As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. Jesus said therefore to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered Him ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”
John 6: 66-69
This was an inflection point in the ministry of Jesus. Looking at the ministry of Jesus, He had the perfect ministry. He always preached the perfectly anointed message that was on time and in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. Not one person who came seeking a miracle walked away without a breakthrough. Yet, here we see many who were honored to walk with Him, turning away from Him.
The pressure that was on the twelve was incredible to leave as well. If they continued with Jesus, there would be no returning to their old life; continuing from this point would cost everything. So, why did they continue to walk with Jesus?
What was the thing that separated those who walked away and those who remained? The Word! Smith Wigglesworth said-
“This is called the Book of Life. It is called the Spirit of Life. It is called the Son of Life. The Word of Life, the Testament of the new Covenant, which has been shed in blood. There it is, the Bible.”
The Bible is unlike any other book and for us who believe it is life. The Reformation was built upon “Sola Scriptura,”or the final authority of the Word. Today, in this the Last Hour, the battle is once again over the authority of the Word. The world’s claim is that science is the final authority, and the Word is merely a book of opinions that they deem don’t belong to us today.
Dwelling in the Secret Place
No wonder the Lord warns us of this hour-
“Because you have kept the Word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world to test those who dwell upon the earth.”
Revelation 3: 10
Turn to Psalm 91-
“He who dwells in the Shelter (Secret Place) of the Most High, will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91: 1, 2
The intimacy of fellowship that believers must know brings them to a place where they must say and declare from the secret place of their hearts that the Lord God is my refuge, my fortress, and My God in whom I trust.’ These are not mere words spoken because they sound good but from the depth of our being. Like the disciples who continued with Jesus, we receive Him as the Living Word.
“There is it, the Bible. I hold it before you and it is no more than any other print without the Spirit of revelation. It is a dead letter. It is lifeless. It has no power to give regeneration. It has no power to cause new creation. It has no power to cause new birth apart from the Spirit.”
The world does not have ears to hear the Word, and to it, the Word is simply an outdated book. Sadly, many in the Church today see the Word as a great Book but not the final authority.
The Word is Final Authority
They believe the voice of the prophet is greater than the Word, but the Lord declares-
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My Name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility, and the deception of their own minds.”
Jeremiah 14: 14
All prophesy must bow to the Word and not the Word to prophesy. Further, we must understand that our God has already declared the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46: 10). We can’t change His eternal purposes. His ways are perfect and not ours.
The Holy Spirit will not act contrary to the Word or draw attention from the Word. He will not add to or subtract from the Word. His ministry is to open our eyes to see and receive the Word.
Smith said…
“Only by the Spirit can we understand that which is spiritual. We cannot understand it. We have to be spiritual to understand it. No man can understand the Word of God without his being quickened by the new nature. The Word of God is the new nature. The Word of God is the new life, to quicken mortal flesh in this order.”
We need to learn to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us through His Word and through the Word to lead us into all truth. We need the fresh manna of the Secret Place.
“The Word of God is never stale. It is all life. May we be so spiritually minded that it becomes life and truth to us. ‘I am the living bread’… This is the living bread. Feed on it. Believe it. Digest it. Let is have a real new quickening in your body.”
We must receive the Word as the final authority, not our opinions. We may have the greatest opinion, but all opinions and thoughts must be brought into the obedience of the Word. Remember this-
“He is a wonderful God- His intelligence, His superabundance in all revelation. His power to keep everything in perfect order. The sun in all its glory which is shining so majestically on the earth today…Who can make a new heaven and a new earth, wherein will dwell righteousness, where no sin will even darken the place, where the glory of that celestial place will be wonderful.”
The Most High God
He is the MOST HIGH God and the ALMIGHTY ONE. We tend to make Him too small and as a result, think too little of His Word. But His Word created in multi-dimensions is above and beyond our comprehension.
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the Word of His power. When He made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
Hebrews 1: 3
If we boast in His salvation, then we must boast in the fact that He upholds all things by the power of His Word. Once again, let us note that He is the Majesty on HIGH, or the one above all, before all, and with all power.
All things operate using complex laws that ensure they operate correctly and consistently. These laws hold all things together and define them and their purpose. From the sub-atomic to the complete universe, all is held together by extremely complex laws. And it is His Word that programmed and maintained all things. His Word is infinite in scope and beyond all human thought.
“For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Hebrews 4: 12
The Word of God- the Word, the life, the Son, the Bread, the Spirit, in you, separating you from soulishness. The same power, the same Spirit, separating soul and spirit, joint and marrow, right un you, The Life, the Word, the power by the Spirit quickening the mortal body. It is a resurrection force. It is divine order.”
It was the Word that faced and overcame death. It was the Word that saved us and brought us into new life. The Word will recreate all things and bring things into compliance with His higher and greater purpose. The Word is always higher and greater, and it is the Word that will work in us to bring for His purpose. We must receive the Word as the authority that it is so that it may speak with authority in our lives and separate the flesh from the Spirit. For if we sow to the Spirit we reap life, but if we sow to the flesh, we receive death. Our brain tissue revelation may sound incredible but it is flesh and limited. The Word is unlimited and multi-dimensional. The Word is life and produces life. The Word is living, so it reproduces in us according to its kind. The Word breathes in us. It moves and grows in us. The Word brings us into compliance with the heart and will of the Father. In His perfect plan, He gave us the Word and He expects us to receive His Word. If we come to Him, we must come in humility by bowing to His Word.
