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Hebrews 4:12
God’s word speaks to our hearts; it teaches us of moral right and wrong; it gives us blessings and it convicts us to repentance. “For the word of God is living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12a, NKJV). John 1:1-4 (NIV) states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” John 1:14 (ESV) proclaims, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) declares, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:17 (ESV), “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” our weapon against the attacks of Satan. Most of the armor of God are defensive weapons, but “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” as Paul states in Ephesians 6:17 (ESV) is an offensive weapon to be used against the enemy that is Satan. As we continue in Hebrews 4:12c (NKJV), “piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God’s word goes deep into our inner being – into our heart and soul and spirit requiring change in our submission to God that is far deeper than simply saying the words – it requires a change of heart, which is true repentance in turning from the sinful nature to a new life in Christ Jesus. God’s word calls us to discern between right and wrong in the eyes of God and calls us to check our most inner thoughts and desires of the heart.
This is a promise of the power of God’s word.
This is a promise that God’s word is living.
I like to refer to the Bible (with all due respect) as our textbook to life. It tells us of stories in the Old Testament and the New Testament that show us, through their victories and defeats, of the need and desire to make things in this world right. But sin was brought to us through the spiritual world by the disobedience to God by Lucifer (Satan). He fell from God’s grace, and in his rebellion against God it is his desire to make each of us fall from God’s grace as well. As sin was initiated in the spiritual world, sin must be conquered in the spiritual world, but the process of conquering sin for humanity must be accomplished through the same method in which humanity enters the spiritual world. That is why Jesus came in human form – for us – to conquer sin and Satan for us. Jesus entered the human realm of sin, while being sinless through His deity, and yet died as is the punishment for human sin. He entered into the depths of hell to be the victor over it as His purity in hell broke the bonds of the sin that is required to be there. He arose from the grave victorious – He came to us and went into the spiritual world of sin for us so that we may come to Him and be forgiven through His deity and purity that overcame all of sin for all of us. Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit to live within all who will believe in Him, to protect and guide us through this world of humanity so that we may, through Him, enter into His world of purity as children of God. The world of eternal purity begins within our hearts, by opening our hearts to Jesus and inviting Him in to cleanse us from our sins and begin a new life – in Christ. Jesus invites us in Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) to, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” And Jesus announces in Revelation 3:19-21 (NKJV), “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Dear LORD,
As the author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Please lead us LORD to understanding what it means to have sincere intentions in seeking Your forgiveness, that we would repent and leave our lives of sin to begin lives of living in Your eternal purity that begins in our hearts while still remaining in this sinful world. Please help us to understand that for all who will put their trust in You, You will send Your Holy Spirit to live with them and help us through our remaining lives in this world so that we may enter into the spiritual world one day victoriously in Christ Jesus – for all eternity – in Christ – in Your purity! In Jesus name I pray, amen.