“The Word of God” or “the Word of the Lord” refers to various situations in the Bible. First of all, it indicates that God speaks directly. When He communicated to Adam and Eve, what He said was the Word of God. Abraham, Isaac, and Moses also receive the words from the Lord. God delivered His Word to the entire nation of Israel at Mount Sinai when He recited the Ten Commandments; the Word they heard was His words.
In terms of direct speech, God also speaks through the prophets. When they addressed God’s people, they prologue their statements with, “Thus saith the Lord,” “Hear the word of the Lord,” or “The word of the Lord came unto me.” In this manner, when the Israelites were listening to the prophet, they were listening to the Word of God.
In the New Testament, which is slightly different from the Old Testament, the apostles did not preface their comments with “Thus saith the Lord,” what they spoke and proclaimed was indeed the Word of God. Paul said to the Thessalonians in First Thessalonians, chapter two, verse thirteen, when ye received the word which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God.” Furthermore, everything that Jesus spoke was the Word of God, for He is, after all, God. The Son of God had divine authority within Himself to deliver the Word of God. So important is it to listen to Jesus’ words that He says, “He that heareth my word and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation as described in the Gospel of John, chapter five, verse twenty-four. Jesus identifies with the Word of God that He is called “the Word.”
The Word of God is the written record of what the prophets, apostles, and Jesus have spoken in the scriptures. In the New Testament, whether a writer used phrases such as “Moses said,” “David said,” “the Holy Spirit /Ghost says” made no difference; what was in the Bible was the Word of God. However, even though not on the same level of authority as scripture itself, the spoken proclamation by preachers and prophets in the church today may be called the Word of God. Speakers from the platform must never stand independent of the written Word of God. The test to determine whether God’s Word proclaimed in a sermon or message is whether it corresponds to God’s written Word.
The power of the Word of God stands firm in the heavens. Yet it is not static; it is dynamic, powerful, and accomplishes great things. The Word of God is the creative word. The world and all the living things came from the spoken Word of God. The Word of God has the power to sustain creation.
The Word of God has the power to impart new life. The unbelievers received the Word of God before converting to believers. The people accepting it allow the Word to take root and transform them. It is the reason Jesus is called the “Word of life.”
The Word of God releases grace, power, and revelation by which believers grow in their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. It is also the sword the Lord has given to us by which we may fight Satan. Jesus’ victory over Satan’s temptations, each time He defeated the enemy by declaring, “it is written.”
Finally, the Word of God has the power to judge us. The Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles frequently spoke words of judgment received from the Lord. Jesus, Himself said His Word condemns those who reject Him.
Our reaction to the Word of God should be receptive. We must eagerly hear God’s Word and seek to understand it. We must praise God’s Word, love it, and let it be our joy and delight. We must accept what the Word of God says, hide it deep within our hearts, trust in it, and put our hope in its promises. Above all, we must obey what it commands and live according to it. God calls those who minister to handle it correctly and preach it faithfully. All believers are to proclaim God’s Word wherever they go.