The Reality of the Word

Many times our theologians have been our enemies. They have made a philosophy out of the truth; turned the Word into dogma and creed when it should have been as though the Master were here speaking to us.
    The Word should speak to us as He would have if He were here. When we pick up the Bible it would be good to remember that it is the Book with God in it; Life in it; a God-indwelt book.
    The Spoken Word in Paul's lips at Ephesus stirred the whole city. Acts 19:20: "So mightily grew the Word of the Lord and prevailed."
    It was not the written Word, because up to that time the four Gospels had not been written. What epistles Paul had written were not in circulation. It was the Spoken Word; yet it prevailed over the heathen city. The written Word today does not prevail in the church. We read it, expound it, and people go away and forget it.
    In Acts 12:24, "The Word of God grew and multiplied." It was the Spoken Word in that city. We should meditate in this Living Word until it becomes a reality, until it will be as though the Master stood in the room and spoke to us.
    When Jesus met the disciples on the way to Emmaus, their testimony was, "Was not our heart burning within us, while He spake to us by the way, while He opened to us the Scriptures?
    His Word should have the same effect today upon our hearts. The hush that they felt then should be upon our spirits now.
    This can only come by meditation. We sit in the presence of the tremendous realities of His combat against the hosts of darkness during His Substitution, of His mighty victory over the hosts of darkness, of His breaking the bonds of Death and conquering the enemy that has ruled humanity ever since the fall, and that is credited to us.
    It is as though we did it.
    Satan knows he is defeated.
    All heaven knows he is defeated.
    And yet the church looks upon him as a Master.