through that sent word. Sent words can come from any dimension. It could be a simple word, or a word from scriptures. By "simple" I mean God can speak through anybody or anything.

Sent words can come as instructions, directions or prophecies. The word that Jacob received was a prophecy, He said "your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed". The word that was sent to Jehoshaphat was instructional, He said "You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you....

Fear not nor be dismayed; tomorrow, go out against them, for the Lord will be with you". Sent words can come at any time, but you can only receive them when you are in the spirit, in the presence of God. Bishop David Oyedepo has often shared a story of how he received a sent word in a toilet "The harvest of Africa is now overripe, rush in, and preserve the harvest". The word that is shaking Africa today was received in a toilet. You may be in the prison, but if you're in the spirit, then you're qualified to receive a sent word from God.

 Sent words should be prayed for from time to time, whether in a church service or on the road - traveling. A sister shared a testimony of how God gave her a word before a particular affliction came upon her. The affliction lasted for weeks, but the word she received was what helped her through. Finally, we can't afford to live outside the spirit, the devil is not friendly.

The reason why his attacks tarry long on many believers is usually because those believers were not sensitive to the sent word that must have come for them. Bishop David Oyedepo has often told this story of how he instructed two of his pastors not to go on a particular journey, because he received a signal from the spirit that the journey will be for their hurt. Those pastors were obstinate, they travelled. But before they could go 20 kilometres, they had a ghastly accident then took their lives.

If they were also in the spirit like the bishop, perhaps they would have heard for themselves. Now, this is a defining moment. Wherever you are, ask God to send you a word that will empower you to break out of whatever situation you may be going through.