The Spoken Word

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Luke 5:5–6 (KJV)

So often we toil for the things we desire, and though our diligence may be commendable, it lacks the essence and energy of life, the Spirit of God. When God created man, He intended that man reach his highest potential through His Spirit.

Sadly, the condition of mankind, Christians included, is such that man has enthroned self above the pursuit of the way of the Lord, and this has led to the shipwreck of many in the faith. People do not understand how they can be labouring so much "in the Lord" and still be failing in life. Once you become a Christian, your life ceases to be governed by the laws and systems of Egypt and Babylon, and what worked there cannot work in the Kingdom. Wholly different laws and systems govern the life of the believer.

The Kingdom is governed by the Spirit through the spoken Word, the foundation of every law and system in the Kingdom. Life and death, success and failure, are decided along these lines. Consider the toil of the disciples for a moment. Peter, like most of them, was a fisherman. They were experts in when and how to catch fish. But they got the shock of their lives when they did everything by the rule book and failed; their expertise could not help them. They had forgotten that some nights before, they had entered into a blood covenant with Jesus, and that their lives were now governed by a new system. Their lives belonged to Jesus, and His Spirit, the seal of the covenant, was now responsible for their success in life. Before, they could catch fish by the law of labour, but now a new law governed their success in that field.

In this system, life advances by the spoken Word. Had they known this, they would not have gone on that fishing trip without the spoken word, for Jesus had already commanded them to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit was poured out. Child of God, you will fail, and disqualify yourself from rewards and inheritances, if you determine to function outside the spoken Word. That is not the way of the Christian. The spoken word of God is the governor of life. If you truly want to succeed in this life or the next, listen to Jesus: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says." This is the secret: in every matter of life, seek the spoken word. Whether it is a business, a career or a family you want to begin, let the spoken Word be the arbiter of your life. Otherwise, sooner or later, the thing you began without the spoken Word will be subjected to failure.

The spoken Word is the difference between failure and success, between growth and destruction. The power of the Spirit follows the spoken Word; what God has not ordained, the Spirit of God cannot and will not support. Without the spoken word you are on your own, vulnerable to the power of failure and to destructive forces. It was only after Jesus released the word that their labours were rewarded. Nothing done in obedience to the spoken word ever fails.

In conclusion, be careful how you live your life. If you find that you are one who always excuses yourself from the instructions and directives of the spoken Word, there is a high probability that you will fail often, and your life may come to ruin. Labour is profitable, but labour outside the spoken word is dangerous. Invest your energies in training your spirit to hear God's voice, even if it takes years, because one word from God created the universe, and it can surely revolutionise your life, even in a day.