"If You Can Hear It You Can Have It"

"So then FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, and hearing by the word of God". Romans 10:17 KJV (Capitals are mine for emphasis)

IT IS EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU SPEAK IT OUT OF YOUR OWN MOUTH

How vitally important it is to hear the Word of God spoken aloud. It is powerful when it comes out of the mouth of an anointed man or woman of God. But, it is even more effective when you speak it out of your own mouth. When I was a child in Sunday School we always had a memory verse for each week which we were to memorize. It helped lay a foundation for a successful Christian life. The next Sunday we would recite it in unison.

HE HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL BRING THESE WORDS BACK TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE WHEN THE NEED ARISES

It is essential to have a depository of learned passages of Scripture so that when you meet one of life's challenges you will be reminded by the Holy Spirit what verse applies to that specific situation. He has promised that He will bring these words back to your remembrance when the need arises. But, He can only do so if you have committed that passage to memory. It is not just memorization by rote like a talking bird saying "Hello", or "Polly wants a cracker". The meaning of the verses must get into your spirit, so that you not only can repeat the words correctly, but you know its meaning, and use it as a weapon against the enemy of your soul, or to claim a specific promise which is available.

IT FEEDS YOUR INNER MAN WHEN YOU SPEAK IT ALOUD

The written Word spoken verbally is like food for your spirit. It feeds your inner man when you speak it aloud. Not only do you see it through the eye-gate written on the page of your Bible, but it gets into your spirit even more deeply when you hear it through your ear-gate. When anxiety tries to attack you, and bring you down mentally, physically and spiritually, if you have the Word in your heart, instead of speaking something negative in response, you can substitute the Word, such as, "If God be for me, who can be against me".

LET IT BECOME SECOND NATURE, UNTIL IT SURPASSES YOUR CARNAL NATURE, AND TAKES FIRST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE

When you are reading the Word, and a certain verse or passage speaks to you, write or print it up on a card, and put it in a strategic place where you will run into it several times a day. Keep saying it over and over again prayerfully until it becomes a vital part of you. The Bible is known as "the sword of the Spirit". Do not leave home without it. Digest the Word. Let it become your second nature, until it surpasses your carnal nature, and takes first place in your life. You receive everything from God by faith. It is the Word in you, spoken aloud which will bring answers to your prayer-petitions. The Word which builds your faith will carry you powerfully through every situation which you will face in life. The Word is God's language. When you pray it to Him He will respond positively.

Bishop Marvin Schmidt