Aligning our words with God’s Word (Part 2)
Like we’ve seen in “The attitude of the heart” study, worship in spirit and truth starts from the heart. Every real change in our lives starts from the heart. We can try to change ourselves, but as long as the heart doesn’t change, the old fruits will always come back up. There are so many Christians who never heard this truth before, and who’ve tried to change their selves and failed. And because of that they became disappointed, discouraged and even started to see themselves as no longer worthy enough to serve Jesus. And that’s exactly what happens when we try to live according the law. As soon as we break it, it breaks us. Someone once told me that we should do our best and that God will do the rest. The parts and behaviors we can change, we must change. That’s one step in the right direction, but it still leaves us with an unchanged heart. You don’t want to leave your heart unchanged, when Jesus offers you the possibility to change it for you.
Worship is not just the songs we sing. It’s the way we live our lives. It goes far beyond just singing songs. Worship is about all the things that bring honor to God. That can surely be expressed in and by the songs we sing, but it must also become visible in the other parts and moments of our life. One of the most important things, and personally I believe it is THE most important thing, is the way we use our ability to speak. Do we have a different words and expressions for Sunday, then we use in the rest of the week? Then it means nothing. That is what Jesus called giving Him lip service, while the heart is far away from Him.
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:43-45
All the words that come out of our mouth are produced by our heart. Here Jesus points out that we don’t become a sinner by what we do, but by what comes forth from the heart. Just to clear things up, we can absolutely commit sins by our actions. What I’m saying is that our actions are not the cause, but the fruit of something bigger, that came forth out of our heart. So as long as our hearts remain unchanged, we can try to change our actions, but sin will always come back because the root is still there. That root makes us unholy, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Luke 3:9
It is impossible to live a holy life and to bear good fruits, when the root remains intact. In our lives it is the heart where everything starts, the heart is our root. Unless our heart changes, we will never be able to live a Godly, holy and fruitful life. Jesus made this so very clear that it can’t be misunderstood. His motivation towards us is love, but as we all know, love has to come from both sides. It seems almost impossible to meet His standard, but it truly can be met. Jesus never asks something from us, without handing us the solution as well. So let’s start at how the heart can be changed.
We already know that we can’t change our hearts and we know that God can. The first step is to invite Jesus, to invite the Holy Spirit, into our hearts. Not just to reside there, but to have ownership and to establish His Lordship there. We can invite Him into our heart, while He remains being a guest there. But let’s be honest, when He purchased your life, He became the owner of it, right? Yet He doesn’t take ownership but leaves that choice to us. The difference with God and satan is that God makes sons, while satan makes slaves. So we have to specifically give Jesus permission to have the ownership in our hearts and to establish His Lordship there. The process of letting Jesus have ownership and of letting His Lordship in our heart intact is an ongoing process. It means that you have to keep it alive, because if you don’t, it slowly fades away and you will turn back into your “old self”.
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:2
It is very clear that we did receive the Holy Spirit by the hearing of faith and not by the works of the law. Here it becomes clear that words do play a big part in our Christian life. The things we say, the things we proclaim, they have power and are establishing something in the spiritual realm. Our words are forming the course of our life. It’s like the steering wheel that determines the direction. The question of how to move in the direction of God, and in the direction of a changed heart, is mentioned in Romans 10.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
So basically God asks us to align our words with His Word. Every word that we speak that is in alignment with God’s Word, causes something to start moving in the spiritual realm. It is like building a house of faith. When all the bricks are in place, you’ll have a house. You can consider your words as the bricks that can build or break that house of faith. Faith is a process and it needs grow first. When it’s accomplished in the spiritual realm, you’ll know it when you actually start seeing the result in the natural. You can apply the Word of God to every situation of your life. The more time you spent with God’s Word, the more you will become like Jesus. Your words of faith, aligned with His Word, will cause the real change in you. Even more then that, your words aligned with Gods Words are just as powerful as when they’re coming from the mouth of God Himself. We have to spent time in and with His Word and we actually have to speak it in our own lives, calling faith to life. The Word of God has the power to change us and to purify us, to make us holy. Why? Because the Word is God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
So with every single Word of God that you see, speak, hear and memorize, you become less and He becomes more in your life. His aim is your heart, the place where all evil starts, and He will change it for you, by His Word and by His Spirit. It is so clear why satan does everything he can to keep us from reading, hearing and using the Word of God. Not only does your heart change, the Word of God will make you grow in spiritual authority and maturity.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:31-36
The Word of God will change your heart, change your way of thinking, change the way the speak, change the way you act, and it will bring it in alignment with God. The truth will set you free. And because the Word is the truth and the Word and the Truth are Jesus, it is He Who makes you free. And like He said, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Those who abide in His Word, are those who are able to worship Him is spirit and in truth. Every time you’ll open your Bible, you’ll meet Jesus. It is He Who will change your heart, by the Holy Spirit in us, and Who makes our heart holy, worthy and pure.
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:16
When satan tried to tempt Jesus, he tried to use the Scripture against Him. The things he said were actually mentioned in the Bible. But Jesus, having the Holy Spirit, knew exactly that it was the truth with a twist. It sounds like the truth, looks like the truth, but it’s no longer the truth. When the truth is twisted, even if it’s a little bit, it becomes a lie. And when we accept that lie as the truth, we lose a part of our authority. But thank God He had the Holy Spirit! Jesus knew what satan tried to do, and because He knew the Word of God, He was able to resist him. The same Holy Spirit is ready and available to do the exact same thing for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, to give you insight, knowledge and understanding of the Word of God and He’ll lead the way. Remember, Revelation 12:11 points out how everyone can overcome the enemy: by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. That is not just while we sing songs, it’s about every word we say, sing, pray, utter, and think. Bring it in alignment with God’s Word.
Worship is not just the songs we sing. It’s the way we live our lives. It goes far beyond just singing songs. Worship is about all the things that bring honor to God. That can surely be expressed in and by the songs we sing, but it must also become visible in the other parts and moments of our life. One of the most important things, and personally I believe it is THE most important thing, is the way we use our ability to speak. Do we have a different words and expressions for Sunday, then we use in the rest of the week? Then it means nothing. That is what Jesus called giving Him lip service, while the heart is far away from Him.
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Luke 6:43-45
All the words that come out of our mouth are produced by our heart. Here Jesus points out that we don’t become a sinner by what we do, but by what comes forth from the heart. Just to clear things up, we can absolutely commit sins by our actions. What I’m saying is that our actions are not the cause, but the fruit of something bigger, that came forth out of our heart. So as long as our hearts remain unchanged, we can try to change our actions, but sin will always come back because the root is still there. That root makes us unholy, but it doesn’t have to stay that way.
And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Luke 3:9
It is impossible to live a holy life and to bear good fruits, when the root remains intact. In our lives it is the heart where everything starts, the heart is our root. Unless our heart changes, we will never be able to live a Godly, holy and fruitful life. Jesus made this so very clear that it can’t be misunderstood. His motivation towards us is love, but as we all know, love has to come from both sides. It seems almost impossible to meet His standard, but it truly can be met. Jesus never asks something from us, without handing us the solution as well. So let’s start at how the heart can be changed.
We already know that we can’t change our hearts and we know that God can. The first step is to invite Jesus, to invite the Holy Spirit, into our hearts. Not just to reside there, but to have ownership and to establish His Lordship there. We can invite Him into our heart, while He remains being a guest there. But let’s be honest, when He purchased your life, He became the owner of it, right? Yet He doesn’t take ownership but leaves that choice to us. The difference with God and satan is that God makes sons, while satan makes slaves. So we have to specifically give Jesus permission to have the ownership in our hearts and to establish His Lordship there. The process of letting Jesus have ownership and of letting His Lordship in our heart intact is an ongoing process. It means that you have to keep it alive, because if you don’t, it slowly fades away and you will turn back into your “old self”.
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:2
It is very clear that we did receive the Holy Spirit by the hearing of faith and not by the works of the law. Here it becomes clear that words do play a big part in our Christian life. The things we say, the things we proclaim, they have power and are establishing something in the spiritual realm. Our words are forming the course of our life. It’s like the steering wheel that determines the direction. The question of how to move in the direction of God, and in the direction of a changed heart, is mentioned in Romans 10.
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
So basically God asks us to align our words with His Word. Every word that we speak that is in alignment with God’s Word, causes something to start moving in the spiritual realm. It is like building a house of faith. When all the bricks are in place, you’ll have a house. You can consider your words as the bricks that can build or break that house of faith. Faith is a process and it needs grow first. When it’s accomplished in the spiritual realm, you’ll know it when you actually start seeing the result in the natural. You can apply the Word of God to every situation of your life. The more time you spent with God’s Word, the more you will become like Jesus. Your words of faith, aligned with His Word, will cause the real change in you. Even more then that, your words aligned with Gods Words are just as powerful as when they’re coming from the mouth of God Himself. We have to spent time in and with His Word and we actually have to speak it in our own lives, calling faith to life. The Word of God has the power to change us and to purify us, to make us holy. Why? Because the Word is God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
So with every single Word of God that you see, speak, hear and memorize, you become less and He becomes more in your life. His aim is your heart, the place where all evil starts, and He will change it for you, by His Word and by His Spirit. It is so clear why satan does everything he can to keep us from reading, hearing and using the Word of God. Not only does your heart change, the Word of God will make you grow in spiritual authority and maturity.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
John 8:31-36
The Word of God will change your heart, change your way of thinking, change the way the speak, change the way you act, and it will bring it in alignment with God. The truth will set you free. And because the Word is the truth and the Word and the Truth are Jesus, it is He Who makes you free. And like He said, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Those who abide in His Word, are those who are able to worship Him is spirit and in truth. Every time you’ll open your Bible, you’ll meet Jesus. It is He Who will change your heart, by the Holy Spirit in us, and Who makes our heart holy, worthy and pure.
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:16
When satan tried to tempt Jesus, he tried to use the Scripture against Him. The things he said were actually mentioned in the Bible. But Jesus, having the Holy Spirit, knew exactly that it was the truth with a twist. It sounds like the truth, looks like the truth, but it’s no longer the truth. When the truth is twisted, even if it’s a little bit, it becomes a lie. And when we accept that lie as the truth, we lose a part of our authority. But thank God He had the Holy Spirit! Jesus knew what satan tried to do, and because He knew the Word of God, He was able to resist him. The same Holy Spirit is ready and available to do the exact same thing for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, to give you insight, knowledge and understanding of the Word of God and He’ll lead the way. Remember, Revelation 12:11 points out how everyone can overcome the enemy: by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony. That is not just while we sing songs, it’s about every word we say, sing, pray, utter, and think. Bring it in alignment with God’s Word.