Both the Bible and Jesus are called “the Word of God.” The Bible is God’s written Word. Jesus is God’s personal spoken Word.
The word authority comes from the word author. The author is the one who gives authority to whatever he writes or speaks.
II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that God is the Author of the Holy Scriptures via His Holy Spirit.
“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.”
The Greek says “God-breathed.” The same Greek word is used for breath and spirit. All Scripture is breathed by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is the author or authority behind the Scripture.
Since God is the author, then He is also the interpreter of all Scripture. If you read a book with uncertainty as to what it means, you can consult the author for clarification. The author is the one who knows what he meant when He wrote the words.
II Peter 1:20-21,
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved (or borne along) by the Holy Spirit.”
When individuals try to interpret the Scriptures, false teachings and cults arise. Only God as the Holy Spirit is authorized to interpret what He inspired holy men to write. One of the first rules of Bible Hermeneutics or interpretation is allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. What do the other Scriptures on this same subject or the use of this same word have to say about it?
Jesus confirmed the authority of the Scriptures. John 10:35, “If He (God) called them gods, to whom the Word of God came (and the Scriptures cannot be broken)…”
Jesus calls the Bible “the Word of God” and “the Scripture.” We still use these to speak about the Bible today.
There are two Greek words for word; Logos and Rhema. Logos is the total eternal counsel of God. Rhema is the spoken Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17, “…take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
Paul instructing the church at Ephesus reminds them to fight the devil with the armor of God, especially with the Word of God. He likens the Word of God to a sword. Rhema is the Greek word for Word of God used by Paul.
To fight the devil’s temptations we have to use the Rhema or spoken Word of God. We have to speak God’s Words to the enemy. Before we can speak the Word, we have to read and study the Word. David says, “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove. God spoke the Rhema of His Word to Jesus; “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17
Jesus then was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil during a fast of 40 days. When the devil tries to get Him to sin, Jesus always replies with: “It is written-It is written-It is written.”
Jesus spoke the written Words of God as Rhema Words of God. Jesus took His answers from the Book of Deuteronomy, again confirming their divine inspiration as the Words of God, and spoke them with His voice to the devil. The devil left Him for a season.
The Written Word becomes powerful when spoken aloud with the belief that God is the Author. The devil knows it, and he is hoping that you will doubt it.
Right before Jesus went back to His Father, He promised the disciples the help of the Holy Spirit.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:25-26
Jesus says that whatever He has spoken to the disciples, the Holy Spirit would bring it back to their remembrance, and the Holy Spirit would also teach things which Jesus had not yet taught them.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:12-14
The Word of God is Logos as the written Words of God in the Bible. The Word of God is Rhema as the spoken Words to your heart by the Holy Spirit.
- The Holy Spirit in quickening the written and the spoken Words of God will always magnify the Person and Name of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as the Only Way to Eternal Life. Any words received that do not lift Jesus up as the Son of God, as Immanuel, are not coming from the Holy Spirit.
This is why John says we must ‘test’ the spirits, to discern where they are coming from; God or the devil.
I John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
We need to always ask, “Will this interpretation glorify Jesus?”
Many times preachers get into themselves instead of into the Holy Spirit, and if we listen and watch, we can soon tell when they have quit lifting up Jesus Christ and start to take glory for their self. We have to be constantly aware of ourselves to discern whether we are exalting Christ or self for the glory.
“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
Jesus said, “The Words I speak to you are Spirit and they are Life.” John 6:63
One of my first experiences with casting demons out was in Lancaster, Ohio. I was in between pastorates and the local church pastor and his visiting evangelist called me to come over to this man’s house and help them pray.
When I arrived they had this man down on the floor of the living room praying over him commanding the demons to leave. The man was thrashing back and forth on his back on the floor and nearly throwing these two men off. His head was going back and forth from side to side, and he was using very foul language. You could feel the evil of the demons in him permeating the room.
I walked in, threw off my winter coat, straddled his chest, with my Bible in my left hand, praying in the Spirit. I commanded the demons to look at me, but they refused. I held my Bible in front of his face and again commanded the demons to look at me.
It was amazing to see this man who had been thrashing about back and forth non-stop come to a complete halt as his eyes became big as silver dollars staring straight at me.I said, “Do you see this Bible? This Bible is the Word of God.
The Word of God says you have to obey me in the Name of Jesus Christ. I command you to come out of this man in the Name of Jesus Christ by the authority of His Word!
Immediately his body went limp as he relaxed and he began to speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit. A holy peace filled the room and all the evil left. The man, began to smile as he lifted his arms above his head still lying on the floor on his back and laugh as he continued to pray in the Holy Spirit.
- This is why I sleep with the Bible under my pillow and why I never allow the Bible to be on the floor or allow it to be used as a coffee coaster. The Bible is God’s Logos and becomes God’s Rhema as it is believed and spoken with the anointing of the Holy Spirit by which it was written!
The Words I speak unto you are Spirit and they are Life. When Jesus speaks to your heart His Words you know they are indeed living Spirit filled Words of God, and you will never doubt the Word of God again.