Trusting Jesus No Matter What - The Power of God’s Word, Part 1

I don't know about you, but sometimes I hear people say, the Lord spoke to me. And I wonder what exactly do they mean?

And exactly how does that work? Well, if you wondered about that yourself, stick around, because we're going to talk about how God speaks to us and how in the midst of maybe some of the most difficult things in life, He builds an unshakable faith. Stay with me. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. The mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians through the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram. And could you relate to the confusion he just described? Do you struggle to understand what God's saying to you?

Or are you even aware that the Creator of the universe is speaking to you right now? Today Chip's going to teach us how to hear from God as he picks up in his series, Trusting Jesus No Matter What. But before he gets going, let me encourage you to use Chip's message notes while you listen. They'll help you get the very most out of what you're about to hear.

Download them under the Broadcasts tab at livingontheedge.org. App listeners, tap Fill in Notes. But with that, here's Chip with his talk, The Power of God's Word, from Hebrews chapter 1. How do you build an unshakable faith? And as I've thought about this, I've thought about words are powerful. I mean, words are very, very powerful. Some of us have that word of a coach or of a parent who said something that, I mean, inspired us, set us on a direction, spoke life into us. And some of us have some negative words from a parent or a coach or a teacher or a friend that begin to frame who we really were. You see, words are really, really powerful, but here's the key.

Depending on who speaks them, that's what determines whether it's just something trite or something indelible, something that marks you forever. And so before we go on, let's talk about, just a minute, Jesus. Who is this Jesus that's speaking to us? And in Colossians chapter 1, it really answers the question, who is Jesus? And the focus is His majesty, His supremacy, His title. He's the sovereign King. He created everything. Everything was created by Him and for Him. His action, He reigns, not someday, but right now and one day fully. And then He makes this amazing invitation to you and to me, come just as you are. And the result is peace.

It's rest. And then in Philippians chapter 2, 5 through 11, it really answers the question, so what did Jesus do? And what He did was His method.

It was incarnation. He was a servant. And the role was high priest. You know, He brought us before God and He brings God down to earth.

And then His role and action was to redeem and He has this tremendous invitation. As I descended into greatness, follow me. When you lose your life for me in the gospel, you find it.

And then the result is love. And so as we think about this, here's a question for you. When is the most memorable, the most vivid time in your whole life that God spoke to you and spoke to you from His word? I mean, maybe there was a big decision or maybe you were afraid or maybe you were in a crisis and you had the word out and God, speak to me, speak to me. And in your mind's eye, think back to when was it that He really spoke with power and clarity? And you hear people say it's like it jumped off the page or like the Holy Spirit highlighted a passage. And it wasn't just in your head, but it went into your heart and it birthed faith and you trusted Him.

I've had a number of those experiences, but one of the most vivid was a number of years ago when I pastored a church in Santa Cruz for 12 years. We loved it. By the grace of God, you know, some buildings got built.

The staff was together. There was great joy. To our shock, thousands of people were showing up and God spoke to me about a plan He had for my life. And then a group in Atlanta called Walk Through the Bible said, we think it's God's will for you to come and be our new president.

The founder had left to do some other things. And I mean, I wrestled with it. And my wife told me very clearly, look, I don't know if this is God's will. I don't want to go.

Let me make this really clear. I do not want to go. Now, if it's God's will and you determine that, I will be faithful, but I'm not going as a happy camper. And I remember finding myself, you know, the weeks went by and so I fasted and then I prayed and Lord, show me and speak to me. And I think sometimes the older you get in the Lord, He doesn't make it as vivid.

You know, He says, you know me, you know my heart, you know how to hear my voice. I want you to trust me. And so I was reading and then I was fasting and it was, I think I should do it. And oh, no, I think I should do it. And it got down to, I believe for what God showed me, I need to do this, but this is not going to go well in my marriage. And then I realized, I think my wife's become a bit of an idol. And so for that, it was going to be like a huge step of faith. And I knew the price tag would be big and I didn't want to leave the church and had been there 12 years and things were going great and she had just remodeled our little kitchen. I mean, it was just like, please, Lord, really. And I was sitting on the floor of the airport in LA and I was in between traveling somewhere and it got down to like the last day.

By tomorrow, I had to give them an answer, yes or no. And as I was reading, I said, Lord, I'm just going to read where I'm reading. I need you to speak to me and I want you to know that whatever you say, I'll do it no matter what. And I got to Acts chapter 20, verses 24, and the apostle Paul says, but my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus, the work of telling others the good news about God's wonderful kindness and love. And it's interesting, I read that off a little plaque and this plaque, my wife, it's kind of funny, she gave that to me in June of 2001 and for my birthday.

And it says, Chip MVP. In other words, what makes you the most valuable player is you do what God made you to do. A year later, God shows me I'm to do this big step and it was hard.

So I'm not going to lie to you. It was really challenging. And my wife did not do well the first six or eight, nine months, but we both look back and we both realize it was a turning point in my daughter's life because of where we lived and the education she got. It was a turning point in my life out of Atlanta. That's what took things all around the world. It was a turning point in me personally in that God revealed some things that I needed to address in my life that were very, very painful.

He took us through some very challenging times, but it created a level of dependence and I think some character development that really needed to happen. And so here's what I want to ask you. What's the biggest barrier that you have in hearing God's voice? I mean, what keeps you from hearing the voice of God through the Word or the whisper of His Spirit or even hearing it through the life of other believers? I mean, is it demands?

Is it busyness? Is it maybe the Lord has spoken to you and you haven't acted on what He said before? Is it you're not in the Word? I mean, what is keeping you from hearing God's voice?

Because here's what I want you to get. We're going to look at the third snapshot in Hebrews chapter 1 of Jesus and we're going to see the role of the Word of God, that how important God's Word. God's Word is central to speak the world into existence. God's Word is central for Jesus as He speaks and talks about how the kingdom is going to come. And we're going to learn that the logos, that God's Word is Jesus Himself and He became fully man and fully God and He was the living Word of God. And today He's given us His Word to guide us, protect us and change us.

So with that, I'd like to jump in and I'd like to ask a very important question. Remember Colossians 1? Who is He? Philippians 2?

What did He do? And so now Hebrews chapter 1, how did He do it? Jesus was fully man.

So as a human, when life got hard, He didn't like pull off His robe and there's a big S on His chest. You know, deity, Superman. Jesus said He could do nothing apart from the Father. And so He lived in dependency on the Father.

I only do what I see the Father doing. I'm waiting for Him and He did it in the power of the Holy Spirit. He was tempted in every way like you and me.

So here's the question. How did He appropriate God's grace and God's power so that as a fully human being, depending on the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit, He could overcome all temptation and fulfill the mission that God gave Him? The answer to that question is going to be in Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 through 3.

Follow along as I read. He spoke. He has spoken to us the radiance of His glory and by His Word. All those things have to do with God communicates. God has communicated. This passage says in many portions. So He gave direct revelation, right?

Remember Deuteronomy, there was the law and there's the wisdom ledger and there's the prophets. And it says in many ways, visions, dreams, a burning bush or even a donkey speaking. So He's spoken in many ways, but here's the key. In these last days, in other words, the final, most complete and the clearest communication of God is going to be through the Son.

Now here's what I want you to get. It's very, very interesting. After He says God spoke through the prophets in various times, but in His last days, His Son, then He gives seven specific things that describe Jesus.

Let me just give you a quick overview. In these last days, He spoke through Jesus, one whom He appointed heir of all things. Think of that like you inherit. Jesus is going to inherit everything, everything in the universe. What that means is He's the final authority. Second, it says through whom He also made the world. Now we know He's the Creator, but this is an interesting phrase.

Literally, it's that He entered and unfolded the ages. So Jesus not only created all that there is, but as history is unfolding, Jesus is the one in control, giving oversight to history unfolding. Third, and Jesus is the radiance of His glory, not the reflection, not a brightness. In other words, God and His glory, Jesus and His glory, He sang the same deity, fully God. Fourth, Jesus is the exact representation of His nature. So all the qualities of the Father, all the qualities of the Son, the same in the Holy Spirit. Fifth, Jesus is upholding all things by the word of His power. He didn't just create things, but right now, at this moment, from atoms to stars to galaxies, to the circumstances in your life and mine, to the uncertainty that we have, to all things going in the world, Jesus currently, how's He doing it? By the word, the speaking of His power. Number six, when Jesus made purification for sin, He sat down.

What did He do? He redeemed. He forgave us.

Are you getting it? Are you understanding the power of God's word and who Jesus actually is? And then finally it says, when He made purifications of sin, He sat down at the right hand of majesty. And literally the phrase is, He was enthroned. He is honored.

He's in control. All the things that have been created for Him and by Him and through Him, there comes this day, He's the final, the authority, He's exalted. As Jesus was living and walking and teaching the disciples, the way He accomplished what He accomplished is by the power of His word.

You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and he'll be back to continue our series, Trusting Jesus No Matter What, in just a minute. But let me quickly tell you that we are more than a broadcast ministry. We're supporting pastors globally, developing helpful resources, and sharing the gospel with this next generation. So if you'd like to join us in these efforts, become a monthly partner by going to livingontheedge.org. And thanks for your support.

Well, here again is Chip. In fact, I've made some observations that I want you to follow along about Jesus and His relationship with God's word. And here's what I want you to get. Jesus created the world by speaking. Jesus is, in fact, the word Himself, the law gospel learned in John 1. And finally, Jesus takes that word and He gives it to us.

Follow along in terms of just creation. Let's think about the power of God's word, because here's where I'm going to go. I want you to understand that this written word, the Spirit of God, will make it the living word, and it is the core and the source of how God works. It's how He gives power over sin. It's how He gives direction for your life. This word, Moses would say, is precious.

It's not an idle word for you. It's your very life. Jesus would later say, Man can't live by bread alone.

Just the physical world, but by how? Every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. You know, I remember as a young Christian, I didn't grow up as a follower of Jesus, and I had never opened the Bible, actually, until I was 18. And as I began to study it, I remember when I had this big aha where I was reading the Gospel of John, and the early part that we'll see in just a minute says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

What? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. I got down to verse 14, and it says, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory as the first in supremacy, the first rank, the one before the Father. Moses brought the law, but Jesus brought grace and truth. And I made this connection of the Word of verse 1 and the Word of verse 14, and then I looked it up. This word logos means communication or power, and I just was amazed. And that was when the lights became sort of new to me, that my life will be determined by my relationship to God's Word, because Jesus has manifested not just the truth and the light, but it's the power of God's Word.

In fact, follow along. In the beginning, right, Genesis chapter 1, the Godhead created the heavens and the earth, and then God said, Let there be light, and there was light. How did He create?

He just spoke. As you go through Genesis chapter 1, then God said, Let there be the heavens and the earth, let there be vegetation, and then each time He would say, Let there be, let there be, let there be, and it was, and then here's what I want you to get, and it was good. And then He created mankind, and then He said it was very good. And so we came about because God spoke out of nothing, the power of God's Word. Then you get the passage that I talked about in John 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God, and all things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus is the logos, the communication. Jesus is, in fact, the Word of God, and He is God the Son, and He wants you to know that the way that He lived out this perfect life in His humanity was the exact same way that I can and you can, dependency on the Father by the Holy Spirit, guided by the truth of His Word, and there's power in it. In Mark 4, Jesus is going to explain to the disciples how life works, how the kingdom works, how personal relationship with Him works. How does life change work? How do you draw near to God?

How do you overcome temptation? How are you born again? And the context is a little bit long to go into, but all I want you to know is that He's been rejected by the Jewish nation.

He's been rejected by His family. It's just Him and the disciples, and the context is His mother and His brothers come to see Him, and someone says, Jesus, your mother and your brothers, they're here to see you, and He pauses, and He says, who are my mother and who are my brothers? And then He points down to this group, and it says, these are my mothers and my brothers and my sisters, those who do the will of God.

Relationship with Jesus isn't about a blood genealogy. It's about an obedience to the will of God, and then He tells the parable that is the most important parable of all the ones He taught in all the Bible. And then the text says, beginning in chapter 4 of Mark, it says, then He told them a parable by the seashore, and it's one that many of you will probably know. It's where, you know, the Son of Man cast the seed of God's Word, and He cast it on four different kinds of soils, and the first soil is hard for people that have a hard heart, and then the second one is shallow, people that have a shallow heart, and the third, it drops in soil, and then the thorns grow up and choke out the word, and finally it's in good soil, and it multiplies fruit 30, 60, 100 fold. And the disciples say, that was a really interesting story.

What in the heck did it mean? And He says, if you don't understand, this is so critical, if you don't understand this parable, you can't understand any of the others. What He was saying is this, life change happens when the Son of Man, Jesus, speaks God's Word, and people respond to God's Word or God's truth, His light, in four different ways. Some people, their hearts are very hard.

Satan just takes it away. Some people, their hearts are shallow, they get emotional and they get excited. Yeah, I love Jesus, this is really important, until things get a little rough, and then they bail out. And then there's some people that have a very legitimate relationship, and they begin to grow, and then it says, the desire for other things, and busyness, and distractions, and the deceitfulness of riches, little by little by little, it chokes the power of God's Word, and their priorities get out of whack. But He says that there is one group of people whose hearts are tender and open. Now, the parallel passage in Luke chapter eight will tell us this, that the good soil is those who receive God's Word with an open and noble heart, and they put it into practice, and it says, with perseverance, and they bear much fruit.

Here's what I want you to know. Who spoke this Word? Jesus. Who is He? Creator, sustainer.

He's the one who made all that there is. He is speaking to you, and He's saying, there's life in My Word. This is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and you've been listening to part one of Chip's message, The Power of God's Word, from our series, Trusting Jesus No Matter What. Chip will be back shortly to share some helpful application for us to think about.

In many cities around the world, there are buildings specifically engineered to withstand severe disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. In this new 10-part series, Chip plays off that idea by helping us build an unshakable faith that can endure any challenge. Learn why the strength of our faith has nothing to do with our determination but in getting an accurate view of God. Discover through various New Testament verses why we can completely trust in Jesus no matter what comes our way.

You're not going to want to miss a part of this series. Well, I'm joined in studio now by Chip, and Chip, you know, every week on this broadcast, we open up our Bibles and uncover meaningful truth that we can apply to our lives. Talk a little about the role God's Word plays in our spiritual walk and why we're so committed to studying it. Well, according to Jesus, Dave, our response to Him is equated to our response to His Word. He said, the people that hear My Word and act on it, their lives are like those that are built upon a rock, and those who hear My Words and don't act on them are like people who build their house on sand. God's Word is all through Scripture compared to a seed that's planted, nurtured, grows, and bears fruit. In Living on the Edge, we broadcast God's Word, we develop small groups so people can study God's Word, we train pastors so they can teach God's Word, and when God's Word goes forth, it never returns void.

That's a promise right from Scripture. And when you support Living on the Edge, and when you do it monthly, you are a part of the movement that takes God's Word here in America and all around the world where seeds are planted, then they're nurtured, then they grow, then fruit is born, and then lives change, and marriages change, and families change, and churches change, and communities change. And I wish I could grab a cup of coffee with you and you could sit with me and I have a stack of e-mails and letters of story after story after story of people and lives and young people and marriages and pastors of what God is doing. And it's because of our partnership. And we need your support right now as God continues to open new doors. Would you pray today about becoming a monthly partner? Join the movement.

God's much at work. Amen to that, Chip. Our vision here at Living on the Edge is to see a movement of Christians living like Christians for the glory of God and the good of all.

And standing firm on God's Word is the only way we can do that. Let me encourage you to partner with us financially every month so we can continue producing programs and other resources that pass along the truth of Scripture. Visit LivingOnTheEdge.org or the Chip Ingram app to learn how to be a monthly partner.

That's LivingOnTheEdge.org or the Chip Ingram app. Well, here again is Chip to share his application for this message. As we close today's broadcast, I have one very direct, important question. What is your relationship to God's Word? Not church, not a podcast, not a video, not TV, not a great movie, not even watching The Chosen.

As wonderful as those are, are you ready? Are you in the Bible for yourself? Jesus said your relationship to Him would be directly correlated to your relationship to His Word.

Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of Christ. Could I encourage you? Make it a priority. Make some time with God.

Many of you have tried this, started. You seem to can't discipline yourself. Don't beat yourself up.

Block off the time. Start in the Gospels. Just read through the Gospel of Mark with a heart that says, I want to follow you.

Show me. And read slowly. It doesn't matter if you get through a whole chapter or five chapters or 20 chapters. This is, Oh, Jesus, I want to get to know you. Read it once fast.

Read it again slowly. Then read it saying, Lord, what from this passage do you want to say to me? And sit quietly. Do you know God wants to speak to you? He'll give you direction about work, about your marriage, about a friendship, about a boyfriend, a girlfriend.

He wants to direct you and help you. But His Word has to land on an honest and noble heart that perseveres so that the fruit of faith where His life gets reproduced in your heart and your life becomes reality. If you're not in God's Word, you will never grow. You will never change.

You will simply be a religious person trying to be nice, verbalizing stuff about Jesus, and you will have no real power. Have I motivated you? I sure hope so. God has so much good for you.

Don't miss out. Thanks, Chip. And before we go, we've created a practical tool that'll deepen your relationship with God. It's called Daily Discipleship with Chip. This is a free video course where Chip very personally instructs you on how to study God's Word. For each series, you'll spend no more than 10 minutes with Chip in a particular passage of Scripture. Then he'll challenge you to spend 10 more minutes on your own.

It's that easy. Sign up for any of our Daily Discipleship series today by going to DailyDiscipleship.com. App listeners, tap Discipleship. We'll listen in next time as Chip continues our new series, Trusting Jesus No Matter What. Until then, this is Dave Drouie saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge.