The Transforming Power of His Word

by Barb Fisher

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so, My word that proceeds from My mouth
will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it. (BSB)

God makes His Word known for a purpose, which is not so we become puffed up with knowledge, or that we impress others with what we know. God’s purpose is transformation.

James 1:21 says that God “implants” His word within us. His Word comes to us as seed. Seeds are intended to sprout and grow. The seed of His Word, with the proper care, will produce fruit. Fruit that does not resemble the seed in any way, yet comes from the seed. But there are those who hear the Word, look at themself in comparison to that Word, and then walk away and forget the person seen mirrored back by the Word. (James 1:23) That implanted seed will not sprout and grow unless we become an effective doer of that Word.  How do we become – not just a doer – but an EFFECTIVE doer?

I love doing Word studies. At times, a Word will take on a Life of Itself. (Makes sense, right, since His Word is Life.) That was true when I studied James 1:25 “But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.” (BSB)

An EFFECTIVE doer is a BLESSED doer. Everyone wants God to bless what they do, right? James calls the “implanted Word,” or the “Word made known,” the “perfect law of freedom.” Some who God has enlightened with His Word, don’t discern that Word as freedom but as restriction. Something that keeps them from being happy; keeps them from who they want to be; prevents them from finding complete fulfillment. We are to “look intently” into the Word or it will never take root and save the soul. The Greek word for intently is parakupsas. It means to “stoop down and to peer.”

I am surprised (but then again, I am not) at how often pride is seen getting in the way of God accomplishing His purposes in our lives. To “look intently” is to bow low. We receive the implanted Word of God with humility. There is no other way. And then James says that we are to continue to receive the Word that way. As we do, we will become an effective doer of the Word. What was planted within us as a seed, will have its transformative power in our lives. We are changed by the Word of God!

The implanted Word of God has the power to take you beyond what you would ever dream. The implanted Word of God has the power to transform you into the person God designed you to be. The implanted Word of God has the power to take a mundane existence and turn it into an exciting adventure.

James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.” (BSB)
We do not want to mix our human reasoning with His revealed Word. It is like trying to mix oil and water. To do so, we are deceiving our own selves. The enemy isn’t deceiving us, but we are deceiving ourselves. There comes a time when we let go of all the inner turmoil, all the indignation at injustices suffered, all the rejection, all the pain of mistreatment and misunderstandings, and choose the Living Word which is the only One able to save your soul. Love your enemies! What? God doesn’t want me to be a doormat!! Love! your enemies! Bless those who curse you! Surely not! Certainly, I should turn their curses on them!! Bless! those who curse you! Do good to anyone who hates you!  Wait! God doesn’t want me to have that negative influence in my life. I should just stay away from them, shouldn’t I? Bless! anyone who hates you!

Yes, it takes a bowing low to receive the implanted Word and become an effective doer of His Word. Sometimes it will make no human sense at all, but because the Word says it, we surrender to Him.