The Power of God’s Word, Pt. 1  

The prophet Isaiah declared a timeless truth,  

The grass withers and the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isa. 40:8 NKJV)  

God’s Word is eternal and ageless. For followers of Christ, this brings comfort, hope, and strength. In the coming weeks, I will explore the intrinsic power of God’s Word and the promises He makes to us. 

Understanding God’s Word is essential for remaining steadfast in Him and living the abundant life that Jesus invites us to as His followers.  

For example, Paul wrote about our adoption into God’s family through Jesus: 

16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, (Rom. 8:16-17a NIV) 

Through faith in Christ, we are God’s children, co-heirs with Jesus in God’s family, and heirs of God’s inheritance! Such joy and promise to the believer. But Paul continues in the verse:  

17 … if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:17b-18 NIV) 

Paul encourages believers to be courageous during suffering, for we are God’s children and members of His family. Moreover, the suffering we face on this side of eternity pales in comparison to the glory we will experience through Him.  

Yes, it’s wonderful to know that God has adopted, loved, and accepted us. It’s even more powerful to recognize that, as His children, we are safe in Christ through life’s sufferings and challenges because we belong to Him.  

Grasping the depth of God’s Word empowers us to live confidently in a turbulent world.  

To start our study of the power of God’s Word, I would like to examine how spiritual blindness impacts its effectiveness.  

Overcoming Spiritual Blindness  

A couple of weeks ago, during the Psalm 91 series, I discussed God’s promise of provision and Jesus as the bread of life. In John 6:48-66, Jesus declared: 

“I am the bread of life… If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh… unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you… My words, they are Spirit, and they are life…from that time many of His disciples went back (away) and walked with Him no more.”  

Jesus is the Word made flesh; He is the living bread, and His words are of the Spirit, granting life. However, to the spiritually blind, His promises are neither received nor believed. 

Not only were the Pharisees offended by Jesus’ teachings, but many of the disciples were too. The underlying issue was spiritual blindness. Although they had eyes, they could not see; obvious truths remained obscured.  

Have you ever experienced spiritual blindness, perhaps in yourself or in others? Have you ever observed people being resistant to biblical truth? 

If we’re honest, I believe many of us, at one time or perhaps still, have experienced spiritual blindness. Maybe this blindness is towards who Jesus is, or it may relate to a truth in God’s Word that’s difficult to accept. 

Jesus corrected the disciples for having hardened hearts (Mark 8:17-21).  

They could not spiritually discern who Jesus was—the promised Messiah—or believe in the works He performed. Human reasoning created a barrier to understanding and recognizing what God was revealing through Jesus.  

Human reasoning, apart from God’s perspective, is invalid. Often, it is fear disguised as wisdom, a false faith. To our natural minds, five loaves and two fish, or seven loaves and a few fish, can never feed multitudes and leave leftovers. But with God, all things are possible!  

As the writer in Proverbs states, learn to:  

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6 NKJV) 

Human reasoning calculates by observing and then strives to believe. However, this is not true faith! Our natural tendency is to place “faith” in what we can see and touch. This is known as sense knowledge faith, in contrast to real faith, which is revealed through God’s truth (Word).  

Jesus is the truth, and His Word is truth! Start by reading and obeying His Word. Many are blinded because they ignore what is obvious in His Word and are influenced by culture rather than the truth of God’s Word. 

For example, Jesus is God’s gift to humanity, the Savior of the world. God’s word declares that He is the Savior, but only for those who believe in Him. To society, this seems harsh, narrow, and exclusive.  

Jesus states in John’s Gospel, to self-righteous Pharisees: 

41 No, you are imitating your real father.” They replied, “We aren’t illegitimate children! God himself is our true Father.” 42 Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! *Notice their blindness? God is Father to those who love Jesus! (John 8:41-43 NLT) 

In John 14:6, Jesus clearly states,  

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me. (NKJV) 

He is a savior, but only for those who believe. Obedience to His Word demonstrates our allegiance to Him. Jesus came to make disciples and followers, not just converts to principles. 

One way to overcome spiritual blindness is by cultivating your faith, which strengthens your ability to hear from the Lord and trust in His promises. 

Next week, I will explore this aspect of faith, overcoming spiritual blindness, and continue studying the power of God’s Word.