If you truly desire to live the life of a saint then the Word of God must become your greatest source of spiritual nourishment. You cannot live holy life without the Word! In fact, Jesus put it this way:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 NKJV.
If you carefully consider what Jesus said, then you will understand that you need to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This means that God’s Word is your only source for spiritual life and strength.
It is also the foundation for your faith in God. I am sure that you are already aware of the words of the Apostle Paul, when he wrote:
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV.
This means that through the Word of God you can find the faith you need for anything you desire in your life. In other words, find the answer to your prayer in the Word first, then stand on the Word of God until it comes to pass. Does that make sense to you?
The key to receiving the benefits of the Word of God is by being a doer of the Word. This is how you nourish your spirit and feed your faith. Reading the Word, and memorizing Scripture will not help you until you actually DO it. This is why the Apostle James wrote:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 NKJV.
The way you nourish yourself on the Word of God is not just by reading it, meditating on it, memorizing it, or learning it. All of these have their value and importance. The true way to nourish yourself on the Word of God is by doing it.
Jesus put it this way:
“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” John 13:17 NKJV.
There is no reward in Heaven for what you know, only for what you do. You need to be a doer of the Word – that is what nourishes your spirit! That is what strengthens your faith and makes your spiritually strong. It is also what keeps you holy, because if you conduct yourself according to the Word of God then you will be living a holy life, and that should be the longing of your heart. You want to please God in every thing you do.
Let me mention that it would be a good idea to start developing a list of foundational Scriptures that you practice on a regular basis, and start building your life on these Scriptures. Just start with a few verses and then build up your list as you grow in the Lord. Before you know it, you will have a very solid foundation on the Word of God, and you will find that you have become a strong believer in the Lord.
Jesus put it this way:
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings (words) of Mine, AND DOES THEM, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25 NKJV (emphasis mine).
If you read this whole parable you would notice that the storms came to both the wise and foolish builder – the storms of life come to everyone! The reason is that the god of this world is the devil, and his only desire is to steal, kill and destroy. By being a doer of the Word, you have a sure foundation to stand against all the schemes and storms that he may send your way.
Now in this parable, the rock Jesus is referring to is Himself, and the way to build on that rock is to do what He said. In other words, you need to be a doer of the Word. That is only way to live a holy life and have a solid foundation under your feet to keep you through all the storms you may face. You are holy!
Next week we will look at: “Pleasing God”.
This is day five of a 31-day devotional that will become available soon.
Steve Smith
Are You Holy? 