Earlier in the year, I shared ten powerful things that the Word of God does in our lives and encouraged you (and me) to commit to spending time studying, meditating, and obeying God’s Word.

Suppose you missed that post, no worries! You can read it by clicking HERE.

Today, I’m focusing on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Word of God by showcasing the Holy Spirit as the author of ALL Scripture, and the One who teaches us and transforms our lives through the Word.

The Holy Spirit: The Author of Scripture

We believe in and worship one God who eternally exists as three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. From multiple Scriptures, we learn that the Father is God (Ephesians 1:3), Jesus is God (Romans 9:5), and the Holy Spirit is also God (Acts 5:3-4), but there is only one God.

The Holy Spirit is the author of all Scripture, both Old and New Testament.

“For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21 NIV

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16

The transliteration of the Greek word for God-breathe is theópneustos, which means that God is the One who inspired all written Scripture. Theópneustos also “relates directly to God’s Spirit (pneuma), which can also be translated as “breath” (Strong’s 2315). So the Spirit of God inspired the prophets and apostles and “carried them along” as they wrote down the words of Scripture.

Holy Spirit: The Spirit of Christ

Jesus is the Living Word (John 1:1,14), and the Bible is the written Word inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Jesus Christ, reflecting the unity of the Trinity (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:9).

The Spirit and the Word are ALWAYS in perfect harmony and agreement. Jesus Himself testified that the Words from His lips were Spirit-filled and life-giving.

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.” John 6:63

Jesus sent His Spirit, God’s Spirit, as a gift to be with us, live in us, teach us about Him, and remind us of His words (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit is everywhere at the same time and able to permanently dwell in the church and us, His followers (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Every believer can enjoy intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

I encourage you to become intimately aware and sensitive to the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. He is a Person. Therefore, get comfortable with Him. Talk to Him and ask Him questions. Seek His guidance and invite Him to help you understand the Word of God. He will teach you everything and show you how to live as Jesus did.

What Role Does the Holy Spirit Play When We Study the Bible?

 The Holy Spirit Teaches and Interprets the Word 

The Holy Spirit is a Teacher. He is the One who teaches us and helps us to understand the Word. He unfolds our spiritual understanding so that we can receive everything that God has graciously provided to us (John 14:26).

The Bible makes little to no sense without the Holy Spirit because it requires spiritual discernment. Without Him, Bible study becomes nothing more than a tedious academic exercise. But, we can depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us the Word because as the author, He is able to help us correctly interpret Scriptures so that we can discern truth from lies.

“What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:12-14

The Holy Spirit Transforms Our Lives Through the Word

God speaks to us through the Bible. The Holy Spirit is the One who makes the written Word of God “speak” to our hearts and transform our minds. He makes the Scriptures come alive to us and helps us apply them to our lives.

The Holy Spirit uses the truth of the Scriptures to combat the lies of our selfish inclination, the world, and the devil. He helps us discern whether our thoughts and actions align with the will and Word of God.

There is no limit to what the Holy Spirit will produce in our lives when we allow Him to mold and transform us with the Word.

The Holy Spirit Guides our Lives Through the Word

As we spend time in the Word, the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of truth guides us and leads us to Jesus who is the Truth (John 14:6). The Holy Spirit uplifts, reveals, and makes Jesus known to us, and helps us to fix our minds on Jesus.

The Holy Spirit guides us in our study of the Word by highlighting the Scriptures we need at that specific time. He uses the Scriptures to guide our path and our decisions in life.

 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” John 16: 12-13a

The Holy Spirit Helps us Remember the Word

The Holy Spirit helps us remember the Word and gives us the boldness to act on what we know.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

Practical Steps for Bible Study

The Holy Spirit reveals the Living Word, Jesus, to us through the written Word. We need both the Word and the Spirit to live victoriously as Christians.

Therefore, pray before you study the Word and receive the Word with humility. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the understanding you need. Be expectant that He has something to reveal to you. Then yield and obey Him as He teaches and guides you with the Word. He is only a prayer away!

Prompts

You can ask Him the following questions:

What …

• … does this Scripture mean?
• … truth do you want me to believe about who God is and who I am in Him?
• … are you revealing to me about my life?
• … steps of obedience are you prompting me to take?

Sample Prayer 

Heavenly Father, I thank You that I can come before You in prayer because of what Your Son, Jesus did by conquering the cross. Thank You so much that I am blessed to have a copy of Your written Word. It’s my desire to personally know You and Your ways as I read the written Word.

Thank You, Holy Spirit that You revealed and inspired men to record these words. Lord, I confess that in and off myself I can’t grasp Your mysteries. Holy Spirit, I rely on You to reveal and give me understanding of these deep truths.

Jesus, by the grace within me, I choose to hear, believe and obey all that You speak. I welcome Your presence as we fellowship together through the Scriptures I’m about to read.

Amen!!

Prayer used with permission from Keystone Fellowship.

If this post has blessed you, please share it with someone else. You can also use the social media buttons below. Thank you so much!!

Until next time……

Chizobam Idahosa

To ensure you don’t miss a post, SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Except where indicated, Scriptures are from the NIV.

© The Holy Spirit: Author and Teacher of the Word. Chizobam Idahosa @Beautiful in Jesus. All Rights Reserved.

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No matter what stage you are in your Christian walk, God is inviting you to a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. One of the key ways to grow in our relationship with God is to know Him through His Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 NIV

The Word is Jesus Christ, and the Word is God. The prophets and apostles wrote the books of the Bible by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit. Therefore, we should receive Scriptures as God talking directly to us (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

The Word is not dormant. It’s not just a bunch of letters on a scroll, piece of paper, or electronic device. No! The Word is alive and active. It carries the creative power of the Spirit of God that is able to impact our entire being – spirit, soul, and body (John 6:63; Hebrews 4:12).

Here are ten powerful things the Word of God does for us. As you know, this is by no means an exhaustive list, so I invite you to respond in the comments section below and share more things that the Word does for us.

10 Powerful Things the Word of God Does

#1 We are Born-again through the Power of the Word

The seed that brings forth the new creation in the born-again experience is the Word of God. Our new life comes from the living Word that we hear and receive by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18).

#2 The Word is the Source of our Faith

The Word creates faith, both for the new birth and for living victoriously as Christians. If you ever feel like you lack faith, immerse yourself in the Word, and you will become strengthened as your faith increases (Romans 10:17).

#3 We know God through His Word

Through a daily and consistent study of the Bible, we grow in our knowledge of God and learn to glorify and honor Him. Otherwise, how can we trust and obey a God we do not know? Proverbs 2:1-5 tells us that if we accept God’s Words, we will “understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

#4 The Word of God is Spiritual Food

At every stage of our Christian life, the Word of God is the nourishment we need to grow and mature in Christ. The Word is life, and our spirit is dependent on it – milk for the new believer, meat for the mature, and bread for every believer. If we do not study and meditate on the Word, we will experience spiritual malnutrition, and the life of Christ will not be evident in and through us (1 Peter 2:2; Matthew 4:4; Hebrews 5:12-14; Galatians 4:19).

#5 The Word of God is our Guide

God directs the course of our lives through His Word. He speaks to us through His Word to give us wisdom and direction for our daily lives (Psalm 119:105,133).

#6 The Word of God is Health

God’s Word is life and health (Proverbs 4:22) and has the power to heal our physical bodies when we are sick. Psalm 107:20 tells us that “He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.”

#7 The Word Provides Victory from Sin

Spending time studying and meditating on God’s Word strengthens our spirits enabling us to withstand temptations. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:11.

#8 The Word of God is our Tool for Spiritual Warfare

The sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word, is our weapon of offense against the devil. We become equipped for warfare against Satan and his cohorts by studying and meditating on the Word. The devil cannot withstand the Word of God spoken with faith from our lips. (See Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 12:11; 1 John 2:14.)

#9 The Word is the Source of Truth that Sets us Free

God’s Word is the unchanging source of truth. It does not sway in the direction of public opinion or the ideologies of modern culture. As we accept the infallible Word of God, it cleanses us, frees us from the bondage of sin, and makes us holy. (See John 17:17; John 8:31-32.)

#10 The Word of God Revives and Strengthens Us

When we feel emotionally drained, anxious, or depressed, we can always count on the Word to comfort, revive, strengthen, and give us peace. (Psalm 119:25,50,114,165.)

“For no word from God will ever fail.”
Luke 1:37 NIV

On a Personal Note

Over the years, I started one-year or through the Bible in 90 days plans multiple times but got stuck in the prophetic books of the Old Testament. The result was that I had read the entire New Testament and most of the Old Testament multiple times but had never completely read through some of the Old Testament prophetic books, so I decided to fix that.

In 2020, I started the YouVersion chronological plan titled “Through the Bible in Under Two Years.” I invited my sister and some friends to join me for accountability, and I am so thrilled to share that I completed the Bible plan late last year.

The designers of this specific chronological plan made a great effort to complement the Old Testament daily readings with a related New Testament passage showing how the whole Bible is one story that points us to Jesus Christ.

If like me, you never successfully read through the Scriptures, I encourage you to do so. It is such a rich, rewarding, experience that will equip you to know God more intimately and walk by faith in His commands and promises.

It is always a blessing to spend time studying, meditating, and obeying God’s Word.

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:25 NIV

Final Thoughts

Is God asking you to change your approach to His Word?

Stop and Ponder!!

God has given us new lives in Christ. Our response is to receive His Word, study and meditate on His manual, the Bible, and obey Him. As we do this, we will surely be transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory. Amen!

Until next time……

Chizobam Idahosa

To ensure you don’t miss a post, SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Except where indicated, Scriptures are taken from the NIV. 

© What Does the Word of God Do in our Lives? Chizobam Idahosa @Beautiful in Jesus. All Rights Reserved.

The post What Does the Word of God Do in our Lives? (Here are 10 Powerful Things) appeared first on Beautiful in Jesus.

Our true beauty is not about our cute external features. Instead, it is about what goes on within us – the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (1 Peter 3:3-4).

To ensure you don’t miss a post, SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Except where indicated, Scriptures are from the New International Version (NIV).

© Chizobam Idahosa @Beautiful in Jesus. Inward Beauty through the Word.

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Renewing Your Mind

After completing a program on a specific mast cell receptor, my thoughts were consummated by “mast cells.” On awakening, while driving, before bed, I spent so much time studying mast cells that all I did all day long was think of mast cells.

My experience reminded me of the process of renewing our minds with the Word of God.

What Does it Mean to Renew Your Mind?

Renewing the mind is the process of putting on the mind of Christ and unlearning the ways of this world in which we were previously conditioned (Ephesians 4:22-24). It involves studying and meditating on God’s Word consistently and filling our minds with Scripture instead of random, toxic, selfish thoughts. It’s a process, not a magic pill, so be patient with yourself while remaining committed to the process.

When we fill our minds with God’s Word, we become more focused on the truth of Scriptures so that we subconsciously default to obeying the Word instead of our natural selfish tendencies.

The Word of God is Spirit and life (John 6:63). We are instructed to obey the Word and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that we do not indulge our selfish natural tendencies (Galatians 5:16).  The more time we spend in the Word, the more it will fill our minds, leaving no room for the flesh.

Therefore, it is critical to develop an insatiable craving for the Word, because that’s the only way to spiritual growth and maturity (1 Peter 2:2, Proverbs 4:20-22).

Other practical steps to renewing your mind

In addition to spending time in the Word, other practical steps to renewing your mind include:

Guard your mind

What you spend time thinking about is usually the product of the things you feed your mind. Be wary of technology!! Be mindful of what you watch and what you listen to because your thoughts will eventually lead to words and actions (Luke 6:45, Proverbs 4:23).

Take random thoughts captive

The moment a random dark thought comes into your mind, flush it out (2 Corinthians 10:5). While you may not be able to totally eradicate all dark thoughts from entering your mind, it’s your responsibility to kick the thoughts out and replace them with the Word of God.

Practice Philippians 4:8

Put your thoughts to the test. Keep your thoughts true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. If you find yourself focusing on a thought that does not fulfill all the 8 criteria above, kick it out!!

Focus on the living word

JESUS is the Word (John 1:1). Keep your eyes steadfastly fixed on Him for He is the author and finisher of your faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Resolve to renew your mind by letting the Word of God dominate your life!

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Except where indicated, Scriptures are taken from the NIV.

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