"The Bible is Alive. It Speaks to Me." Martin Luther

Don't get frustrated when you don't understand something in the Bible. You were never meant to - not by yourself. Today, we're talking about how God's Word is revealed to us as we seek to understand.

In a homegroup, a dear friend was deeply troubled after the Bible teaching that day. She said it was exactly what she needed. But, in tears, she said she so wanted to do what scripture said she could, but she didn’t know how.  She had tried and failed again and again. She asked, “Practically, how can I do that?”

 Several well-meaning friends gave advice or shared wisdom.  Most of it was good general advice. Some was, well, contradictory.   My friend continued to cry.

 And then I heard Holy Spirit tell me that none of that was what she needed.  Holy Spirit encouraged her and told her to rest in Him. He was telling her that He would help her do it. I told her what God had said.  You could feel the shift in the atmosphere in the room.  Others confirmed what God was saying to her.

God’s Word told her what to do. Holy Spirit showed her how to do it. We need Holy Spirit to help us do what God desires.

 
British Bible Teacher Derek Prince Explains: The Word must work with the Spirit.

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Psalm 33:6 kjv

The Hebrew word for “breath” is ruach, which is also the word for “spirit.” Thus, all of creation came about through two agents: the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Everything that exists, has existed, or will exist owes its origin to these two forces working together. The Word must work with the Spirit.

You cannot speak without breathing.

This is a picture of how God speaks, too. Every time He speaks a word, it is carried by His breath—His Spirit. The Word and the Spirit of God always go together. The Word and the Spirit of God brought the universe into being, and they continue working together to sustain it.

Derek Prince,  Prayers & Proclamations . loc 133-174

You can find this book at:  https://amzn.to/3rZsJMs 

The Spirit and the Word

It is the Spirit and the Word working together. The Bible contains the great truths of God; the Holy Spirit works in us the ability to understand it and to live it.

God never intended for us to go out on our own and try to live as the Bible reveals we should. 

Jesus warned us: “without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

We need to accept the absolute truth of this statement. By ourselves, you and I can do nothing in the spiritual realm. 

It wasn’t enough for Jesus to take away our sin and restore us to our position as sons and daughters of God. We can’t see or understand the spiritual realm.


1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB
But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We couldn’t be left alone spiritually. We would be blind, deaf, and helpless against Satan.

Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” John 14:16 ESV
God gave us the Holy Spirit, to lead us into all truth. To reveal the spiritual realm to us and tell us what is going to happen in the future. See John 16:13.
 

Activation:
 Approach the Bible as a living Book. Just as the crowds often did not understand Jesus’ parables, so we often don’t fully grasp the meaning of scripture.  The activation is 2 powerful questions to ask when you don't understand scripture. Check it out!

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