How the Word and Spirit Work Together
…And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:2–3, KJV)
The Word in our lives without the Spirit is empty, and the Spirit without the Word often leads to disorder. God designed us to live by the Word and walk by the Spirit. This devotional explores how God’s Word operates with His Spirit and the consequences of focusing on one while neglecting the other.
Here is an important reminder: God is three in one (Trinity) but remains one God (Unity). Sometimes, our emphasis on the Trinity seems to make us forget that God is one, one Being, One Personal God, but in three persons! Certainly odd to the human mind, but knowing who we are dealing with should not be surprising. That one God interacts with us through His Word and Spirit. His Word and Spirit are not interchangeable—the Father, the Word, and the Spirit are three distinct persons but not three independent gods. The Being we call God is the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, not one or the other. He is One Being, existing and operating in three persons.
Why is this crucial? Because the Word of God and the Spirit are inseparable. Separating them is like separating a person’s body from their soul. God’s Word works by the Holy Spirit. The power of God’s Word is the Holy Spirit; The Holy Spirit works through the Word. God speaks His Word by His Spirit, and the Spirit moves, as shown in Genesis 1:2-3. No Word, no Spirit, and no Spirit, no Word.
We primarily(not exclusively) engage the Spirit through prayer and the Word through reading and studying the Scriptures. Focusing on one is a gross error. One of the errors of the Pentecostal or Charismatic movement is engaging the Spirit through prayer with little attention to the accuracy of the Word. Conversely, some Christians emphasize an accurate Bible Bible but lack the Spirit’s practical power, which leads to emptiness.
God does not want you to be a person of the Word or of the Spirit. Instead, He wants you to be a person of the Word and of the Spirit. Do not separate Him in your life. Be like the apostle Paul, who said, “I speak in tongues more than you all,” demonstrating his profound prayer life, yet he was also Christianity’s greatest theologian.
Be sound in the Word and full of the Spirit; engage in accurate Bible study and commit to prayer, and God will fully manifest in your life!
Meditate
How would you describe yourself? Are you the Bible study type, the prayer type, or a complete Christian engaging in both?
Apply the Word
You need the Word and the Spirit, wisdom and power, Bible study and prayer. Majoring in one will lead to a deficiency in your Christian life or ministry. Embrace both fully today.
Pray
Ask the Spirit to help you become a person of the Word and the Spirit.
Recommended Read
- All Scripture is Given by Inspiration of God
- The Meaning of “Deshen”—Rich & Abundant Spiritual Food
- What is the leadership of the Holy Spirit?
- The Breadth and Depth of the Bible
- View All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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