Get in the Word for yourself. Get in the Word for yourself. Get in the Word for yourself. Get in the Word…
That’s really all I want to say in this devotional: Get in the Word for yourself. But I guess I’ll say a little more, since I’ve been asked to write something closer to 400 words.
As you may know, Ty Gibson and I recently created a 10-part sermon series, based on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, called Kingdom Manifesto. While preparing this project, I noticed that Jesus closed the sermon in a particularly powerful way:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27, NIV).
God teaches you personally how to put His Word into practice.
Two foundations: rock and sand. Two outcomes: a great storm without a great crash and a great storm with a great crash.
Both builders built. Both experienced the storm. Both heard Jesus’ words.
But the wise one heard Jesus’ words and “put them into practice.” And that made all the difference.
When you, with faith, humility, and openness get in the Word for yourself, a supernatural transaction takes place whereby God speaks to you by His Spirit through the Word. The inspiring Spirit becomes the instructing Spirit, who, in turn, becomes the convicting and enabling Spirit. God teaches you personally how to put His Word into practice. I’ve experienced this countless times and have heard thousands of others report that they have as well.
So, get in the Word for yourself.
Listening to good sermons is an excellent use of your time. God uses them powerfully! You’ll get no pushback from me on that. However, a sermon is what God has shown the preacher personally in His Word, and you and I need to hear from God for ourselves. Encountering God personally and powerfully through His Word is not an experience that can be outsourced.
So, you (and I) need to—one last time—get in the Word for ourselves!
David Asscherick
David is a speaker/director for Light Bearers and ARISE co-founder and instructor. Since his baptism in 1999, David has traveled the globe preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He and his wife Violeta are the happy parents of two boys, Landon and Jabel.
