THE WORD AT WORK EFFECTIVELY IN US

Source

I Thessalonians 2: 9 -13

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

The power of God's word to work effectively in the lives of God's children was demonstrated in many instances in the scriptures and is still evident in our lives today. However, for that to happen, we must like the T hessalonian Christians, hear and study the word, receive it and welcome it; not as the word of men, but as the word of God, which it truly is. Faith that comes by hearing the word is the work of divine grace. This will lead to our Works of faith, which will show that the word of God is at work in us.

To receive and welcome the word of God is to find time and place for it in our lives. It is a yielding acceptance of the word; acknowledging that the scriptures did not come through private interpretation or by personal philosophy. Holy men of God spoke as inspired by God (II Peter 1: 21). When received as such, the power in the word of God is activated in our lives for a continuous operation leading to a change in behaViour; spiritual fruitfulness is the result.

The active and operating power of the word in us also build up as treasures in our lives, which offers hope and comfort in trials of life. The word working effectively in us helps to promote love to all, self-denial and godliness; and we are led to walk in the spirit. The reward of all these is Spiritual growth and the hope of eternal life.