Transformational Power Activated Through Engaging with Scripture

The Beliefs of the World Transform Us

We live in a world where we are very much influenced in our hearts and minds by the things around us. Statements and beliefs like “God helps those who helps themselves” and “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” impact our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. We hear these statements and consider them consciously or subconsciously. We make determinations about them and may have internal thoughts like “that’s right ‘God does help those who help themselves so I need to get out there make things happen.” We then start devising plans and charting our course. We become less dependent on God and more dependent on ourselves. Scripture actually says that God helps those who put their trust in Him:

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 

We get hurt in a relationship or a situation, and someone says, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” We agree. Distrust towards people starts to creep in. We begin to struggle to be “all in” with people or even partially in. We build walls around our heart to protect ourselves. These walls keep us from getting to the depths needed to have healthy relationships or a healthy marriage. They can distance us from friends and even our own children. These walls begin to become a barrier between us and the Lord. We struggle to feel close to Him. We struggle to trust him. Consciously or subconsciously, we decide to not put all of our eggs in His basket, and we begin to seek other things to fulfill the needs that God is supposed to meet.

These progressions are fortified in us through our meditations, our words, and our actions. Over time, they become a part of our belief system and have great influence on our life. They become our truth and are lived out in our world around us.

Those two statements and beliefs are very common in our American culture: you determine your destiny so make things happen and don’t trust anything or anyone. As seen above, these beliefs get in and work very actively in people’s lives to mold and shape.

God’s Word is Alive and Active

God has a lot to say about his active Word. His Word is…

• Living and Active (Hebrews 4:12)
• Dividing (Hebrews 4:12)
• Discerning of thoughts and intentions (Hebrews 4:12)
• At work in believers (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
• Sanctifying (John 17:17)
• A blessing (Luke 11:28)
• It keeps us spiritually alive. (Matthew 4:4)
• Faith building (Romans 10:17)
• Instrumental in rebirthing us into the Kingdom of God (1 Peter 1:23)
• Teaching, Reproofing, Correcting, and Training in Righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• Completing us (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• Equipping us for good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
• Accomplishing His purposes (Isaiah 55:11)
• Succeeding in its assignments (Isaiah 55:11)
• A lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm 119:105)
• Spirit and Life (John 6:63)
• Jesus (John 1:14)

Those verses leave no doubt that the Word of God has transformational power in our lives. Reading the Word can impact us. Hearing the Word can impact us. Engaging with the Word and inviting it to work in and through our lives takes the impact to another level. Take a look at this passage from Songs (my prayers are in bold):

Who is this one?

She arises out of her desert, clinging to her beloved. {Lord, help me to arise out of the desert places. Let me cling to you}

When I awakened you under the apple tree, as you were feasting upon me, I awakened your innermost being with the travail of birth as you longed for more of me. {Lord, give me a desire to feast on you and to long for more of you. Awaken my innermost being.}

Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. {Lord, fasten yourself on my heart as a seal of fire forevermore}

This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. {Lord, let your living consuming flame seal me as your prisoner of love.}

My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. {Lord, let your passion break away the chains of death and the grave in my life. Consume everything in my life that is not of you or for you.}

Place the fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. {Lord, I place your fierce, unrelenting fire over my entire being.}

Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. {I thank you Lord that nothing will ever extinguish your flame.}

Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. {Thank you, Lord, that your raging fire burning in me in unquenchable. Thank you that it is consuming everything in my life that brings dishonor to you. I want to honor you with every part of my life.}

It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore. {Lord, help me to always yield to your all-consuming fire so that yielding to you becomes the norm in my life.}

Song of Songs 8:5-7 TPT

Can you imagine the impact those prayers would have on your life?!? Imagine how your life would change…your mindset…your situations…your confidence in Him.

Friend, I invite you to interact with the Word of God. Take ownership of it. Receive your promises. Apply it to your situations. Allow it to work in and through you. Watch His Word come alive. Walk in the fullness of His Truth. He has made it available to you.

If the belief systems and ways of the world can impact us to such great degrees, image how much more the Word of God can make an impact in our lives if we allow it.