Share the post "Affirmation of God: I live on every word that comes from the mouth of God."
My life depends on it. My soul exists off of every word that comes from the mouth of God. His word is the daily bread that I survive on. Do you ever feel desperation or a dependence on His word?
Are you facing a crisis or a temptation now? Lord please tell me what to do and show me the way to go. Am I living on His word?
In times of crisis the word of God will be there for us, if we live on it. Jesus was the example in Matthew 4 where this affirmation comes from. You know the story, at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry we are told that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. After 40 days I am sure Jesus’ flesh was hungry and weak.
Satan knows when to show up and tempt us and many times it is when we are hungry and weak. We must be careful of what we are hungry for. Many times our hungers take us away from God don’t they? The evil one knows that and tries to use our hungers against us. Many times our hungers give us trappings of success or pleasure. But we must be careful of what we live on.
Jesus was hungry so Satan tempted Him by reminding Him He had the ability to turn the stones into bread. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said “But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (NIV)
If it was good enough for Jesus it is good enough for us, isn’t it? In times of crisis or temptation Jesus, who had been living on the word of God was equipped. His life and His ministry really did depend on it, didn’t they?
He did it by only worshipping and serving God. Matthew 4:10 “Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” (NIV) We can do that can’t we? We can only serve God and study His word. The more we live on it the more it is there for us to ward off Satan.
It is interesting that later in this fourth chapter of Matthew, Jesus passes by Simon Peter and Andrew fishing and He calls them to come to be fishers of men. IMMEDIATELY they left their nets and followed Him. Do you think at the moment they were thinking about what they would “live on”? They dropped their means of income and left to live off this Jesus person.
Next in the 21st chapter Jesus calls James and John and they leave their boat and their father and followed him. They left their way of life and their family for this Jesus. What do you think was their plan? Is it possible they didn’t even have one? They just were focused only on serving Him and living on Him.
They helped change the world. God gives us this hunger and the courage to only worship and serve Him. May we drop all we have and follow God and live off every word that comes from His mouth. How strong is your hunger or your worry of what you will live on?
Do you have any other thoughts or affirmations from Matthew 4?
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
I want to echo peter’s words: “where else shall we go? You have the words of life.” I want to go nowhere else to find answers and fulfillment. Good thoughts Tom.
Thanks Bill, “the words of life”. Truly life giving. Where else shall we go? Thanks Bill you can just feel the fullness of the heart!
Tom,
Great point about Simon Peter and Andrew. So often we forget to include, or read, The Scriptures in a practical sense apart from a spiritual sense. (Only The Word can walk in both realms flawlessly!) Simon and Andrew literally walked away from their incomes, yet nowhere in The Scriptures does it show that their families suffered because of this. God is indeed Jehovah Jireh, our provider. I think of ‘those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled’.
Jesus also said, in John 4:32-34
32But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. NAS
This clarifies two important truths of The New Covenant: One, we will always have sustenance from our God, and two, Jesus only came to do as His Father willed. Good stuff. Now it is up to The Spirit to quicken these things to us and propel us into a more realistic walk, this side of Heaven.
Always a pleasure, Tom. Another great blog entry to start my day!
Donald in Bethel, CT
Thanks Donald for contributing. May we hunger for and be fed by the will of God. Yes, He is our provider and may we go trusting that, immediately! Have a great day!
The older I get the more I love God’s Word. I’ve always read the Bible but sometimes felt it was out of duty. These days I’m drawn to it. And for those times of trouble…like Bill said, where else would I go?
After reading this mornings affirmation I want to stay focused on His Word today… meditating in my down-time.
Thank you~
Thanks Robin…I too was exactly doing it out of duty years ago. Now each day is a treasure hunt and I too am drawn to it. Thank you my friend!