Let the Word of
God dwell in you richly
“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Colossians 3:16
In today’s Church we are seeing the results of the gradual
turning away from God’s Word to an experienced based form of Christianity, one
which is opposite to and therefore opposed to the sound preaching of Scripture.
When the Church has rejected the authority of the Word of God in the past it has
always replaced it with fanciful notions. No wonder people are so easily
deceived! And this includes Christians who once stood firmly upon the Rock.
The Pentecostal movement has come under the severest attacks
of Satan in recent years.. Because of the infiltration of the Charismatic
movement (which is Rome based and Rome bound) the Pentecostalism has adopted
what it once rejected. Now it appears that there is nothing wrong with
fellowshipping with Catholics since they also speak in tongues (to Mary). Not
only this, and since error breeds error, it has taken on board the Toronto
Blessing (with its barking, howling, jerks, and laughing) and the Promise
Keepers. The Church is accepting new revelations that are as old as Hell.
Revelations that have their roots with demon spirits.
Let me say at this point that I am a Pentecostal and accept
the gifts of the Holy Spirit as part of God’s ministry to the Church. Both
those who believe that the gifts have ceased sometime back in history and those
who go to excess with them are greatly deceived. Yet, the greater deception lies
with those who misuse and abuse the gifts.
Today another Jesus and another gospel are being preached in
the Church. Regardless of any one adding the words “of the Spirit” to some
weird experience such as falling, laughing and barking, if it cannot be found in
the Bible it is obviously from some other source. The spirit behind Toronto,
Pensacola, the Charismatic movement and Ecumenism is Satan not the Spirit of
God. Devilish lies and teachings are in the Church because the Church rarely
upholds the Word of God as its sole fountain of inspiration and revelation.
The apostle Paul says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in
you richly” (Colossians 3:16.) That word ‘richly’ means ‘abundantly.’
If God’s Word is your greatest treasure deception will have no place to rest
its evil feet in your life. To grow in the knowledge of Christ, and see the
effect of the new life that the Lord Jesus has given us, we must be daily in
God’s Word, feeding our spirit with the food off His table.
God’s Word is given to govern every aspect of our
Christian life. This would mean that our prayers, meditation, thoughts and deeds
should be ruled by Scripture. This isn’t meant to sound like legalism since to
serve God and obey His Word should be our delight. Nor am I saying that it is
easy to walk in accordance with God’s Word. For all to often the flesh gets in
the way. But every true saint of God acknowledges that God’s way is the best
way and that His Word is the Word of life. They also know that He is there to
keep them and protect them from the evil one. Nevertheless, to reject and
neglect God’s Word sets us against God. God cannot bless those who refuse to
accept His Word.
God’s Word should be hidden in our hearts. We cannot have His Word in our
hearts unless we spend time in His Word.
“Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
against Thee.” Psalm 119:11
There is an old saying that is worthy of remembrance: “This
book will keep me from sin, but sin will keep me from this book.” If we keep
God’s Word in our hearts and minds daily then we will have the greatest weapon
to overcome sin - the Sword of the Spirit. God’s promises have never changed.
What He promised to Joshua applies also to all who submit themselves to
Scripture:
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do
all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and
then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8
Surely every truly born again believer wants to please the Lord
by being obedient to His Word. The sad fact is that many Christians today are
Bible illiterate and so are easy game for Satan. They spend more time watching
soap operas on TV, reading novels and trashy magazines than reading and studying
the Word and then wonder why their prayers are not being answered.
“If ye abide in Me and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Do you see the connection here? If we don’t bother with
God’s Word from one Sunday to the next; if the Bible is just a book gathering
dust on a shelf, then we should not expect our prayers to be answered. Yes, many
think that they are abiding in Jesus yet never give a thought to the Bible.
Jesus said that if His Word abides in us then we will see answers to prayer. If
His Word abides in us then our prayers shall be according to His will. The more
we love God and His Word, the more effective our praying will be.
“By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2
As stated earlier, God’s Word should govern every area of
our lives. We must believe in its authority, hold firmly to its teachings, trust
in its promises, stand up against all heresy, heed it warnings and follow its
commands.
We should accept nothing that is contrary to the Bible. God
does not speak or act opposite to His Word. So if one comes with a tongue,
prophecy or word of knowledge yet speaks contrary to Scripture, he is of another
spirit and should be rejected. Paul encourages us to keep the Word in our minds.
If we don’t the faith we think we have is in vain - it is void and useless.
All the foolishness that is abounding in the Church today
cannot be approved by the Bible. This foolishness is here because the whole
counsel of God is not being preached.
We need Christians who hide God’s Word in their hearts,
those who have the Word of God dwelling richly in their hearts and minds. The
only way to achieve this is to study and meditate upon it, to fill our lives
with Scripture. The apostle encourages us to use psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs to teach and admonish others (which must have a personal value too.) He
says also in Ephesians 5:18-19:
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
If God’s Word is planted and rooted in our lives then we
will want to praise and worship Him. You will notice that where the Word of God
has been forgotten the worship services have degenerated into little more than
entertainment and at worse a habitation of demons. In those places where the
Word is laid aside in favour of new revelations laughing, barking, jerking, and
falling in the spirit are to be found. There is really only one denomination for
those who reject, neglect and ignore God’s Word, it is The Church of Ichabod -
(Ichabod = The Glory of the LORD is departed.)
Let us be of those who have the Word of God richly in our lives.
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path.”
Psalm 119:105
Pastor Gary J. Hall