Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall (Matthew 7:24-27).
As I begin today, let me define what I mean as I talk about being a doer of or acting on the Word. Being a doer of the Word means that I make a decision to act by faith on what God’s Word says about my situation in life, whatever it may be. It means that I make a decision to consciously believe that what God’s Word says about what I am going through is more real than what I feel or see at the moment. As 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT) puts it: So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
In the coming year, it will be more important than ever to be a doer of the Word. Tests, trials, calamity, turmoil, and social unrest will continue to increase. Those who navigate these turbulent waters will act on the Word in the face of adversity.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away (Matthew 24:35). So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).
The Word brings a calm, a certainty, a boldness, a courage, and a hope to every encounter of life. Acting on the Word in the midst of adversity removes the spirit of fear and worry, and releases the ability of God in the circumstance you face.
A person who has decided ahead of time to be a doer of the Word will be able to win life’s fight! Acting on the Word makes you a conqueror. Acting on the Word brings with it the attitude that you and God cannot be defeated.
Acting on the Word brings stability to the emotions during hard places. Instead of the yo-yo of ups and downs, the person who acts on the Word lives above emotional unrest. The person who acts on the Word speaks the Word and ignores emotions that seek to pull them down into sense realm living!
Being a doer of the Word will has a calming effect on the mind. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You (Isaiah 26:3). The Father has given us a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). When the negative report comes, the person who acts on the Word immediately balances the report with what the Word says about them and then speaks the Word out loud to defeat the negative thoughts.
If you have not yet done so, choose today to be a doer of the Word. Choose the Word as your final authority and consultant in every experience of life. If you do, you’ll be building your life on a foundation of rock and not shifting sand.
About nine months after Susan and I were first married, we moved to Oklahoma to attend bible college. I was 21 and did not understand that when you set out to obey God, resistance will become a normal part of life! One thing that I did have in my favor was that I had learned that if you believe what God says over what your circumstances tell you, you’ll survive any test, and you will thrive!
So when the emotions came that made me feel like I had missed God, I resisted them. I was removed from all familiar surroundings, and had no one to reply on. God’s Word said: I will never fail you. I will never abandon you. So we can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear …(Hebrews 13:5-6 -NLT). Susan and I faced every day knowing that we were not alone.
When we moved, it took over 2 months for us to secure jobs. We were living on our savings for school. Thoughts came every day that I should call my dad, and he would lend me money to live on. Another thought came that I would be wise to go home now, because I am going to fail financially and will have to move back to South Carolina anyway.
But I remembered that God’s Word said, but my God will supply all your needs according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I chose to remind God of His promises to me by speaking out loud what His Word says. I did it over and over and as I did the feelings that nothing would work out continued.
I asked God for a job that would more than supply our needs as Susan and i attended school. Jesus said, Whatever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them (Mark 11:24). I spoke out loud throughout the day for two months that I believed that I received a job that would more than supply our needs. It looked and felt like it would never happen. But, I made it my job to look for a job, and the job came. I found a position as night manager in a grocery store. The job in today’s dollars paid over $27.00 an hour! Our needs were more than met.
You see, I found out that God’s Word will work if you choose to put it into practice. I found that, in the face of extreme opposition, if you will act like what God says is true, you will win. And it still works today!
Neglecting the Word, refusing to act on it, makes us a hostage to our thoughts and emotions at the moment, and brings fear, depression, gloom, helplessness, and doubt. Neglecting the Word opens the door to the adversary to steal, kill and destroy (see John 10:10).
Acting on the Word brings God into each situation of life and assures your success. Acting on the Word makes you and God a partner in all of life’s events. God is watching over His Word to bring it to pass (Jeremiah 1:12).
What from His Word are you acting on for Him to watch over and do for you today? If we choose in every circumstance to act on God’s Word, and act like it is true, then 2019 could be our best year yet!