Everything we will ever need as believers for our lives, God has given us in His Word. He has filled His Word with His life and power. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
God’s Word pulsates with His power and life. God wants you to receive that life and power, and experience transformed living by renewing your mind. According to 2 Peter 1:2-4: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
God has given us all things we need through the knowledge of His Word. These precious promises enable us to become “partakers of the divine nature.” This “divine nature” is having the mind of Christ. We receive the mind of Christ by receiving and believing His Word.
In the fifth chapter of Joshua, we see that, right after their circumcision — which is a type of renewing our minds, — “the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.” (Joshua 5:12)
It is God’s will for you to become a disciple of His Word.
The manna the children of Israel received from God every day is symbolic of Christians being fed the Word of God by their pastor and other five-fold ministers. It is good to receive “fresh manna” from anointed ministers, but just like a little baby who is growing up, God wants to teach you how to “live off the land” — how to feed and grow in God’s Word in your own study and daily reading.
The Joshua Generation isn’t content to live off of Sunday’s sermon for the whole week. They are studying every day for their “daily bread” of God’s Word.
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Don’t live off of someone else’s revelation. Let God’s Word become your soul’s greatest hunger and quest. God’s Word will work for you!
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) God’s Word will profit your life. It will transform your soul, and as your soul is changed, you will experience more and more of God’s life and power.
God is love. He is our loving Heavenly Father, and He wants you to prosper and be in health. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2) He wants to heal you and bring victory and success into your life. However, He can only prosper you as your soul prospers. As you receive God’s Word, your soul will prosper. God’s Word will transform your life as you renew your mind.
The healing, prospering and perfecting of your soul is a life-long process. That doesn’t mean you are earning salvation. It simply means that your soul needs constant renewal and renovation as you constantly change into the image of Christ. God’s implanted Word is filled with His life and power to save your soul. “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21) The salvation of your soul (mind, will and emotions) is not a one-time experience, but it is a daily journey for the rest of your life. As you plant the seeds of God’s Word into the good soil of your heart, it will produce a crop of God’s power and provision. Fill your mind with God’s Word and experience the power of transformed living!
