A HIDDEN POWER OF GOD'S WORD
PSALM 119:9 & 11
PSALM 119:9 & 11 NKJ
9 How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
Psalms 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. And one of the best psalms for revealing the power of God's word and the right heart towards God's word.
These two verses show us a function of God's word that we don't often discuss. God's word has the ability to cleanse us and to keep us from sin.
When we take God's word seriously and adhere to its wisdom, the path it reveals is clear and clean. It is interesting that verse nine speaks of a young man. This is someone starting out in life. And there are multiple paths available to the young. By using God's word as the prevailing guiding wisdom, the young can walk in a good way without having to learn from bad experiences. By paying close attention to God's word, one can learn how to treat people, work as unto the Lord and avoid a whole lot of trouble. I have never heard of anyone who wound up in a bad place because they were doing their best to walk with the Lord and obey His word. Won't happen!
And coupled with this verse is verse eleven. Putting God's word in our heart is the best deterrent against sin. As we hide God's word in our heart, it does good things in us. It renews our minds so that we're not pushed into the mold of the culture around us. It helps displace wrong believing about our identity and how we should act. It strengthens us so that we are strong enough to say no to sin and sins' enticing ways. God's word in our heart comes out of our mouth and brings life, not death, to our environment. You've heard of miracle drugs that do amazing things. God's word is even better and touches our lives, spirit, soul, and body and with no long list of disgusting side effects.
APPLICATION:
When Joy and I were first married and in Bible school, there was a big emphasis nationwide on "getting into God's word." I am glad we were a part of that emphasis. Having God's word as a foundation helped to shape our lives and saved our marriage. Regrettably, I don't see the same focus on God's word today, and the results are less strength and stability across the Body of Christ. But it doesn't have to be that way for you. You can treat God's word as powerful and vital. You can put God's word in your heart, and you can reap the wonderful results in your life.