Acts 20:29-32, the apostle Paul warned the elders at Ephesus of the errors that
9.The Word of God has power to produce joy. Jeremiah says in chapter 15, verse 16, "Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart." And Jesus said in John 15:11, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Clearly, then, fullness of joy comes through the Word of God. There is no joy on this earth from any worldly source like the joy that kindles and glows in the heart of a believer in Jesus Christ as he feeds upon the Word of God, and as the Word of God is brought home to his heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. 10. Patience, comfort, and hope also come through the Word of God. Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." 11. Finally, the Word of God has power to protect from error and sin. In Acts 20:29-32, the apostle Paul warned the elders at Ephesus of the errors that would creep in among them, and he commended them, in closing, "to God and to the Word of His grace." In a similar way, Paul, writing to Timothy, the bishop of the same church, said: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."- 2 Timothy 3:13-15. The one who feeds constantly on the Word of God is proof against the multiplying errors of the day. It is simple neglect of the Word that has left so many a prey to the many false doctrines that the devil, in his subtlety, is endeavoring to insinuate into the church of Christ today. And the Word of God has not only power to protect from error, but from sin as well. In Psalm 119:11 we read: "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." The man who feeds daily on the Word of God will be proof against the temptations of the devil. Any day we neglect to feed on the Word of God, we leave an open door through which satan is sure to enter into our hearts and lives. Even the Son of God Himself met and overcame the temptations of the
adversary by the Scriptures. To each of satan's temptations, He replied, "It is written" (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). Satan left the field completely vanquished. It is evident from what has been said that the first step toward obtaining fullness of power in Christian life and service is the study of the Word. There can be no fullness of power in life and service if the Bible is neglected. In much that is now written on power, also in much that is said in conventions, this fact is overlooked. The work of the Holy Spirit is magnified, but the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works is largely forgotten. The result is transient enthusiasm and activity, but no steady continuance and increase in power and usefulness. We cannot obtain power, and we cannot maintain power, in our own lives, and in our work for others, unless there is deep and frequent meditation upon the Word of God. If our leaf is not to wither and whatsoever we do is to prosper, our delight must be in the law of the Lord and we must meditate therein day and night (Psalm 1:2, 3). Of course, it is much easier, and therefore much more agreeable to out spiritual laziness, to go to a convention or revival meeting, and claim a "filling with the Holy Spirit," than it is to peg along day after day, month after month, year after year, digging into the Word of God. But a "filling with the Spirit" that is not maintained by persistent study of the Word will soon vanish. It is well to bear in mind that precisely the results which Paul in one place ascribes to being "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18-22), he in another place ascribes to letting "the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col. 3:16-18). Evidently Paul knew of no filling of the Holy Spirit divorced from deep and constant meditation upon the Word. To sum all up, anyone who wishes to obtain and maintain fullness of power in Christian life and service must feed constantly upon the Word of God. R. A. Torrey Archive Home