ByLiving by divine direction is essential in every believer’s life. And divine direction is not just known through prayer but also in the Word of God. A respected friend and man of God taught me this. He said. “Whenever you want to know whether you are doing the right thing, ask yourself if there is a scripture for it. If there is no Scripture for it, forget about it.” That teaches us that the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, talk about our everyday lives. The things we are doing now, the challenges we are facing, and our greatest fears have all happened before in the Bible, and some of them are even prophesied about (see 1 John 3:13, John 15:18).
Another special friend ministered to me, saying we should not serve God based on our emotions. That means we should not run to God because of how we feel. Instead, we should be with Him because we love Him. And for that to be possible, His Word has to be in our hearts always (see Colossians 3:16).
Take a husband and wife, for instance. If the husband tells the wife to get some stuff when she’s shopping at the grocery store and the wife doesn’t even keep what he says to heart, she might forget and not do it. She might only remember when she hears her husband coming or when she gets asked about it. At that time, an offence might have been committed already. That is how it is with our relationship with God. He doesn’t just want us to know Him. Instead, He wants us to love and understand Him. How do we know and understand Him? By guarding His word in our hearts.
We should not run to God because of how we feel. Instead, we should be with Him because we love Him. And for that to be possible, His Word has to be in our hearts always.
Tweet
Seek to understand God’s Word
“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.”
Matthew 13:19
It is crucial for believers to comprehend the Word of God when it is preached or read. However, it is not just any kind of understanding that is needed, but the kind that comes from the Holy Spirit. According to Jesus, if you fail to comprehend the Word of God, the devil can snatch it away from your heart. Now that’s a thought-provoking revelation!
In Genesis 3, God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, warning them that they would die if they did. However, they didn’t fully comprehend the meaning of “death”. The devil took advantage of this and deceived them, distorting the truth. Similarly, false teachings can be preached to us if we don’t safeguard the word of God in our hearts. After hearing the Word, we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us understand it and pray that it remains deeply rooted in us.
Keep receiving instructions
There is good and evil just that there is white and black. What is white can’t be black and what is black can’t be white. But God’s definition of good and evil isn’t like that of men. That’s why we must be discerning as His children. And why will help us discern between good and evil is the Word of God.
If the Word of God instructs you to change your ways, do it. You cease to draw near God when you start abandoning the reception of His Word. So, when you stop reading and listening to His word, you have stopped receiving from Him, and you will not hear from Him directly and clearly as those near Him would. That is dangerous.
We need to constantly receive the Word of God and guard it in the midst of our hearts, just like newborn babies need and long for milk (see 1 Peter 2:2). Only through this may we grow.
Set your affections on heavenly things
“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” Colossians 3:2.
As individuals, we often have important tasks that need our attention, such as our jobs, family, and hobbies. However, the Bible encourages us to prioritise the Kingdom business above everything else. If we prioritise heaven first, we will naturally be inspired to constantly consume, guard, and understand God’s Word without needing any external reminder. We must not allow worldly distractions to hinder us from receiving God’s Word.
