God is the Word. When you receive the Word, you receive God. But for God to make a difference in your life, He (the Word) must be spiritually understood.
“The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14, NKJV).
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” Paul wrote (Philippians 2:5, (NKJV). We allow the mind of Christ within us to receive Truth. When we read the Word with our natural mind, we are incapable of receiving the spiritual depth of God’s Word. When we try to perceive with our natural understanding, we cannot receive what the Spirit is trying to reveal—much less be transformed by it. God’s Truth must be spiritually discerned. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our mind (Ephesians 4:23) by the Holy Spirit. To receive the spiritual revelation of God’s Word, we allow the Holy Spirit to teach us beyond what our natural mind understands. He guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
When we read with our natural mind something that we can’t understand, we doubt what we have read. But doubt doesn’t alter God’s Truth. When His Truth is spiritually discerned, it has the power to change our doubt, our unbelief, and our reality. The more we hear the Word (Romans 10:17), the more we believe and the greater our faith. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds with God’s Truth, the more we are transformed by the power of that Truth (Romans 12:1-2).
Man adds to the Word with his natural understanding. The Pharisees added to the law with their natural mind. They didn’t have the mind of Christ, because the opportunity for New Covenant grace hadn’t been revealed in Christ. But New Covenant grace is ours. We have the mind of Christ. We have the option to receive spiritually instead of with the natural mind.
“But my heart stands in awe of your word! I rejoice as one who finds great treasure” Psalm 119:161-162 (NKJV)
Is the Word your great treasure? Does your heart stand in awe of God’s revealed Truth? Has His Word changed your doubt—your unbelief—your reality? Faith believes what is not seen but knows is true (Hebrews 11:1). Do you receive the Word as fresh manna each day allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you into its depths, or do you accept the traditions of men without risk?
The Word is most definitely your greatest treasure. Its Truth is your promise. Faith has the power to believe the promise instead of any doubt to which your natural mind succumbs. Plumb the depths of God’s Word. Don’t be afraid of its revelation. Allow grace to set you free to believe beyond the limits of what is naturally discerned.
©2021 Lynn Lacher
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