Revival

Teaching the Bible Is the Key to Revival

 

Ps 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

If a Christian is to keep his way pure, he must live according to the teachings of the word of God. The word of God gives us directions in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions.

Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The way to train a child is according to the word of God.

Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Knowing the word of God strengthens us in our walk with God. A Christian cannot do right if he does not know the right thing to do.

Exod 33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

Moses wanted to be pleasing to God; therefore, he prayed this prayer. We also must know God’s ways in order to be pleasing to Him. Moses did not have the word of God as we do. We have the word of God, but we must study and obey it. Having the word of God will do us no good if we do not know it and apply it in our daily living.

Ps 119:38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

A Christian must know God if he is to fear Him, reverence Him. The true knowledge of God is only found in the word of God.

Ps 119:49-50 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Every word of God is a promise because every word is as true as God is true. The knowledge of God’s word gives us hope and comfort in affliction. The word of God is the best counselor for those who need to be revived in spirit.

Ps 119:58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

When a Christian prays, he should pray according to the promises of the word of God.

Ps 119:89-93 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

The word of God is forever the same and forever faithful, just as sure as God created the earth and holds all things together. God’s sure word can always be relied upon to revive us in all our afflictions. God’s word will not encourage and strengthen us if we do not delight in it; that is, if we do not love it enough to learn it and apply it in our lives.

Ps 119:101-104 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

The knowledge of the word of God works in us to keep us from evil. If you want to live a holy life, if you want to be pleasing to the Lord, study the word of God and be a doer of it. Also, if you want to help and inspire others to live for the Lord, teach them the word of God.

Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Being in this world is like being in total darkness. The word of God gives us light so that we can see where we are and where we are going. The word of God is the only light we have in this totally dark world.

Ps 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

In order to have victory over this world’s evil ways we must know the word of God. Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. If we are not to be conformed to this world, we must be transformed by renewing our mind through studying the word of God. We must learn to think as God thinks so that we will do as God does and not as the world. Furthermore, if we are to know the will of God, we must know the word of God.

Ps 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Every word of God is true, and the truths of God’s word never change. God’s word is as true today as it was when it was first written; it is as relevant today as it was when it was first written.

Ps 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

The word of God is as great as God Himself because it comes from Him and He always speaks the truth. The word of God is more than just a title, it is indeed the words God has spoken. To ignore or disbelieve the word of God is to ignore or disbelieve God. If Jesus Christ came to your house would you want to listen to Him or would you sit Him some place and tell Him to be quiet? Jesus Christ is found in His word, and He will speak to us if we will only listen to Him, by reading and believing His word.

Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

If we think the word of God is unimportant we are in a sense despising it, and in doing so, we are calling for our own destruction. We can do nothing but fail without the word of God.

Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

All that God has created changes and will pass away, but the word of our God will never change and it will stand forever. God’s word is as sure as God is, never changing and never ending.

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

God’s word will always accomplish His purpose; therefore, if we study it, we will be changed according to God’s will. The reading, studying, preaching, and teaching of God’s word always accomplishes His will, in those who hear and learn. The effectiveness of God’s word is not dependent upon us, but upon the power of God.

Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

The all powerful creator of all things watches over the humble and contrite person that believes and obeys the word of God. The humble person recognizes his total dependence upon God, the contrite person is totally submitted to the will of God, and the person who trembles at God’s word is totally responsive to all that is written. God protects us and guides us as we look to His word.

Jer 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

The only true wisdom is found in the word of God. Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. If we reject the word of the Lord, we reject the Lord. If we do not believe the word of God, we do not believe God. True wisdom only comes in knowing and believing the word of God.

Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

As food gives life to our physical body, the word of God gives life to our spirit. To grow, to become mature and strong spiritually, we must feed on the word of God. Just as our physical well being depends upon what we eat, our spiritual well being depends upon our intake of the word of God.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

To continue in the word of Jesus Christ means to believe it and to put it into practice, to live according to the teachings of the word of God.

James 1:21-22 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

The true disciple of Jesus Christ is not only a believer in His word, but he is also a person who does all things according to the teaching of God’s word. We must be doers of the word of God.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

The person who believes the word of Jesus Christ has the Spirit of Christ within him. It is the Holy Spirit who makes us mature and pleasing to God. Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: He began the work and He will finish the work in us who believe His word.

John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

If we love the Lord we will keep His word, we will believe it and obey it. How can a Christian have little or no regard for the word of God? How can a person who is responsible for teaching the word of God, to God’s people, have no concern about doing all that He can in that regard?

John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

The word of God is that which makes us clean. No one was ever saved by the word of man, but salvation always comes by the preaching of the word of God by man. Why are we not preaching it more?

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

The word of God is that which sanctifies us. All of our human wisdom apart from the word of God will only lead to failure, because it is the word of God that changes people. All confidence should be placed in the word of God and not in ourselves, or anyone, or anything. Why are we not teaching it more?

Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

There is nothing so important that we should neglect the word of God. Good works has its place, but not at the expense of the study and teaching of the word of God.

Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
We should also be devoted to prayer and to the ministry of the word. If it was so important to the early church, it is just as important for us today.

Acts 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
The preaching of the word is important to all people, in all places, for all times, and always will be. The teaching and preaching of the word of God should be our main occupation.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It is the hearing of the word of God about Jesus Christ that brings salvation. Rom 10:13-14 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? It is only through the word of God that faith can be given; also, the only truth about God is only found, in the word of God.

1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

The power of God to save comes from the preaching of the word of God about the cross of Christ, and there is no other way.

2 Cor 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

God has given us the ministry of reconciliation and that is through the preaching of the word of God. We must be committed to the ministry of preaching the word of God. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If Jesus is the only way for men to be made right with God, then we must be always preaching the words of God and nothing else. Volumes of human wisdom cannot replace one verse of the word of God.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
The word of God not only brings salvation, it also makes us clean. We can only be made clean by the word of God. If we want God’s people to be holy in their living, we must teach the word of God.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
In our spiritual warfare the word of God is our sword. There is no battle nor victory without a weapon, there is only defeat and surrender. If you were in a battle, you would hold on to your sword with all your strength. We must never lay down our sword, but we must practice using it.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
We have no true wisdom, to teach and to admonish one another apart from the word of God. The word of God also produces singing with thankfulness in our hearts to God; in other words, it produces true praise and worship in our hearts to God.

1Thes 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

The word of God not only brings salvation, it works in the believer to accomplish God’s will and purpose. To read one verse of God’s word is more important than reading all the books written about God, because books are words of men, but the word of God is God’s word indeed.

II Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

No Christian can stand firm and hold to the teachings of the apostles, if he is not studying or being taught the word.

2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The only workman that does not need to be ashamed, the only workman that is approved by God, is the one who handles the word of God accurately. The accurate handling of the word only comes from study and more study. Prov 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. If a teacher of the word of God is not studying the word of God, he is neglecting his work and is doing harm as a result.

2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

We are to preach the word of God and we are to use the word of God to reprove, rebuke, and exhort our fellow Christians. Christians have only one guide book for living, and that is the word of God.

Titus 1:7-9 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

The overseer or pastor is not only to be a good, mature, and faithful Christian, but he is also to be a man of the word of God; he is to make use of the word in dealing with others, in his teaching, and in correcting those who disagree.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God is alive and it does its work, performing surgery in our hearts, by removing that which is displeasing to God in our lives. As we study the word, it does its work even though we don’t understand what it is doing or how it is doing it.

Heb 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The word of God is our spiritual food. The more we study the word of God and put it into practice, the more mature we become, and better able to discern good and evil, truth and falsehood. The Christian who is not taught the word, or does not study the word, is a babe, and is easily lead into all kinds of false teachings.
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

It is by the preaching of the word of God, that God brought us into the faith in which we stand. There is no other way to be saved; salvation comes only through the word of God.

1 Pet 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The word of God is alive and it lives in the Christian. As a seed brings new life, the word of God brings new life to our spiritual being; but unlike the seed it does not perish, it remains alive in us. The farmer plants the seed to produce a crop; so also, we must plant the seed of the word of God, if we are to reap a spiritual harvest.

1 Pet 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The word of God that brings us eternal life lasts forever and so eternal life is forever. The word of God never changes; therefore, we should be preaching the same word the apostles preached. The message has not changed, as God’s word has not changed, because God has not changed and never will.

1 Pet 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

In the same way as a newborn babe longs for milk, we should long for the word of God, because it will make us grow up in Christ Jesus. As milk makes the babe grow, the word of God makes us grow up in Christ.

2 Pet 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

If we were in a totally dark place with a lamp, we would pay attention to the light coming from the lamp, because without that light we would be lost with no way out. The word of God is our lamp in a totally dark world; it is our only guide, our only source of hope. We must pay attention to the light of the word or we will be completely lost in this world.

2 Pet 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

No one can understand scripture apart from the Holy Spirit. The scriptures came to us by the Holy Spirit, and He is the only one who can give us the understanding. The interpretation of scripture does not come to one, to ten, to one hundred, or to any number of theologians apart from the Holy Spirit. Interpretation is for anyone who has faith to believe the word of God, and to believe that the Holy Spirit will teach him. The average Christian can understand the word of God as well as any super educated theologian, because the understanding is given from God and not from the world system of education.

I Jn 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

We grow and mature through the intake of the word of God, and we receive strength to overcome temptation by the abiding word of God. We must have the word of God in our minds and in our hearts, if we are to be mature and faithful Christians.

1 Tim 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

We are instructed to read the scriptures, to exhort from the scriptures, and to teach the scriptures. In other words, when we gather as Christians, the scriptures are to be our guide in all we think, and say, and do.

2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

All scripture is inspired by God. All scripture is profitable for teaching. All scripture is profitable for reproof. All scripture is profitable for correction. All scripture is profitable for training in righteousness. The man of God is made adequate and is equipped to serve God only through the knowledge of the scriptures.

Rom 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.

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are given to us for our instruction, so that we might continue in the faith, be encouraged, and have hope.

Revival can only come to God’s people through the teaching of the word of God.

All Scripture taken from King James Bible

* Bible Studies by Max Swan
Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD. (NAS) Jer 9:23-24