Living Hope Fellowship Church

THE WORD OF GOD

Training Material

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

THE WORD OF GOD

Preface

(God’s Word has power)

          Luke 4:32 says the people were astonished at the doctrine of  Jesus because, “. . . his word was with power.”

          God says in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”  God’s Word has power! 

          John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” God’s Word is greater than doubt and fear that comes against you.  If you are living for God, and abiding in Christ, then you can expect God to do great things for you!

THE WORD OF GOD

by Pastor Kevin Badgley

          We are talking about God’s Word.  In Luke 4:31-32 the Lord had moved out from His hometown and gone to the city of Capernaum.  It says, “And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.”

          Mark 16:20 says, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

          Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath Day, and the people there were totally astonished, because His Word was with power.  God’s Word has been decreed from the foundation of the world.

          Some people have words of a little bit of power and credibility, but God’s words have ALL power.  You can say the name Mary, and I don’t feel anything.  I might turn my head when you call my name, but there is no power in my name.  You might say the words Mohammed, or Pope, or President, but when you say Jesus, something moves!  There is power in that word, because it is the name of the only begotten Son of God!  There is power in the name of Jesus! 

          The Word of the Lord came to the prophets of old.  God talked to Noah and commanded him to build an ark, because He was going to destroy the world by a flood.  Noah didn’t know what rain was, because he had never seen rain, but by faith Noah listened and obeyed the Word of the Lord.  All the world laughed and mocked him.  His family probably doubted at times.  However, I believe they helped him in the building of the ark that took 98 years to build!  It was a lousy time for revival.  He didn’t get a convert except for his own household, but Praise God for that!  There were only eight people saved.  Noah heard, and listened, and obeyed the Word of the Lord.  He knew that there was power in that Word, and when God spoke He meant what He said!      

          James 5:17-18 says, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

          God says in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”  God’s Word has power! 

          King Ahab and Jezebel were a wicked pair.  God told Elijah to go and meet with King Ahab.  Wickedness was ruling and reigning in Israel, and God was mad.  When Elijah spoke God’s words, it didn’t rain and it didn’t dew for 3 ˝ years! 

          Think about that for a minute.  We have had times of drought, but we at least had dew.  You can generally find dew on the leaves every few days or so, but they didn’t have any rain or dew for 3 ˝ years in a row.  Famine was in the land.  Everything was dying, and the land was becoming a desert, because the Word of the Lord went forth, and it became so.

          The Word of the Lord came again to Elijah and told him to reveal himself to the King, so he talked to Ahab and repeated what God told him.  However, it didn’t mean that he was going to be popular!  God’s ministers today are unpopular when they preach the truth!  It doesn’t go along with the words most preachers, denominations, and groups are promoting.

          There is power in God’s Word, and He backs it up!  God can’t lie or fail, and His Word will not deceive you.  You can always rely on the Word of the Lord.  That is why that it is so important that we read the Bible.  You need to study the real thing so if a counterfeit comes along you will know the difference!

          Luke 4:33-36 says, “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.  And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.  And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

          You could argue with Jesus and send the man to a psychologist, or you could just tell him, “You have to stop this and start being good!”  However, that makes no sense, because the man did not have the power to be good.  He did not have the power to even choose, because the devil ruled his life; he had an unclean devil. 

          Thank God there is a Word that is stronger than the devil’s word!  The devil will talk to you about your past, your present, and even your future, but God’s Word is greater than the depression that comes in on you.  God’s Word is greater than doubt and fear that comes against you.  It is the Word of the Lord. 

          Jesus said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  He also said in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”  That is the Word of the Lord.  Now, we have a choice.  We have to decide which “word” we are going to believe!  There is one with power, and there is one with deception.  The one with deception is doomed to be cursed in the flames of the fire of hell shortly.

          Paul says in Romans 16:20, “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”  The Word of the Lord says that God gives you power over the devil.  I want to put the devil under my feet and live for God.  I am going to walk according to His statutes.  I know that His Word is more powerful than the word of the devil! 

          How many times have you prayed a prayer of faith, you believed God, and you were healed of an affliction?  You believe that it is leaving, and you are feeling better.  Then somebody comes to you with another word.  Now, are you sure that you really got healed?  Maybe you had better go and have it checked out.  Well, you never know, because you could just be a little bit over-sensitive.  As a matter of fact, don’t you feel a little poorly right now?  I don’t care whose mouth it comes out of, it is from the devil!

          The devil sent his word to you trying to get you to doubt.  We are in a war, but there is a Word that is greater!  Hallelujah!  It is greater than any other word.  His name is Jesus, and His Word is with power!  It has authority, and when we say, “In the name of Jesus, devil, depart,” he has to go!

          James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  That is what the Bible says.  If the Bible says it, it is the Word of the Lord.  Your eternal life rests on it.  If you do something against the Word of the Lord, God is not for you any more.  God wants to move in your life, but you have to obey His Word, because His Word has authority and power.

          1 John 5:7 says, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”  The Word here is Jesus.  These three are in one accord, in agreement.  Jesus, that Word, sits by the right hand of God.  There is a Word with authority.  God listens to Him because He is His own Son.  Jesus makes intercession for you and me. 

          What did the Centurion say about the word of the Lord?  Matthew 8:8 says, “The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.”  In other words he is saying, I know who you are.  You are the Lord and Master.  I know if you will just speak the Word of the Lord, I know that my servant will be healed. That is the kind of faith God is looking for.  The man believed Jesus. 

          Folks, it is time that we believe what the Word of the Lord says.  I don’t care what the doctor or anyone else says!  Is your life holy and upright before God?  There is no cause for sickness, torment, affliction, or infirmity in your body if you are following Jesus in all that you know to do.  God says this in His Word.  His Word is with authority and with power! 

          However, we read and hear so much other word!  The television and the radio bombard us with all kinds of other stuff.  Turn it off and listen to the Word of the Lord.  It is the Word that has power! 

          We have seen voice activated flowers that run on batteries.  You can make a noise and it will jerk around.  For years we had little cars that were voice activated.  You could say, “Stop,” and it would stop, or, “Go,” and it would go.  They were activated by words.

          If you speak with the power and authority that is within the Word of the Lord Jesus, and you are living a godly life, you can start talking to conditions and situations!  If someone is sick you can say, “In the name of Jesus, devil, loose them,” and that person will be made whole!  You can say, “Be healed in the name of Jesus.” 

          Jesus said in Matthew 21:22, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”  That is the Word of the Lord, and there is power in the name of Jesus, but sometimes we miss it. 

          A lot of times we would say something to the voice activated flower or car and it did NOT move.  We would check to see if the thing was turned on.  Then we read the instructions, and it said to talk loudly, so we talked loudly, but it still didn’t move.  So, we talked a little louder, and then it started moving!

          Psalms 47:1 says, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”  He didn’t tell the people in the battle of Jericho to whisper and the walls would come down.  He told them to shout! 

          Hallelujah!  There is power in the Word of the Lord.  Do you believe that God can do what He says He is going to do?  Do you believe that He is going to fulfill all the things that you desire of Him such as family being saved, healing, and receiving witnessing power?  Can He do it?  Of course He can, and He wants to do it. 

          God gave them the law in the Old Testament, but they didn’t believe what He was saying, so He manifested His Word!  The Godhead is something hard for us to comprehend.  God spoke His Word forth, and He was actually able to clothe it in flesh.  It became the person Jesus Christ.

          Our words are quite limited.  God has all power, and He spoke forth His Word and wrapped it in flesh, and Jesus ministered on earth for about 3 ˝ years.  We have to bend the knee to the name of Jesus and obey His commandments.

          There is power between the pages of your Bible!  There is life!  John 1:1-3 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

          All things were made by Jesus Christ.  They were made by the Word of God Almighty.  Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2).  Revelation 1:8 says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord. . . .”

          Matthew 28:18 says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

          John said in Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:”  Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Ghost and fire! 

          When Jesus asks His Father to send forth His Spirit to those who have a need, the Father sends it forth, because God never denies Jesus!  When you have Jesus on your side, you are saved.  When you are covered by the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Holy Ghost, then anything is possible to you, if you will only believe! 

          Jesus said in Mark 5:36, “. . . Be not afraid, only believe.”  Do you believe the Word of the Lord?  He confirms His Word with signs following.  The Bible is God’s letter to man.  You need to read it.  You will understand the deep things of God if you seek Him for it.

          He made everything.  Can He heal somebody with cancer?  He invented the body that has the cancer.  He made the devil that brought the cancer.  He created angels in the beginning to worship and praise God.  They were God’s servants, but some of them fell.  One third of the angels went with Satan down to the earth.  When man was created he had to choose between good and evil, just like Lucifer.  Lucifer fell, and the first man fell, but God gave us a chance to be redeemed!  That is why the devil hates us so bad.  He didn’t get a second chance, but man did.  Jesus is our second chance! 

          2 Peter 3:8 says, “. . . one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”  Jesus died and rose from the dead two “days” ago, and He hasn’t forgotten it.  His memory is still sharp.  He remembers all of that stuff that lay on his back at Calvary.  He remembers all the sickness and diseases.  He remembers everything that you feel that comes against your mind, your soul, and your body.  He remembers and tells the Father why we act like we do, and why we are crying in need to Him.  He asks the Father for mercy.  Then mercy, and healing, and victory for every need comes forth!  The Word of the Lord has power!  His name is Jesus! 

          Jesus told Abraham that God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham interceded.  God took Lot and his family out because of Abraham. 

          Isaiah saw Jesus in Chapter 6, Verse 1.  It says, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”  He saw Him in His Glory! 

          God’s men prophesied the Word of the Lord, and it came to pass.  Elijah told the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18:24, “And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”  The people listened, and they looked at the prophets of Baal, and they looked at Elijah, the hairy Tishbite, and they said that he had a deal.  The Word of the Lord, through Elijah, said, “. . . the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. . . .”

          Elijah told them to go first, so they did.  1 Kings 18:26-28 says, “And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.  And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.”

          My Bible says that my God never sleeps!  Psalm 121:4 says, “Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

          1 Kings 18:29 says, “And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.”

           Verse 30-35 says, “And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:  And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.  And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.  And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.  And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.”

          After all of that Elijah called upon God.  Verse 36-37 says, “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”

          Elijah was God’s servant; he was living for God and speaking God’s Word, so power had to come forth!  It was inevitable!  There was no way around it!  Look at what happened in Verse 38: “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”

          Verse 39 says, “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.” 

          According to John 1:32-33, Jesus is, “. . . he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”  The Word of God baptizes you in the Holy Ghost.  The Word of God is not a thing, or a philosophy, or a mentality.  He is a person, and His name is Jesus.  Verse 34 says, “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”  The Holy Ghost and fire and the fire that consumed Elijah’s sacrifice come from the same source, the throne of God!  There is power in the Word of the Lord!

          1 Peter 1:16 tells us, “. . . Be ye holy; for I am holy.”   God has given us power to be holy.  

          God has given us a name for the Word of the Lord.  Moses cried out and said in Exodus 3:13, “. . . What is his name? what shall I say unto them?”  Verse 14 says, “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

          Jesus spoke in John 8:58 and said, “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light.  Remember this, and let faith rise up in your heart!

CONTACT INFORMATION:

PASTOR KEVIN BADGLEY

LIVING HOPE FELLOWSHIP, P. O. BOX 111, GRAND CHAIN, IL  62941

CHURCH / FAX (618) 634-2541

E-mail  livinghope@hughes.net

livinghopefellowshipchurch.org

These condensed Bible studies have been published to help new Christians in their new walk with the Lord.  Kevin Badgley, the author, is the pastor of Living Hope Fellowship Church.

This is a Living Hope Fellowship publication.