In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
—John 1:1-4
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
—John 1:14
Each time you encounter the term “Word” in these verses, it refers to the Greek word “logos,” which distinctly indicates Jesus Christ. This signifies that Jesus is the “Logos,” or Word of God. Jesus stated that heaven and earth would pass away, but His Word would endure forever (Mark 13:31). Thus, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, nourishment for our spirits, and everlasting.
The Logos Word is the written Word of God.
Another Greek term for the Word of God in the New Testament is “Rhema.” The Greek word “Rhema” appears 70 times in 67 verses of the New Testament. The first example of a “Rhema” Word occurs during Jesus' temptation by Satan in the wilderness. After being tempted by Satan to feed himself miraculously following a long fast, Jesus countered the enemy with these words:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).
According to Strong's Concordance, “Rhema” means “an utterance (individually, collectively or specifically) on a particular matter or topic.” “Rhema” is also defined in Thayer's Greek Definitions as “something that has been uttered, in either the past or the present, by a living entity.”
A “Rhema” word is an utterance or a spoken word that comes alive within us. Every word that comes from God’s mouth is a “Rhema” word. But for the written Word to empower our lives, it must become “Rhema,” brought to life in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and transforming us from the inside out.
In 1 Corinthians 4:20, Paul wrote: “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” When the Logos, the written Word of God, becomes Rhema, or alive in us, biblical faith emerges.
In Romans 10:17, Paul wrote: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the (Rhema) Word of God.”
Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness required the power of the Rhema Word of God. The devil’s tactic was to attack Jesus’ identity and challenge the divine authority with which Jesus spoke. But Jesus reminded the devil that he had no power when He spoke, “It is written.”
The enemy also attacks our identity in Christ. He comes against the Word in us, wanting to discredit and destroy its power in our lives. When we sow the written Word of God in our hearts, and it becomes a Rhema Word, we, too, can remind the devil, with Jesus’ authority, “It is written.”
In Ephesians 6:17, Paul describes the spiritual armor, the sword of the Spirit, as Rhema: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the (Rhema) word of God.”
Many Christians engage in spiritual warfare and do not overcome the battles they fight. The Word of God, the Logos, must become Rhema to effectively defeat and destroy the enemy’s forces sent to undermine us.
When Satan attacked Jesus in the wilderness, he was severely weakened by hunger. The Holy Spirit provided a Rhema word (the Sword of the Spirit) to help Jesus resist temptation. In response to the devil, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, referencing Israel’s time of testing in the wilderness to reveal what was in their hearts. Although Israel failed, the purpose of the testing was to prepare them for their promise.
When Jesus was tested by Satan, it prepared Him for His purpose. He trusted His Father. He refused to let the “bread” or the natural realm be His nourishment. Just as we need natural food to nourish our bodies, we need to feed our spirits with the Rhema of the Word. Without experiencing the Rhema power of the Word, we will be weak in battle against the devourer.
The “food” offered by Satan to Adam and Eve plunged humanity into spiritual death when they yielded to temptation. People have been lured by Satan to fixate on forbidden things while neglecting everything related to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). The difference between the Logos Word and the Rhema Word is a matter of spiritual life and death.
We cannot live by bread alone; We must have the Holy Spirit bringing the Word of God to life within us. His revelation—His Rhema Word—is the power that overcomes the enemy’s lies and releases blessings in your life and others' lives. Without a vision, you perish. Without the Rhema of God’s Word empowering your life, you lack vision. Merely reading the Word will not achieve the vision God desires to realize within you. Studying the Word, meditating on the Word, praying the Word, protecting the Word, and continually sowing it in your heart until it becomes your identity will.
Sadly, it is during our greatest needs that we begin to seek the power of the Word in our lives. We must not wait! The Word is Jesus. When we were saved, He became Rhema and alive in us. We heard Him in our hearts. The Word is still powerful and alive and overcomes all the temptations of sin, sickness, and destruction of our natural life. When God's revelation of the Word—His answer—His will—His vision is spiritually heard, it comes alive in our hearts. This is when “it is written” becomes our reality. The Word then serves as the unshakeable foundation of our lives, producing the fruit of His Word within us.
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Lord Jesus, I desire no one but You. I long for no truth but Yours, no life but Yours. Praise You for sending the Word. It is life. Speak Your Word to me; I’m listening, Lord Jesus, and I will hear Your Word. I will hear You in my heart. You are the bread of my life. I will never cease seeking Your Words and taking them into my heart. Your Word is the joy of my heart, for I am called by You.
In Your Wonderful Name,
Amen
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