Discover the Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing. James 3:10 – “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” Matthew 5:34-37 says, “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Likewise, James 5:12 says, “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, …” Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Profanity is negative, hurtful, and amounts to verbal abuse.
We regard verbal abuse as one weapon in the arsenal of emotional abuse. Though the tactics of abuse are numerous, the main goal is to gain control over someone in order to prove a point or establish dominance in a relationship. Verbal abuse constitutes psychological violence and it is a habitual sin that seldom goes away on its own and can potentially escalate to physical abuse. Some examples of overt verbal abuse include swearing, name-calling, angry outbursts, screaming, blaming, ridicule, criticism, accusation, orders, threats, manipulation, mockery, put-downs, coercion, word twisting, shaming, attacking personal character, and rewriting history. On the other hand, covert verbal abuse is more subtle and cloaks hidden aggression. It feigns concern and has the effect of leaving the victim brainwashed, confused, off-balance, and questioning his/her abilities as well as worth.
Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
James 3:10 – “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
Matthew 5:34-37 – “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
James 5:12 – “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.“
Truthfully speaking, any kind of abuse made over a long term can leave the victim in a depressed state, unable to make decisions, and drained of any sense of personhood, worth, or value. In such a case, the victim begins to accept the blame and believe the crushing words that are convincingly and repeatedly thrown at him. You’re just deceiving yourself if you think that words can never hurt you. Behold, abusive language has a deep, long-lasting effect that can “pierce like swords” (Proverbs 12:18). Luke 6:45 says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Is It A Sin To Swear, Cuss, Or Curse?
The Bible makes it clear that swearing and cussing or cursing are sinful. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Likewise, 1 Peter 3:10 says, “For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.” In summary, James 3:9-12 says, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.“
The Biblical analogy of both salt water and fresh water coming from the same spring (which is uncharacteristic of springs) portrays the point that it is uncharacteristic for a believer to have both praise and cursing come from his/her mouth. That is, we cannot praise God at the same time cursing others made in His likeness. In the same light, Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 5:34-37 that we should not swear an oath at all. Jesus makes us understand that what comes out of our mouths is what feels our hearts. Sooner or later, the evil in the heart comes out through cursing and swearing. But when our hearts are filled with God’s goodness, praise for Him and love for others will pour forth.
What Makes Cursing And Swearing Sinful?
Swearing and/or cursing are sinful because sin is a condition of the heart, the mind, and “the inner man” (Romans 7:22), which is manifested in our thoughts, words, and actions. Swearing and cursing are actually giving evidence of the polluting sin in our hearts that must be confessed and repented of. The Bible tells us that by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, we obtain a new nature from God (2 Corinthians 5:17), our hearts are renewed, and our speech reflects the new nature that God has created in us (Romans 12:1–2). Thankfully, when we fail, the Lord God Almighty is “faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
Is It Wrong To Swear To God?
While some people think that swearing to God is something that can be done in some particular circumstances, others strongly condemn the act and even consider it sinful. However, we should all pray and trust God to lead us by His Spirit to doing just that which is right and pleasing to Him. In support of this point, we can read from John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” As previously mentioned, some people are of the viewpoint that using the phrase I swear to God may be right or wrong depending on the context.
Those who think that the use of the phrase I swear to God may be right or wrong depending on the context generally support or don’t find anything wrong with the act of placing the hand on a Bible and swearing before God to tell the truth when called to witness in a court of law. For them, the invocation of God’s Word is meant to make the one testifying soberly aware of God’s presence, as God’s honor and righteousness are held as standard. However, in other cases, the phrase “I swear to God” is used as a tagline or in jest, and the character or personality of God is never even considered. This is considered wrong and very similar to the common flippant used today “Oh, my God!” However, remember that Jesus Himself said that we should not swear an oath at all (Matthew 5:34-37).
You Shall Not Take The Name Of The Lord Your God In Vain
Remember one of the ten commandments that says “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). With this in mind, we should avoid the disrespectful use of God’s name through phrases or expressions that show that we have very little awareness of God’s Mightiness. Using God’s name as a swear word (“God, no, I won’t do that!”) is one of the ways we take His name in vain. In the same light, we should not invoke God’s name at the end of outrageous statements, as though tossing His name into the mix makes our words more credible. We should avoid saying things like, “it was the most beautiful bird I’ve ever seen! I swear to God!” For such is a flippant use of God’s name.
Avoid saying “I swear to God,” and the use of similar expressions like “God’s honest truth” or “God as my witness.” Jesus Christ clearly taught on this subject matter as we can read from Matthew 5:33–37 – “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No ,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” As a Christian, let your YES be YES and your NO be NO.
What Does The Scriptures Say About Abusive Language?
Matthew 5:21–22 openly categorizes verbal abuse as a major offense with eternal or everlasting consequences: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ [an Aramaic term of contempt meaning “worthless, empty”] is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Following this Scripture, we can say that God’s heart on the subject of how we make use of our words is evident in Scripture. In fact, God is concerned about how we make use of words. As followers of Christ, we should be more focused on using words to build than destroy.
When we have hurt others with our words, we can sincerely repent and find forgiveness in God and should as well seek it from those we have hurt. And those who have been victims of serious verbal abuse can find true healing in Jesus Christ. Behold, He is the Mighty Healer and is willing to heal you from all forms of pain and equally restore your joy. While in search of healing from abuse, you can discuss with your pastor or fellow Christians who will encourage and accompany you through the whole process. God’s desire is that we “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and that we “do not let any unwholesome talk come out of [our] mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs” (Ephesians 4:29). In Christ, our words should be loving, encouraging, healthy, and life-giving.
More On The Power Of Words
Words have power. Remember that God used His Word (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24) to create the entire universe and Jesus Himself is called the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). Genesis 1:1-31 says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. …” Likewise, Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, ...” In addition, John 1:1-1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And because we were created in God’s likeness, God wants us to make good use of our words.
Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
James 3:10 – “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“
Matthew 5:34-37 – “But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
James 5:12 – “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Ephesians 5:4 – “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.“
Colossians 3:8 – “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”
Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Matthew 12:37 – “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.“
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Exodus 20:7 – “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”
Matthew 12:36 – “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,”
James 3:10 – “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.“
2 Timothy 2:16 – “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness,“
Matthew 15:10-11 – And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Colossians 3:8-10 – “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.“
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Deuteronomy 5:11 – “‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Titus 2:12 – “Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,“
Proverbs 15:4 – “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.“
1 Peter 3:10 – For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;”
Matthew 15:11 – “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
Proverbs 21:23 – “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.”
James 1:26 – “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.“
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Matthew 5:22 – “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.“
James 1:19 – “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;“
Luke 6:45 – “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.“
James 3:8 – “But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Matthew 12:36-37 – “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:34 – “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Romans 12:14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Colossians 3:1-25 – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. …“
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”
James 5:12 – “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
Proverbs 13:3 – “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Proverbs 11:13 – “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.”
Proverbs 4:24 – “Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you.“
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 5:21-26 – “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ...”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Matthew 5:16 – “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Colossians 3:5 – “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.“
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Isaiah 6:5 – And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; …”
Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.“
Luke 6:28 – “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
Psalm 39:1 – To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Ephesians 4:25-30 – “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. …“
Psalm 19:14 – “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
James 3:1-18 – “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! …“
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Proverbs 6:2 – “If you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth,”
Ephesians 4:30 – “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
Leviticus 19:12 – “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Mark 9:47-48 – “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’“
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Matthew 5:33-37 – “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.“
Proverbs 14:5 – “A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.“
Ephesians 5:1-33 – “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ...”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
James 3:9-12 – “With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”
Ephesians 4:24 – “And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.“
Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,“
Colossians 1:1-29 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...”
1 Corinthians 3:16 – “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?“
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
James 3:5-6 – “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.“
Ephesians 5:3-4 – “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.”
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.”
Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.“
Luke 12:10 – “And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.“
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Colossians 4:1-18 – “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. …“
Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?“
Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
1 Peter 1:15 – “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,”
1 Timothy 6:20 – “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Romans 3:13-14 – “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
Galatians 5:16 – “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.“
Acts 17:10-11 – “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.“
James 1:20 – “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.“
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.“
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Ephesians 4:26-27 – “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”
1 Timothy 4:12 – “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.“
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”
Psalm 34:12-14 – “What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.“
Psalm 141:3 – “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!“
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Matthew 5:37 – “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Ephesians 5:3 – “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”
Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Exodus 20:1-26 – “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. …“
2 Corinthians 13:14 – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Cursing And Swearing
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.“
James 2:7 – “Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?“
Psalm 34:13-14 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Jude 1:10 – “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.“
Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Bestofchristianity.com is a website that focuses on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy spirit, and above all the Love of God. It uses the Bible as the foundation to knowing and obeying God. It steps in at the command of Jesus Christ to take the Holy Gospel to the four corners of the world so that those who believe in him can have eternal life.
Under the authority of Jesus Christ, we are Apostolic and Prophetic sons and daughters of God sent out to set the captives free, heal the sick, bring deliverance, give sight to the blind, strengthen the lame to walk and above all lead souls to heaven. It is in the Christian light that we analyze topics like Prosperity, Wealth, Debt free, Credits, Finance, and Money in the Bible.
Don’t sink by the first threat in your business or ministry
The secret of your power lies within your heart.
God has no sinking sand.
No other god has power to rise from the dead. Only Jesus can save.
The Christian should be healthy in order to heal the sick.
God makes somebody out of nobody.
Feed your faith to starve you doubts.
A little unseemliness, a little sin in a clean body is a big stain.
The world cannot save the world, but the saints can save the world.
Do not sow and go to sleep, watch over your seeds, and tend them.
Faith spurs to action and action brings results.
If god does not put you on high and blessings come they will suppress you.
If anything which you desire to achieve in life is only what comes out of your sweat, then your achievement will be small indeed.
No work without specification can be conceived.
The wealth of sinners is in the hands of saints.
You a stranger to failure.
Storms can bring strength.
Rather than cry out your poverty, God will shield you from knowing that need is there.
There is no short cut to success.
You can discover a new you in you when you start to put faith to action.
Put your faith in god before you try your senses.
If you sleep too much life will pass you by.
When the devil is laying a snare for you, he forgets whom you serve.
You are what God says you are from the very day He says it to you.
Until you start using spiritual sight, you will never see far.
Do not force anybody to be called a superintendent when he is a supervisor.
When you believe it is not too late, then it will come on time. It will be in your due season and God’s.
Stand above your natural height; see faith work when others fail.
Salvation salvages our lives.
Success without successful succession is a defeated life.
God will never call you and you suffer setbacks for his name.
Struggles don’t die, stagnant people die.
Christians are in the minority with supernatural power.
Day after day, our faith undergoes scrutiny.
Do not be afraid of stumbling blocks, but do sink with them
A river that is static soon becomes stagnant.
People waste their time and life on their knees trying to send God on errands. We can not send Him when he has sent us.
Have the stamina to stand against challenges that threatens your endeavors.
We are in a poverty stricken world, but thank God it is not the government who supply all our needs. It is not the bank.
There are many people who read the scriptures, but quite a few study it.
Faith never brings shame.
People who look at their skin never discover heir skill.
You do not need superpower to serve God; you need a super grace to serve a super God.
There is no solution you are reaching for which the Lord God can not do better.
Only the Lord can stop for you where there is no father or mother.
As you constantly pass people by, always learn to stop by to help the poor.
If you don’t abstain from sin it will stain you.
Labor without skills makes you to labor more.
We have been saved to save others.
Some body can take silver from your mouth, but no one can take your mouth from silver.
Man counts the fruits, but God counts the seeds.
God as a source is better than the source from man.
Anyone that learns slowly learns slowing.
Miracle is not what you think, but what you see.
What is not seen is more available than what is seen.
Many of the things you are not able to do is because you did not start it
When your obstacles are too great, don’t push it aside, surrender them to Jesus.
Your steadfastness takes you away from fainting.
When you turn your trials to sorrow, it then becomes a storm.
Make yourself free and your mind will be sensitized.
The symbol of the eagle reminds you of where you ought to be.
When God saves a person, he makes him somebody out of nobody.
Those who sit down doing nothing will soak and sour.
People are always sick, but God is always well.
No situation is so ugly that it cannot augur well for God.
Every setback in your life is not a defeat, but a test.
Your devotion to God is a guarantee that your future is secure.
The slavery of the sour is worse than that of the flesh.
When God ask you to arise, do not sit down.
It takes spiritual principles to solve spiritual problems.
Due season is that time in our life that no body can intercept, it is that compressing time when past, present, and future meets.
It is not the size of faith that matters, it is the sincerity.
Learn to say no to sorrow.
If you are a child of God your safety is in His hand.
A docked ship faces no storm so also are saints that do nothing.
Do not labour because of tomorrow, you already have your tomorrow met with today because you brought yesterday to today, and your tomorrow to today.
Children are born, but sons are made.
For after the heat, after the rain, comes the triumph over trials.
Don’t let what men think of you to weigh you down.
Being at the top is easy, but remaining there is a problem.
When you don’t pray tithes, things become tight for you.
The gospel can transfer you from failure to success.
The only language that brings testimony is testimony.
Let what you teach concur with how you live.
If you can think of it, God will provide it for you.
When things are terrible, the Christian should be terrific in faith.
God specializes in stopping people’s tears.
Goals getters don’t get tired.
The greatest power constant in achievement is the ability to stand when your vision is tested.
Terrific times are sometimes preceded by terrible times.
No matter the degree of rottenness of any situation, when God touches it, it changes for goods.
God of tough times is still the God of terrific times.
Anything that has life will have trouble.
Learn how to release your bullet and believe that it is going to hit the target.
Anything taller than you is under the feet of God.
Do not be moved by the threat of men, neither should you give heed to the boast of men.
Train yourself to say I am expecting God’s visitation in my house.
Tomorrow is so far that you cannot pull it to today.
One miracle back away from sin is one miracle turned to God.
A pastor without testimonies is a past tense.
Testimonies will take you to the top, and when you are on top, you can see far.
The gospel is the truth, and the truth can never be suppressed for long.
Tenacity of purpose yields fruits.
Your belief that faith can change your destiny must be tested and tried.
Don’t take from God what you place with him.
The trumpet signifying the end of the battle will not be blown until you are wining.
Temptations are not designed to kill you but to establish your mastery over the devil as a child of God.
Tempest is not temptation, but trial of triumph.
Do not doubt what you have not tried, just try it.
You and God constitute an unbeatable team.
Why you engage in overtime is because the time is too short.
If you can tame your mind to time yourself you will have success.
Learn to tune your ears to the channel of God.
Do not stop people from talking about you, but do not join them to talk evil about yourself.
It is better to die while trying out something good than to die lying down doing nothing.
If you can tell the devil where he is going, he will cease to remind you of where you are coming from.
Don’t try to be what some one else is because you don’t know how he got there.
Be careful because the many praises of men are traps, so as to ascertain your honesty.
The day you begin to stop trusting God, you continue to make mistakes.
How much truth you know gives you the wisdom you have.
Unless you build together, you cannot grow together.
The easiest way to cut a trip short is to ask who is coming from there.
Your testimony should be insider the church and not outside it.
God has time for our timing.
We are together in the house of God as a team, but we are not going to give an account of ourselves as a team.
Some pastors are more interested in tithe than in the ministry.
Testimonies will take you to the top, and when you are on top, you can see far.
The bigger the problem, the bigger the testimony.
Know what to say when every body is saying the wrong words.
God is not only a fighter, but a winner every time.
Rest before you are weary.
The word is quick language of miracles, and miracles always come from God.
We are double winners, here on earth and in resurrection.
The will of God will not make you avoid needs.
If you have no will to live, you cannot deny the desire to die.
Whatever you admire in life, desire it, and whatever you desire in life reacquire it, and whatever you require in life, aspire for it, don’t retire, but refire, when you refire, the acquire that which you desire that you admire in life.
Don’t be a half winner
I don’t worry, I don’t fear, I know that God is on my side.
The words of your mouth can give you a turn around.
When you are so weak, that is when you can do all things.
Christianity is a warfare
Rest before you are weary
No man ever wins when he is afraid to fight.
Revelation can lengthen your years on earth.
Yesterday is so far away that you cannot merge it with today.
With holiness backing the scriptures, wisdom follows.
Until you see yourself, you don’t know what you are supposed to be.
God can take you from “who are you “to “how are you?”
Zealousness doesn’t give you what you require from God, but faith is the raw material that gives you a better thing from God.
Treasure what you believe in.
Testimony can help you to build your own testament.
Don’t be afraid to venture into the unknown.
Religionists are contented with formalities, but Christians are interested in the unusual.
Faith must be backed by action and unction.
Faith is a journey never undertaken before.
No matter how deep you have been in the pit, upward is your goal.
When tigers are congress, an antelope does not seek to be heard. A goat does not prance into a gathering of lions to say “How do you do”? Neither does a mouse seek to mediate in a fight between two elephants. But today unbelievers seek to determine the Christian’s tomorrow.
Anyone who plans your demise will go under, even under the earth. There is nothing to fear. Only Jesus is Lord.
Faith is not to be left unused.
Thank God for victories in unseen battles.
You never go under while you are trying to go over with the lord.
When the unexpected happens, the unusual is about to occur.
Resolve that you shall never be frozen in un-fulfillment.
The more you use what you have, the more you have to use.
Magic is limited, but a miracle is unlimited.
When a dream is unveiled to you, let action follow it.
Every life endeavour must t needs walk through a valley.
God is looking for a voice not an echo.
The days of big names only in ministry is not God’s principle, He is looking for will vessels.
There is no vacuum that God cannot fill.
The spirit of God in you tells that visions must receive provisions.
Encourage yourself inside for victory outside.
Vision is a brief visitation of the spiritual world of God to man.
The greater the problem, the brighter the victory.
God is not looking for visitors in His church of ministry.
Dare to venture into those areas where people are afraid to succeed.
Natural visible things are the evidences of the invisible.
Understand the voice of God and disregard the voice of the enemy.
Obstacles confront you more than victory.
You must make good plans and execute same with vigour.
Christians celebrate victories before they see them.
You must win souls for God, if your lips and hands cannot do it; let your money do it for the Lord.
If you don’t see God manifest Himself any more, the church may become a part of the world system.
Better to be a victor and not a victim.
When you apply wisdom, and withdraw from evil, God will use you.
When God gives you a weight, he gives you a spring, or grace to carry it.
Don’t shake with the wind but stand against it.
You must always believe God for away out no matter the intensity of your trouble.
Whosoever cam have whatever.
Don’t be a tomb, but a womb.
God never wastes people and time.
When “who are you? Comes in contact with who He is”, you are moved from the social stage of “who are you?” To “How are you?”.
Learn to fight even when you are not willing to fight, because the day you cease fighting, you star losing.
Even before you inherit faith, faith already has wealth.
When you ask God for something do not worry over the doing.
The name Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa is one that can’t be forgotten in a generation that desires to worship a living God. Yes, I mean a living God. Although gone, his message about the living God is still laying hands on many and taking the faith of many to maturity. In fact, his messages are clothing young men and women with the power to uproot the evil in this generation. He was the kind of preacher that we find 1 in the midst of every 1,000.
With mere words backed by the One Who Sent him, he was able to call down physical and spiritual fire from heaven, instantly call blindness, paralysis, or death on anyone standing on the way of the Holy Gospel or one preventing the Truth from being known (Here, one can only remember how Prophet Elijah called down fire on a whole army sent to stop the work of God in his days).
In the days of Archbishop Benson Idahosa, raising the dead, healing all kinds of sicknesses, opening the eyes of the blind, restoring the speech of the dumb, opening the ears of the deaf, and opening the eyes of the blind were indeed the children’s bread. Father, we miss your days. Just as Elijah left something behind, do not accept to dwell peacefully where you are without pleading with God to continue what you started in our generation. We do not want the Power and Authority that accompanied you and Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola to leave us. The world can only praise God and marvel at the things that He did through you:
A man who called down rain and it rained.
A man who commanded the rain to stop and it did.
A man who commanded the dead to rise and they did
A man who drove away hundreds of witches and wizards in Benin and thousands in Nigeria as a whole.
A man whose presence demons, wizards, witches, and familiar spirits could not withstand.
A man who communicated with the invisible and visible.
A man who called the invisible into existence and it came.
A man whose words were a mixture of fire and power (1 Corinthians 4:20)
A man who shook the heavenly places as he went around doing the things everyone had concluded impossible.
A man who fought not for a title but was crowned the Father Of Faith In Africa.
A man that this generation and that to come will remember and give thanks to God for sending him.
A spiritual father and guide to thousands if not millions.
A man whose anointing is too heavy for a mere human to carry.
Filled with the Epikaizo Anointing and clothed with the power of the Allos Parakletos, Benson Idahosa went about doing good.
A man whose anointing, grace, power, and authority in Christ is still roaming the Earth looking for young men and women who are willing to follow Jesus Christ and run the Christian race in dimensions no one has ever heard of nor experienced.
A man who saw the defeat of Satan before being taken away from the Earth.
20 Powerful Faith Quotes By Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa
Faith does not make things easy, it makes things possible.
Faith will move God and man; it will take you through when everything else fails.
To practice faith, the first person you must defeat is yourself.
Faith does not suspend our sense of good judgment, it reinforces it.
When your language changes, your condition changes.
Faith is not a superstition or an intention; it is action.
Life is full of choices but faith in God will affect them all, for Christ can do all things.
What you need to succeed is already there. Just lean on God. For your Faith’s sake, God can disappoint the devil.
Living a daily life of absolute faith in God is the only secret to great success.
If you are afraid to do it, it cannot be done.
The name “I AM” is like a blank check. Our faith can fill in whatever the Lord is to us personally.
Whatever your situation or circumstance, set your eyes by faith on the Lord, keep looking to Him, and continue looking until the tide turns in your favor.
With a stone in your hand, the Word in your mouth, and faith in your heart, the giant will fall.
If you must succeed you must learn how to take yourself out of conflict and put yourself in confidence.
Faith in God is the most dynamic force in humanity.
If science says that it can conceive and build, then faith declares that it can believe and create.
The distance between you and success is the length between your heart and mouth.
Fake it till you make it” Just keep doing it even if it doesn’t yet look like it. Have Faith and just Believe.
Fear and anxiety may force you to make a false move, but remember, “Where there is faith, there is no fear.”
Faith is the bricks and mortar with which we build our relationship with God.
What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God? The Word of God is the foundation of knowing Him and what He commands us to do. Today, in talking about the tangible written Word of God, we are pointing to the Bible. With this in mind, one might ask, “is the Bible truly the Word of God?” In answering this question, we’ll point to the description of the Bible, its importance to our lives, and its ultimate eternal impact on us. 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For no prophetic message ever came just from human will, but people were under the control of the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God.” In other words, “Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Thus, the Bible authoritatively reveals God’s message.
If the Bible is truly God’s Word, then we should cherish it, study it, obey it, and fully trust it for what it says. If the Bible is the Word of God, then to dismiss it is to dismiss God Himself. The Bible is evidence and illustration of God’s love for mankind. It was handed to men through a series of revelations from God. Here, the term revelation means that God communicated to mankind what He is like and how we can build and maintain a close relationship with Him. All these are things that we could not have known should in case God did not divinely reveal them to us in the Bible. Despite the fact that God’s revelation about Himself and His Kingdom in the Bible was given progressively over approximately 1500 years, it has always contained everything that God wants man to know about Him.
What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then it is the final authority for all matters of faith, religious practices, salvation, and morals. With this in mind, the question that we should be asking ourselves is that on how to be certain that the Bible is the true Word of God and not merely a good book? What makes the Bible unique or sets it apart from all other religious books that have ever been written? Is there any evidence that the Bible is truly the Word of God? All these questions must be seriously examined if we are to determine or ascertain the validity of the Bible’s claim to be the Truthful Word of God Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth. The answers to these questions will also build in us a conviction that the Bible was divinely inspired, and totally sufficient for all matters of faith.
It is without doubt that the Bible itself claims to be the very Word of God. Let’s clearly observe this in Apostle Paul’s commendation to His spiritual son, Timothy: “… from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). It is important to understand here that there are several internal and external evidences that the Bible is the Word of God. By internal evidence, we are pointing to those things within the Bible that testify of its divine origin.
What does the Scriptures say about God’s Word?
There is much that the scriptures say about the Word of God. The Scripture itself claims to have been divinely revealed by God to mankind. Such are what we refer to as internal evidences.
Internal Evidences that the Bible is the Word of God
1. Unity of the Bible
The first internal evidence that the Bible is God’s word has to do with its unity. Despite the fact that it is actually sixty-six (66) books, written on three (3) continents, in three (3) different languages, over an approximately period of 1500 years, by over 40 authors who came from many walks of life, the Bible remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. The unity of the Bible is such that it is unique from all other books. This is clear evidence of the divine origin of the Words which God moved men to record through His Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).
2. Detailed and accurate prophecies in the Bible
The prophecies contained within the Bible are making up for another internal evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word. The Bible contains hundreds of detailed prophecies pointing to the future of individual nations including Israel, neighboring nations, distant nations, and mankind. Other prophecies point to the coming of a Messiah, the Savior of all those who would believe in Him. Unlike the prophecies found in other religious books or those made by mere men such as Nostradamus, Biblical prophecies are extremely detailed and truthful. The Old Testament of the Bible points to over three hundred prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. These prophecies clearly revealed where Jesus Christ would be born, His lineage, how He would suffer, how He would die, resurrect, and come for the second time to take with Him all who are truly His own. There is no other religious book with such prophetic details and accuracy.
3. The Bible’s unique authority and power
A third internal evidence of the divine origin of the Bible is its unique authority and power. Although this evidence might sound to be more subjective than the first two, it is no less a powerful testimony of the divine origin of the Bible. Get it once and for all that the authority of the Bible is unlike any other book ever written. This power and authority that we are talking about are best seen in the way countless lives have been supernaturally transformed by the power of God’s Word.
God’s Word has cured countless drug addicts, freed homosexuals from their evil practices, transformed derelicts and deadbeats, renewed the hearts of hardened criminals, rebuked sinners, and transformed the wicked to good people. This dynamic and life transforming power from the Bible is an indication that it is God’s Word. That is why God says in Jeremiah 23:29 – “My Message is like a Fire, and like a Hammer that breaks rocks into pieces.”
External evidences that the Bible is the Word of God
1. Historicity of the Bible
Since the Bible details historical events, its truthfulness and accuracy are subject to verification just like any other historical document. Through a collection of archeological evidences and other writings, the historical accounts of the Bible have been proven true and time again to be precise, accurate, and true. It is without doubt that all the archeological and manuscript evidence in support of the truthfulness of the Bible makes it the best documented book from the ancient world. Since the Bible accurately and truthfully records historically veritable events, it is a great indication of its truthfulness in handling religious related facts. This helps it substantiate its claims of being the Word of God.
2. Integrity of its human authors
The second external evidence that the Bible is truly God’s Word is the integrity of its human authors. Just as we previously mentioned, God used men from many walks of life to record His Word. By studying the lives of these men, we find out that they walked in honesty and sincerity. These men were more than willing and ready to embrace rejection, persecution, hatred, and even death in support of their believe or certainty on what God told them to do and say. The fact that they were willing and ready to die often excruciating deaths for what they believed testifies that they actually heard from God and had to remain faithful to Him in all conditions.
All the Men who wrote the New Testament of the Bible and many hundreds of other believers (1 Corinthians 15:6) knew the truth of their message and where certain about its genuineness because they had seen and spent time with Jesus Christ after He had risen from the dead. Behold, seeing the risen Christ unarguably had a tremendous impact on them. They moved out from hiding in fear to being willing to die in support of the Message that God had revealed to them. Their lives and deaths clearly testify to the fact that the Bible is God’s Word.
3. Indestructibility of the Bible
The indestructibility of the Bible is another great eternal evidence that it is God’s Word. Due to its importance and claim to be the Word of God, the Bible has suffered more vicious attacks and attacks aimed at destroying it than any other book in history. From early Roman emperors like Diocletian, through communist dictators and on the modern-day atheists and agnostics, the Bible has withstood and outlasted all of those trying to destroy it. Glory be to God Almighty for the Bible is still today the most widely published book in the world. Overtime, skeptics have regarded the Bible as mythological, but archeology has confirmed it to be historical. Although evil people have openly attacked its teachings as primitive and outdated, its moral and legal concepts and teachings have had a major positive influence on societies and cultures throughout the world.
Till date, the Bible continues to receive attacks from pseudo-science, political, and psychology movements, yet it remains relevant and true as it was when it was first written. All attempts to discredit or destroy the Bible have known nothing but failure. This is because God is still on His throne and will always be on His throne. Do not be alarmed that no matter how the Bible is attacked, it always comes out unchanged and victorious. After all, Jesus Christ Himself said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Mark 13:31). Upon looking at all these evidences, one can say without doubt that, yes, the Bible is God’s Word.
Facts About The Word Of God (Bible)
The Bible is Inspired
The Bible is True
It is Authoritative
The Bible is Clear
The Bible is Sufficient
It is Powerful
The Bible is Christ-Centered
The Bible is Precious
Archeology confirms the Biblical record
Archeological finds continue to give us reliable evidences that the Biblical writers accurately recorded history. For example, the Pool of Bethesda as mentioned in John 5:2 was once dismissed as non-historical. As of the time of writing, tour guides in Jerusalem point groups to its location in the northeast of the Old City. Today, there is a visible stone inscription documenting the life and office of Pontius Pilate; the ossuary (coffin) of Caiaphas, the High Priest of the Crucifixion; an old inscription found at Delphi that clearly describes the work of Gallio, proconsul at Corinth (Acts 18:12-17); and scores of other artifacts. All these are pointing to the accuracy of Biblical history and descriptions.
Is the Bible filled with contradictions?
This is one of the most common ways through which skeptics justify their skepticism about the Bible. Such people base themselves on the commonplace supposition that contradictions are bad. To genuinely know whether or not the Bible is contradictory, you should study it. For sure, it is not contradictory to dismiss a book you haven’t studied. By finding a statement that I make that disagrees with something I’ve already said, one is more likely to fell justified by rejecting both. Even though one may be true or even still both may be true. You are probably asking yourself why?
Contradict the contradictions
In dealing with contradiction, it is either we are thanking or blaming Aristotle (384-322 BC). In his obsessive desire to compile all the knowledge in the world into an organized system, he devised laws of logic as organization tools. One of this laws is called the law of contradiction: A cannot equal B and at the same time not equal B. In this light, fish cannot be a mammal, if a biologist like Aristotle is going to classify it. From then to now, westerners and other far way nations have adopted Aristotle’s Law as the basis for determining all truth. And as a result, if we can find a contradiction in the Bible, we can have reason to dismiss its veracity. But before you proceed, not that there is a fly in the ointment.
That is, Aristotle applied his law to physical and rational truth, not to spiritual or relational experience. It may appear contradictory to claim that you love your children and yet sometimes wish they’d never been born. But for a typical parent, both are sometimes true. Likewise, Jesus Christ claimed to be fully God and fully man; God is three and yet One; God knows the future but we have freedom to choose; the Bible is divinely inspired but humanly written. As example of what a person might find contradictory in the Bible is that it teaches us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), yet it also states that “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18). Now, how can God both love and hate? Don’t ask Aristotle, but ask any parent.
Who decided what books should be in the Bible?
The young in the faith are more likely to assume that the Bible was directly handed to mankind by God in the form of a black leather. However, many have heard somewhere along their spiritual journey that some books where excluded from the Bible and wonder why. Perhaps, a group of church officials decided the whole thing. Perhaps, they were books that told a different story from that in the Bible. Maybe there was a smoke-filled room somewhere. Whatever the case, the actual story is nowhere that interesting.
How the Hebrew Scriptures came to be
Today, Christians typically call this section the Old Testament, but those who wrote the New Testament didn’t. When Apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual son, Timothy, from the death row in Rome, asking for his scrolls and parchments (2 Timothy 4:13), he was asking for his copies of the only one Bible he knew. Today, a good number of scholars appropriately call these thirty-nine (39) books the Hebrew Scriptures, in defense to the Jewish faith they express. The Hebrew Bible was first divided into Law, Prophets, and Writings, the arrangement that was in place during the days of Jesus Christ (also read Luke 24:44).
The Jewish numbered the Scriptures as twenty-four books, combining Ezra/Nehemiah, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and the 12 Minor Prophets as “The Twelve.” All these books were written and compiled over centuries of use. According to the Jewish tradition, a council of rabbis and scholars met at Jamnia on the Mediterranean sea in AD 90 and AD 118. It was during this meeting that they finalized the list of books as we have them today, recognizing what their people had accepted as God’s word for centuries.
How the New Testament joined the Old
Not very long from the Ascension of Jesus Christ into His Father’s Kingdom, the Christian movement began recording its faith and doctrines. The eye witnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry were dying or growing old. Fraudulent claims were beginning to appear. The need for a canon (“rule”) among the believers was absolutely needed. The Canon was to be a standard to measure truth and defend the faith. It resulted to what we have today as the New Testament.
Four (4) criteria that were developed for accepting a book as inspired
1. The book must have been written by an Apostle or based on his eye witness
Matthew, the tax collector, was a disciple of Jesus Christ before he wrote his gospel, as was John. Mark was a spiritual son of Apostle Peter and an early missionary associate of Apostle Paul (1 Peter 5:13). Luke was a Gentile physician who willingly joined Paul’s second missionary journey at Troas (read Acts 16:10, where Luke changes the narrative from “they” to “we”). Luke wrote his gospel and the book of Acts based on the eye witness testimony of others (Luke 1:1-4). Paul’s letters resulted from an eye witness to the risen Christ (cf. Acts 9:1-6), as did the letters of James (half-brother of Jesus), Peter, Jude (another half-brother of Jesus), and John. This criteria alone excluded most of the books suggested for the canon.
2. The book must possess merit and authority in its use
This law made it easy to separate those writings that were inspired from those that were not.
“For instance, the First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ portrays or tells of a man changed into a mull by a bewitching spell but converted back to manhood when the infant Christ is put on his back for a ride (7:5-27). Still in the book, the boy Jesus causes clay birds and animals to come to life (ch. 15), stretches a throne his father had made too small (ch. 16), and takes the lives of boys who oppose him (19:19-24).”
It wasn’t hard to figure out that such books were not from the Holy Spirit.
3. A book must be accepted by the larger church and not just a small congregation
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was an early instance of a letter that became “circular” in nature. We are saying here that this letter was read by churches across the faith. Likewise, his other letters soon acquired such status. Note that by the mid-second century, only the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were accepted universally by the church, as quotations from the believers of that era make clearly. Others were not considered to be inspired by God.
4. A book came to be approved by the decision of the church
The Muratorian Canon was the very first list o convey the larger church’s opinion regarding accepted books of the New Testament Canon. Actually compiled around AD 200, it represented the usage of the Roman church at the time. This list we are talking about does omit James, 1 and 2 Peter, 3 John, and Hebrews since the compiler was not sure of their authorship. However, all were soon included in the later canons. The list we have today is that which was set by Athanasius in AD 367. His list was approved by church councils meeting at Hippo Regius in 393 and Carthage in 397.
These councils did not impose anything new upon the church. Rather, they codified what believers had already come to accept and use as the word of God. By the time that the councils had approved the twenty-seven (27) books of our New Testament, they had already served in fullness as the established companion to the Hebrew Scriptures for generations. So, who decided what books should be in the Bible? Ultimately, their Author. We can say that the same Holy Spirit that inspired Biblical revelation (2 Peter 1:20-21) led the Christian movement to those Books He inspired.
What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
Matthew 4:4 – But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Luke 11:28 – But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Isaiah 55:11 – “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Group 1 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13 – “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”
John 6:63 – “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
Proverbs 30:5 – “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Group 2 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Luke 24:45 – “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,“
Romans 15:4 – “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 10:17 – “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Job 23:12 – “I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.”
John 10:35 – “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—”
Group 3 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
Revelation 22:19 – “And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.”
Acts 17:11 – “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
John 15:3 – “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17 – “And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 119:11 – “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
John 5:39 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,”
1 Peter 2:2 – “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—”
Group 4 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
1 John 2:14 – “I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Revelation 1:2 – “Who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”
James 1:21 – “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
Psalm 12:6 – “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.”
2 Peter 3:16 – “As he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”
Jeremiah 23:29 – “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
Group 5 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
Hebrews 1:3 – “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”
1 Peter 1:23 – “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;“
Isaiah 34:16 – “Seek and read from the book of the Lord: Not one of these shall be missing; none shall be without her mate. For the mouth of the Lord has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them.”
Proverbs 30:5-6 – “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”
Psalm 119:9 – “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”
John 8:31 – “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”
Psalm 119:130 – “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.”
Group 6 – What The Bible Says About The Word Of God
Hebrews 1:1 – “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,”
James 1:21-23 – “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.”
James 1:22 – “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
2 Timothy 2:9 – “For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound!”
James 1:18 – “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
1 Peter 1:25 – “But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
Luke 24:27 – “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
John 12:48 – “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”
Joshua 1:8 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
John 5:24 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:18 – “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”
Matthew 7:24 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Psalm 119:89 – “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”
Mark 13:31 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
2 Samuel 23:2 – “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.”
Jeremiah 15:16 – “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.”
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Revelation 22:18 – “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,”
John 15:7 – “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
1 Peter 1:23-25 – “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”
2 Peter 1:4 – “By which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
2 Corinthians 4:2 – “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”
Group 10
Acts 20:32 – “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Hebrews 6:5 – “And have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,”
Psalm 18:30 – “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
John 7:38 – “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 2:22 – “When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.”
2 Peter 1:21 – “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
2 Samuel 22:31 – “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”
Deuteronomy 4:2 – “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.”
Psalm 119:160 – “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”
John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Matthew 22:29 – But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Philippians 2:16 – “Holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
Deuteronomy 8:3 – “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Hebrews 1:2 – “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”
Luke 16:31 – “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Psalm 147:19 – “He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.”
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Amos 8:11 – ““Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
John 8:47 – “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”
2 Peter 3:15 – “And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,”
1 Corinthians 2:13 – “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Jeremiah 8:9 – “The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?”
Isaiah 55:10-11 – “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Philippians 2:14-16 – “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.”
Romans 3:2 – “Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.”
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
Joshua 1:8-9 – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Acts 13:27 – “For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.”
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About The Word Of God?
John 1:1-14:31 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. …”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
What Does The Bible Say About Truth? One might ask, “What is Truth?” It is rather unfortunate that almost two thousand years ago, Truth was put on trial and judged by men who were filled with lies and devoted to evil ways. In a single day, Truth faced six trials, three of which were legal and three that were religious. When it was over, only few people involved in those events could give elements of answers to the question, “what is the truth?” The Bible tells us that after being arrested, the Truth was first led to a corrupt former high priest of the Jews named Annas. Behold, Annas break numerous Jewish Laws during the trial, including trying to induce self-accusations against the defendant, holding the trial in his house, and striking the defendant who had not been convicted of any wrong at that time.
The Bible further tells us that after Annas, the Truth was led to the reigning high priest, Caiaphas, who happened to be Annas’s son-in-law. Standing before Caiaphas the high priest and the Jewish Sanhedrin, numerous false witnesses came forward to speak against the Truth. Caiaphas break not fewer than 7 Jews Laws in his attempt to convict the Truth:
The trial was held in secret
The trial was carried out at night
It involved bribery
The defendant had no one present to make a defense for Him
The requirement of 2 to 3 witnesses in the trial could not be met
They used self-incriminating testimony against the defendant
They subjected the defendant to a death penalty on the same day
All these actions were prohibited by the Jews Law. Regardless, Caiaphas declared the Truth guilty because the Truth claimed to be God in the flesh, what Caiaphas referred to as blasphemy.
What Does The Bible Say About Truth?
The Bible tells us that when morning came, the third trial of the Truth took place in the midst of His enemies who wanted Him dead. Behold, this third trial came with the result that the Jewish Sanhedrin pronounced the Truth should die. However, the Jewish council had no legal right to carry out the death penalty, so they were forced to take the Truth to Pontius Pilate who was the Roman governor at that time. Pontius Pilate was appointed by Tiberius as the fifth prefect of Judea and saved in that capacity A.D. 26 to 36. It is worth pointing out here that Pontius Pilate who was the procurator had power of life and death and had the authority to reverse capital sentences passed by the Sanhedrin. The Bible tells us that as the Truth stood before Pontius Pilate, more lies were brought against Him.
These lies were formulated and brought by His enemies who wanted Him dead at all cost. Behold, His enemies said, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King” (Luke 23:2). This was a clear lie, as the Truth had told everyone to pay their taxes (Matthew 22:21) talk-less of speaking about Himself as a human challenge to Caesar.
What does the Scriptures say about the Truth?
Despite all the accusations against the Truth, Pontius Pilate requested for and enhanced an interesting conversation with the Truth. John 18:33–38 says, “Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?’ Pilate answered, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.’ Therefore Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’”
Note that Pilate’s question, “what is the truth?” has been the talk of time across several centuries. That is, it has reverberated down through history. In regard to this question, many have been wondering whether it was a melancholy desire to know that which no one else could tell him, a sarcastic insult, or perhaps an irritated reply to Jesus’ words. So what is truth?
A general overview and proposed definition of Truth
In our effort to genuinely propose a definition for truth, we’ll start by pointing what truth is not:
Truth is not merely whatever works. Such is the philosophy of pragmatism-an ends.vs. -means-type approach. We all know that in reality, lies can appear to “work,” but this does not change the fact that they are not lies and not the truth.
Truth is not simply what is coherent or understandable. Behold, it is possible for a group of people to get together and form a conspiracy based on a set of falsehood whereby they all agree to tell the same false story. From all angles, this does not make their presentation true.
We can as well say that truth is not what makes people feel good. This is so, because even bad new can be true.
Truth is not defined by what is intended. This is so because even good intentions can be wrong.
Truth is not necessarily what is comprehensive. This is so because even a well detailed lengthy presentation can still result to a false conclusion.
We can as well say that truth is not how we know; truth is what we know.
Truth is not what is publicly proved. Note that a truth can be privately know (for example a buried treasure in the thick forest ).
Truth is not simply what is believed to be. This is so because even a lie believed still remains a lie.
What is Truth?
The Greek word for “truth” is aletheia , which literally means “un-hide” or “hiding nothing.” This Greek word conveys the thought that truth is always there, with nothing being hidden or obscured, as it is always open and available for all to see. The Hebrew word for “truth” is emeth, meaning “firmness,” “constancy” and “duration.” This definition or meaning points to an everlasting substance or something that we can firmly rely upon. The philosophical approach reveals three simple ways to define truth which are:
Truth is simply telling it like it is.
Truth is that which matches its object.
It is that which matches reality
It is very important to understand that truth corresponds to reality or “what is.” Truth is real and correspondent to nature. That is, it is such that it matches its object and it is well known by its referent. In short, truth is simply telling it the way it is. Truth reveals the way things really are, and any other viewpoint is wrong.
Philosophical Challenges to Truth
The foundation principle of philosophy is being able to discern between truth and error. Thomas Aquinas puts it this way, “It is the task of the philosopher to make distinctions.” It is rather unfortunate that Aquinas’ words are not very popular these days. It is sad to say but making distinctions seems to be out of fashion in a postmodern era of relativism. Note that it is acceptable to say that “This is true,” so long as it is not accompanied by, “and therefore that is false.” Such is highly observable in matters of faith and religion whereby, every belief system is supposed to be on equal footing where truth is involved. Although there are several philosophies and worldviews that challenge the concept of truth, yet, when each is critically examined in the light of understanding, it turns out to be self-defeating in nature.
1. Philosophy of relativism
The philosophy of relativism holds that all truth is relative and that there is no such things as absolute truth. With this in mind, we can ask whether the claim that “all truth is relative” is a relative truth or absolute truth? If it is a relative truth, this makes it highly meaningless because we do not know when and how it applies. If it is an absolute truth, then absolute truth exists. In addition, the relativist betrays his own position when he states that the position of the absolutist is wrong – why can’t all who say that absolute truth exist be correct? In essence and fact, when the relativist says, “There is no truth,” he is simply asking you not to believe him. And in such a circumstance, the best thing to do is to follow his advice and not believe him.
2. Philosophy of Skepticism
All those who follow the philosophy of skepticism simply doubt all truth. Whatever the case, is the skeptic skeptical about skepticism; does he for once doubt his own truth claim? If so, then why even suffer yourself by paying attention to skepticism? If not, then we can be at-least sure of one thing (in other words, absolute truth exist)-skepticism, which, ironically, becomes absolute truth in that case.
3. Philosophy of Agnosticism
The Agnostic says that you can’t know the truth. Yet the mindset in this case is self-defeating because it claims to know at least one truth: that you can’t know the truth.
4. Philosophy of Postmodernism
As for the disciples of postmodernism, they simply affirm no particular truth. Frederick Nietzsche who is the patron saint of postmodernism described truth as: “What then is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms … truths are illusions … coins which have lost their pictures and now matter only as metal, no longer as coins.” Sarcastically, although the postmodernist holds coins in his hands that are now “mere metal,” he affirms at least one absolute truth: the truth that no truth should be affirmed. Just like all other world vies, postmodernism is self-defeating and can not stand the test of time.
5. Philosophy of Pluralism
Pluralism is another popular worldview which says that all truth claims are equally valid. Of course, this is absolutely impossible. Behold, immediately you start making good use of your senses, you’ll realize that this concept does not hold. Can two claims – one that says a woman is now pregnant and another that says she is not now pregnant – both be true at the same time? Pluralism is unraveled at the feet of the law of non-contradiction, which holds that something can not be both “A” and “Non-A” at the same time and in the same sense.
As one philosopher quipped, anyone who thinks or believes that the law of non-contradiction is not true (and, by default, pluralism is true) should be beaten and burned until they admit that to be beaten and burned is not the same thing as to not be beaten and burned. In addition, pluralism says that it is true and that anything oppose to it is false, which is a claim that denies its own fundamental tenet: all truth claims are equally valid. It is important to understand that the spirit behind pluralism is an open-armed attitude of tolerance. However, pluralism ends up confusing the idea of everyone having equal value with every truth claim being equally valid. Although all people may be equal, not all truth claims are. Mortimer Adler says, “Pluralism is desirable and tolerable only in those areas that are matters of taste rather than matters of truth.”
Understanding the Offensive Nature of Truth
On most occasions, when the concept of truth is maligned, it is usually for one or more of the following reasons:
One of the most common complaint against anyone claiming to have absolute truth in matters of faith and religion is that such a stance is “narrow minded.” However, the critic in this situation fails to understand that, by nature, truth is narrow. Common and tells whether or not a mathematics teacher is narrow-minded for holding to the belief that 2 + 2 equals 4?
Another objection to truth is the belief that it is arrogant to claim that a person is right and another is wrong. However, referring to our mathematical example above, is it arrogant for a math teacher to insist on only one right answer to an arithmetic problem? Or is it arrogant for a locksmith to say that only one key will unlock a locked door?
Another complaint against those holding to absolute truth in matters of faith and religion is that such a position excludes people, rather than being inclusive in approach. The critic in this case fails to understand that truth, by nature, excludes its opposite. Basing ourselves on the arithmetic above, we can say without doubt that all answers other than 4 are excluded from the reality of what 2 + 2 equals.
Another charge against those holding to absolute truth in matters of faith and religion is that it is offensive and divisive to claim that one has the truth. Here, the critic argues that what actually matters is sincerity. However, truth is immune to sincerity, belief, and desire. No matter how sincerely a person believes a wrong key will fit a door; the key won’t still go in talk-less of unlocking the door.
More Facts on the Offensive Nature of Truth
It is important to understand that truth is unaffected by sincerity. For example, a person who picks up a bottle of poison and sincerely believes that it is lemonade will still end up suffering the heavy effects of the poison if he/she drinks. Likewise, truth is impervious to desire. If the gauge indicates that the tank is empty and the car will not run any farther, there is no desire in the world that will miraculously cause the car to continue going.
There are some people who admit that absolute truth exists, but then claim such a stance valid only in the area of science and not in that of faith and religion. Such is the philosophical way of thinking known as logical positivism. This philosophy was made popular by philosophers like David Hume and A. J. Ayer. According to them, truth claims must either be (1) tautologies (for example, all bachelors are married men) or (2) empirically veritable (that is testable via scientific approaches). To the logical positivists, all talk about God is nonsense.
It is unfortunate that those who hold to the concept that only science can make truth claims fail to understand that there are many realms of truth where science is impotent. Below are some few examples.
Examples
Science cannot prove metaphysical truths such as, minds other than my own do exist.
Science cannot prove the disciplines of mathematics and logic because it presupposes them.
In addition, science is incapable of stating truths about aesthetic positions such as the beauty of a sunrise.
Science is incapable of providing truth in the areas of morals and ethics. For example, you cannot use science to prove that the Nazis were evil.
Each time that a person makes the statement “science is the only source of objective truth,” they have just made a philosophical claim – which cannot be tested in anyway by science.
There are also people who hold to the claim that absolute truth does not apply in the area of morality. Yet the response to the question, “Is it morally upright to torture and murder an innocent child?” is absolute and universal: No. We can as well make it look more personal by pointing to the fact that those who espouse relative truth concerning morals always seem to want their spouse to be absolutely faithful to them.
God and Truth
All through the six trials of Jesus Christ, the contrast between truth (righteousness) and lies (unrighteousness) was clear. Jesus Christ, the Truth, stood being judged by those whose actions were deeply rooted in evil. In handling the case of Jesus Christ, the Jewish leaders broke nearly every Law that was given to Moses by God to protect a defendant from wrongful conviction. It is sad to say but the Jewish leaders worked to find any testimony that would incriminate Jesus. In their frustration and desire to have Jesus Christ killed, they turned to false evidence brought by liars who also wanted Jesus Christ dead. Upon noticing that all their efforts to convict or incriminate Jesus were not working, they broke another Law and forced Jesus to implicate Himself.
Even in front of Pilate, the Jewish leaders lied again. Having convicted Jesus of blasphemy and realizing that it won’t be sufficient to coax Pilate to kill Him, they claimed that Jesus was challenging Caesar and was breaking Roman Law by encouraging everyone not to pay taxes. It was not long that Pontius Pilate detected their superficial deception, and he did not address the charge. Note that Jesus the righteous was judged by the unrighteous. He who had no sin was judged by sinners. The good suffered in the hands of the bad. Another sad fact is that the later always persecutes the former. As you’ll read from the Bible verses about truth, you’ll clearly perceive the relationship between truth and righteousness and between falsehood and unrighteousness.
What is Truth?
Jesus Christ clearly tells us in John 14:6 – “I am the truth.” Although simple, it is an incredible statement to be spoken by a human being. How could be a mere man be the truth? The truth is that He couldn’t be unless He was more than a mere human being, which is actually what He claimed to be. Although Jesus’ claim was doubted at that time, it was validated when He rose from the dead (Romans 1:4) and ascended as God the Son to the presence of God the Father who gave Him all authority and power in Heaven, on Earth and in the world to come (Matthew 28:18).
The One Pilate and the Jewish leaders convicted will one day serve as their judge, as He will be for all people who suppress the truth with unrighteousness. Records hold that Pontius Pilate evidently never came to knowledge of the truth. Eusebius, the historian and Bishop of Caesarea, records the fact that Pontius Pilate ultimately committed suicide at some point in time during the reign of the emperor Caligula. This sad ending which was experienced by Pontius Pilate is an indication that ignoring the truth leads to severe consequences (physical and spiritual death). On the other hand, Believing, Sincerely Repenting, and obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ sets us apart as beneficiaries of God’s special gift of Eternal Life. In this way, we are saved from the Fire of Hell and the Judgement Day.
What The Bible Says About Truth
3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
1 John 3:18 – “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 1:6 – “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”
Psalm 15:2-3 – “The one whose walk is blameless,who does what is righteous,who speaks the truth from their heart;whose tongue utters no slander,who does no wrong to a neighbor,and casts no slur on others.”
Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Ephesians 4:15 – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
John 8:31-32 – To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Group 1 – What The Bible Says About Truth
Psalm 25:5 – “Guide me in your truth and teach me,for you are God my Savior,and my hope is in you all day long.”
Proverbs 10:32 – “The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.”
Psalm 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
1 John 2:27 – “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”
James 5:12 – “Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.”
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Psalm 119:30 – “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.”
Group 2 – What The Bible Says About Truth
Proverbs 4:24 – “Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”
1 John 5:20 – “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
James 1:18 – “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
Proverbs 30:5 – “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
John 16:7 – “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”
John 15:26 – “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.”
Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.”
John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Group 3 – What The Bible Says About Truth
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Proverbs 14:5 – “An honest witness does not deceive,but a false witness pours out lies.”
Proverbs 12:22 – “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”
John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”
Proverbs 12:22 – “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“
John 8:32 – “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Group 4 – What The Bible Says About Truth
Psalm 25:5 – “Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.”
1 John 3:18 – “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
Psalm 119:160 – “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”
Psalm 145:18 – “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
Ephesians 6:14 – “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,”
James 1:18 – “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”
Group 5 – What The Bible Says About Truth
John 18:37-38 – “Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.”
Ephesians 4:15 – “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
John 8:31-32 – So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 1:17 – “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”
Group 6 – What The Bible Says About Truth
Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”
Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
1 John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 5:20 – “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
1 John 1:6 – “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
Proverbs 16:13 – “Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.”
John 8:44 – “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Psalm 43:3 – “Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!“
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Truth?
Proverbs 30:5 – “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.”
1 Kings 17:24 – And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”
John 14:17 – “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”
Romans 1:18 – “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”
Psalm 51:6 – “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”
Psalm 25:10 – “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.”
1 John 4:6 – “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
John 18:37 – Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Truth?
Psalm 119:142 – “Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.”
John 15:26 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”
1 Timothy 3:15 – “If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
John 18:38 – “Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.”
Ephesians 5:9 – “(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),”
Ephesians 1:13-14 – “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Ephesians 4:21 – “Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,”
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Truth?
1 Corinthians 5:8 – “Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
2 John 1:2 – “Because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:”
Psalm 15:2-3 – “He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend;”
Zechariah 8:16 – “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;”
John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 16:7 – “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”
Psalm 15:1-2 – “A Psalm of David. O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;”
3 John 1:3-4 – “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Truth?
Job 34:12 – “Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.”
Psalm 34:13 – “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”
Proverbs 16:6 – “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”
James 5:12 – “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”
2 Timothy 2:7 – “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.”
Titus 1:1-2 – “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.”
Hebrews 6:18 – “So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.”
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
Psalm 85:10 – “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”
1 John 2:27 – “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”
John 4:23 – “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
Romans 1:24-25 – “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”
John 8:46 – “Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?”
3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
Daniel 10:21 – “But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.”
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
Exodus 34:6 – “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”
Proverbs 12:17 – “Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.”
Psalm 119:30 – “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.”
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Proverbs 12:19 – “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
2 Peter 3:16 – “As he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”
Matthew 22:16 – “And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.“
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
2 Timothy 2:24-26 – “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Deuteronomy 32:4 – “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”
Revelation 22:14-15 – “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
Proverbs 20:28 – “Steadfast love and faithfulness preserve the king, and by steadfast love his throne is upheld.”
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Genesis 42:16 – “Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.”
Colossians 1:5-6 – “Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,”
Psalm 12:3 – “May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts,”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …”
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
John 1:1-51 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. …”
1 Peter 1:22 – “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,”
2 Corinthians 4:4 – “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
Psalm 26:3 – “For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.”
John 14:1-31 – ““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …”
Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
2 John 1:3-4 – “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.”
1 Peter 1:22-23 – “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;“
Proverbs 10:32 – “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is perverse.”
Romans 10:17 – “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.”
Group 18 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
2 Corinthians 4:2 – “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.”
Acts 20:28 – “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
Daniel 9:13 – “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.”
Group 19 – What Does The Bible Say About The Truth?
Exodus 20:1-26 – “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,”
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God? When reading the Bible, we frequently hear of people being called by the Lord God Almighty for a specific ministry or service. There are many examples of people being called by the Lord God in the Bible for His service. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Ezekiel, and many others were called by the Lord God Almighty to be His Prophets. Likewise, Paul was called by the Lord God: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:1). Likewise, the Old Testament priests were called by the Lord God to their special work (Hebrews 5:4; cf. Exodus 28:1). To be called by the Lord God Almighty is to be chosen by Him for certain purposes. When a person is aware of God’s calling in his/her life and surrenders to it, he/she starts living out the Lord God’s purpose for his/her life.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Isaiah 49:1 says, “Listen to Me, O islands and coastlands, And pay attention, you peoples from far away. The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He has named Me.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 says, Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Galatians 1:14-18 says, “And [you have heard how] I surpassed many of my contemporaries among my countrymen in [my advanced study of the laws of] Judaism, as I was extremely loyal to the traditions of my ancestors. But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles [as the good news—the way of salvation], I did not immediately consult with anyone [for guidance regarding God’s call and His revelation to me]. Nor did I [even] go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia and stayed awhile, and afterward returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I did go up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter), and I stayed with him fifteen days.“ 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“ Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“ John 12:26 says, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Matthew 20:25-28 says, But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God?
The Lord God Almighty called the entire nation of Israel to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). Likewise, the church, redeemed by the blood of the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). The Lord God’s calling of Israel was to showcase His salvation to the pagan world. Sadly, Israel rejected that call by following idols and as a result never flourished in the way the Lord God wanted to prosper them. Nevertheless, the Lord God’s call today is to all those redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ to showcase to the world God’s love, mercy, grace, and salvation (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 5:16). The Lord God is actively involved with His Universe than many people actually think. The Lord God is sovereign over the Universe and all creation as confirmed by Isaiah 46:9–11. Although the Lord God created humankind to be freewill beings and as such possess the freedom to make choices, His choices have already been made (Exodus 33:19; Romans 9:10–18). Likewise, Romans 11:29 says, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”
John 3:16 says, “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Behold, we are called by the Lord God to Salvation. In the New Testament, the Greek word ekklesia translated “church” means “a called-out assembly,” or “the called out ones.” God’s call to salvation involves conforming us “to the image of his Son.” Both His election and call to salvation are part of an eternal plan for us that guarantees our inheritance in heaven: “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29–30). After salvation, we are further called to grow in Christian virtue and serve the Lord God by good works. As a matter of fact, it is this maturation process in the Christian faith that confirms our calling by the Lord God (2 Peter 1:5–10). The Lord God has provided us with Spiritual Gifts to aid us in our call to service in His vineyard. The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He sees fit and then calls us into a field of service that makes use of those gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1–11).
Biblical Facts About Being Called By God
Behold, each and every Christian has a calling in his/her life. In fact, we were designed before the foundation of the world to be His workmanship, glorifying Him as we bring forth the fruit He desires. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—“ Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].“
Generally, the Lord God’s call to service usually begins with a burden for a particular need that relates to His kingdom. Some are called to the political arena where they can contribute to ending things like child abuse, and human trafficking, as well as contributing to the well-being of society in one way or the other for the glory of God. Others are called to be Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Worship leaders, Bible translators, or to a host of other avenues that honor and glorify the Lord God (Matthew 23:34; 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11). In this way, each one makes use of the gifts the Spirit has given to bring honor and glory to God’s name. We discover our call to a specific area of service by walking closely with the Lord God, loving Him, obeying Him, and offering ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1–2; Colossians 1:10). With time, we’ll grow spiritually and develop sensitivity to the voice of the Lord God. He can confirm His call in any way of His choice. Most of the time, confirmation can come through Scripture, godly counsel, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations.
Responding To God’s Call
When the Lord God calls us, He leads us into an awareness of the call. When we accept His calling on our lives, He prepares and equips us to be successful in His service. In the field, our callings are manifested through the works we are able to accomplish by the strength and gifts that God prepared and equipped us with. For example, a person may begin to have a burden for a particular foreign nation and its people regarding their salvation and spiritual well-being. The burden was placed there by the Lord God as part of His calling. The person makes further research about that nation and enrolls in a missions-focused school as his/her way to prepare for the work ahead. Once on the mission field, he/she is willing to suffer hardships and separation from family and friends because the call of God is his/her greatest motivation and focus. Apostle Paul wrote, “I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Notice that God’s call on Apostle Paul’s life became his motivating force. Acts 9:15–16 says, But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.”
In answering God’s call, we must obey His instructions in Scripture. By being faithful to the call of obedience, the Lord God can call us to more specific areas as well as increase our responsibility in his vineyard. Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little thing is also dishonest in much.“ Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’“ Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 12:1-29 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. …“
Resisting/Refusing to Accept/Surrender to God’s Call
The Bible tells us that Jonah was called by the Lord God but refused to surrender to the call; rather, he ran the other way (Jonah 1:1–3). In spite of that, the Lord God pursued His disobedient servant until Jonah submitted himself to the call. With clear knowledge and understanding of Jonah’s disobedience beforehand, the Lord God had already prepared a big fish to swallow him and spit him out when he was humbled enough to repent (Jonah 1:17—2:1). When Jonah was back on dry land, the word of the Lord came to him for a second time, giving him another chance to obey. Jonah 3:1-3 says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.”
It’s without a doubt that the Lord God Almighty could have rescued the Israelites from captivity in Egypt without Moses’ help. But He chose to do it through Moses (Matthew 19:26). Appearing to Moses at the burning bush, the Lord God said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt … and I have come down to rescue them” (Exodus 3:7-8). Surprisingly, the Lord God said, “Therefore, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Notice that the Lord God had a plan to deliver His people; His plan was Moses. However, in response to God’s call, Moses immediately began making excuses. From the Bible, we can deduce 4 different excuses made by Moses in an attempt not to accept or surrender to God’s call on his life:
1) I am not Adequate for the Task (Lack of Confidence) – Exodus 3:11-12
Exodus 3:11-12 says, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” And God said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve and worship God at this mountain.” “Who am I,” Moses asked. In fact, he felt inadequate, and he was eventually right to feel that way. By himself, he was inadequate, just as each and every one of us is. Amazingly, the Lord God in reply said to Moses, “certainly I will be with you.” Notice that the deliverance of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt didn’t depend on the ability of Moses but on the presence, mightiness, power, sovereignty, strength, and sufficiency of the Lord God. From this Scripture, it’s clear that when the Lord God calls people to serve His purpose, He always provides
Fascinatingly, in Exodus 3:11-12, no longer is Moses the bold, strong 40 years old man in Egypt, who could singlehandedly kill an Egyptian slave master and successfully flee away from the Egyptian army unhurt. It seems the last 40 years in the wilderness did erase his confidence. From a prince to a pauper, it’s clear that Moses suffered a serious demotion from royalty to one of Egypt’s most-wanted assassins who was on the run. This probably explains why after all these years of tending sheep in the desert with no prospects of any change on the horizon, Moses had a serious sense of personal inferiority. But what Moses failed to know was that the Lord God had His eyes on him all the time. Behold, the Lord God had chosen him to accomplish a task greater than anything he could have imagined. As a matter of fact, the last 40 years of tending sheep weren’t wasted. Rather, they had taught Moses a lot about leadership, for sheep are renowned for: 1) Wandering away, completely unaware of dangers that may lurk ahead of them. 2) Their crowd mentality, mob mentality, herd mentality, or pack mentality. 3) Their complete dependence on the shepherd to guard and provide for them.
Behold, if Moses could lead sheep, then he could certainly lead people. Moses had gained field experience in leading the sheep around the Median desert, leading them in finding food and water, and protecting them from wild animals. And as such, we think that Moses was best placed to lead the Israelites out of captivity and into the promised land. Although his objection sounds like an expression of deep humility, it’s not really about humility but lack of confidence, not lack of confidence in self but lack of confidence in the Lord God who called him. Given that the Lord God had seemingly abandoned Moses just when he was intervening to use his strength and position to ameliorate the plight of the Israelites who were held captive in Egypt, could he still trust Him for the future especially as it involved Pharaoh? (Exodus 2:11-22). Absolutely yes, Moses could trust the Lord God for the future and just everything that he needed. God’s reply, “I will be with you” was all that Moses needed. The expression “be with you” indicates intimacy, protection, guidance, provision, and comfort. In other words, everything that Moses would need, the Lord God would provide. Notice that this expression of encouragement in Exodus 3:12a was the same expression of encouragement that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples just before He ascended back to heaven and before they would face tremendous tests of their newfound faith: “Remember,I amwith you always,to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
2) I don’t Know Enough (A Lack of Knowledge of God) – Exodus 3:13-22
Exodus 3:13-14 says, Then Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers (ancestors) has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am”; and He said, “You shall say this to the Israelites, ‘I Am has sent me to you.’” Here, we see that Moses was worried about what to say should in case the Israelites challenge his authority and integrity by testing his personal knowledge of God. In fact, Moses was afraid the Israelites might ask him a question he couldn’t answer. Notice that he had to know the correct answer or else his authority would be in doubt. And knowing who he had been and what he had done, the Israelites were more likely to challenge him. Given his track record, they were likely to be suspicious of him.
Behold, if Moses didn’t answer correctly their hypothetical question as to God’s identity, they certainly would not welcome him, talk less of following him. The Lord God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” And behold, whenever we say, “I don’t know enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” I’m not capable,” the Lord God Almighty says, but “I AM.” With this in mind, we should always trust Him because He is loving, worthy, faithful, and never fails.
3) People won’t take me Serious (Lack of Credibility with the People) – Exodus 4:1-9
Exodus 4:1 says, Then Moses answered [the Lord] and said, “What if they will not believe me or take seriously what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” The Lord God had already promised Moses, “They will listen to what you say” (Exodus 3:18). Still, Moses protested. Notice that now it’s not a matter of the Israelites questioning who had sent him, but whether they would believe him and obey him. Now it’s more of a matter of personal credibility. Well, Moses certainly had cause to wonder if they would believe him. Remember, his track record wasn’t that great. Indeed, he had earlier attempted to protect the Hebrew slave who was being mistreated by the slave master, but then he had disappeared for up to 40 years. The people were likely to question his whereabouts for all these years, who he had become, and whether or not he would abandon them again.
Amazingly, the Lord God graciously gives him three miraculous signs by which he could prove his credibility and convince the Israelites that he had been sent to them by I Am, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First, his miraculous rod – when he threw it to the ground, it became a serpent and when he took hold of it again it became a rod again (Exodus 4:2-5). Second, his hand – when he put it into his cloak, it became leprous and when he put it into his cloak again it was immediately restored to perfect health (Exodus 4:6-7). Third, water from the river Nile – when Moses poured it on dry land it would become blood (Exodus 4:9).
4) A Lack of Oral Ability – Exodus 4:10-12
Exodus 4:10-12 says, Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words (eloquent, fluent), neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, or the seeing or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and will teach you what you shall say.” Behold, public speaking happens to be a problem for many people. In fact, it’s a daunting task for many people. Moses found himself in a situation whereby he was called by the Lord God to speak to a multitude as vast as the Israelites and to the pharaoh, the very man who wanted to kill him and from whom he had fled many years ago for his life. Again, the Lord God graciously provides comfort and assurance to Moses. Surely, the Creator Himself is able to empower us to speak for Him and to give us the right words to speak at the right time (Luke 12:12).
I am not willing – Exodus 4:13-17
Exodus 4:13-17 says, But he said, “Please my Lord, send the message [of rescue to Israel] by [someone else,] whomever else You will [choose].” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled and burned against Moses; He said, “Is there not your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. Also, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be overjoyed. You must speak to him and put the words in his mouth; I, even I, will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; he will act as a mouthpiece for you, and you will be as God to him [telling him what I say to you]. You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs [the miracles which prove I sent you].”
“Please, Lord, Send someone else,” Moses said (Exodus 4:13). Indeed, Moses said this despite God’s grace, patience, and provision for his weakness and fears. Behold, this was not an excuse/objection, but it reveals the real issue. Notice that for every excuse/objection Moses had made, the Lord God offered His promise and provision. Upon running out of excuses/objections, Moses revealed what the real issue was: I am not willing or I don’t want to do this or get someone to do it. As a matter of fact, this is usually the real issue; we are simply not willing to step out in faith and obey God’s call and instructions for us. Sadly, there are many other excuses that we make when the Lord God calls us. One might say, “I’m too old” (Moses was 80 years old) or another might say, like Jeremiah, “I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:7). In reality, whatever the excuse, it often boils down to lack of trust and an unwillingness to obey the Lord God Almighty.
Can I Reject God’s Calling to be a Minister or His Servant?
If I refuse God’s calling to be a minister or His servant, will I be punished? What are the consequences of refusing God’s calling? Can I reject God’s call on my life and go free? From the previously presented cases of Moses and Jonah, we can draw some very important Biblical conclusions about resisting/rejecting God’s call. But before that, let’s get some Scriptural facts about this topic: Romans 14:12 says, “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.“ 1 Peter 4:5 says, “But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.” Matthew 12:36-37 says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Luke 12:47-48 says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.“
From the Biblical examples of Moses and Jonah, we learn that when the Lord God calls us to be His servants or to minister for Him, it is wisest to obey. Moses refused to be God’s minister in the desert and as a result, God took part of his ministry away and gave it to someone else. Later in Numbers 20, we are told that Moses sinned and as a result, the Lord God did not let him go into the Promised Land. The Lord God gave his ministry to Joshua. With this in mind, it’s clear that the Lord God does not ultimately need you for the accomplishment of His purpose. If you refuse or get involved in sin, the Lord God can possibly give part or all of your ministry to someone else. In the Bible, we see an example of blatant and defiant refusal from Jonah. Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not enjoy the ministry that the Lord God gave him. Although his ministry was phenomenally successful, he missed the joy of ministry because he refused. Still, notice that the Lord God once again did not let Jonah say no.
Following the calling of Moses and Jonah, is it possible to successfully refuse or reject God’s calling on your life? No. Romans 11:29 says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [for He does not withdraw what He has given, nor does He change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call].” The message of the Scripture is that if the Lord God is calling you to minister for Him, He will not let you say no. He will pursue you until you say “yes.” The question now is, what ministry will you receive and how will you operate it? Scripturally, the Lord God can give part of the ministry that you could have had to someone else. In addition, you may not enjoy the ministry that you end up with, but then at least you are obedient, like Jonah.
Sadly, many people these days are battling in an attempt to refuse or reject God’s call on their lives. As a matter of fact, doing this is fighting a losing battle. Deep down in your heart, you know without a doubt that the Lord God is calling you into His service but you just can’t imagine yourself becoming a minister or His servant. The Lord God has revealed Himself and His calling on your life in different ways. He has confirmed His calling on your life through the Scriptures, godly counsel, spiritual leaders, dreams, visions, fruitful results, natural gifting, and/or a sense of “rightness” that does not conflict with any of the other Scriptural confirmations. Perhaps, you’ve even stopped attending church in an attempt to get your mind off the things of God, but He keeps reminding you of His calling on your life. Jeremiah 20:9 says, “But if I say I’ll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” Yet, you still keep trying to reject His calling. Trying to reject God’s call on your life as Jonah did is something that will put you in a more or less situation like that of Jonah whereby nothing in your life is moving as planned and on your own, you’ll be moving on towards distress, trouble, disaster and destruction as was the case with Jonah. Repent as Jonah did (Jonah 2), trust and serve the Lord God, “For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the LORD, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
The Secret to answer God’s call for your life – 2 Chronicles 30:8
2 Chronicles 30:8 says, “Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the LORD and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the LORD your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.” When it comes to hearing and answering God’s call for your life, 2 Chronicles 30:8 is the scripture to embrace. It presents a powerful three-step principle on how to be used by God. This three-step principle remains the secret or answer to the question of how you prepare yourself to be used by God Almighty. This three-step principle can be presented with the following three words: Yield, Enter, and Serve. Likewise, Jesus Christ said in Luke 9:23, “Then He said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” By doing these things, you’ll make yourself receptive to God’s call as well as ready to be used by God anywhere and at any time depending on His will. It’s our prayer that after examining these secrets to answer God’s call on your life, you’ll be equipped with what it takes to be successful in doing God’s work thereby winning more souls into His Kingdom.
1. Completely Yield Yourself to God’s Will
Webster’s definition of yielding reads: 1) to give up possession of on claim or demand: such as a: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another: hand over possession of b: to give (oneself) up to an inclination, temptation, or habit c: to relinquish one’s possession of (something, such as a position of advantage or point of superiority) yield precedence d: to surrender or submit (oneself) to another e: to give up (one’s breath, life, or spirit) and so die 2) to be fruitful or productive. Below are characteristics of genuine yielding:
Yielding is fully letting God have His way in your life.
Genuine yielding prioritizes God’s will over your will.
It has to do with completely surrendering yourself to God.
True yielding acknowledges the confession; Not MY will but THY will be done in my life.
Through yielding, we become profitable to God’s kingdom.
Consecration and Sanctification are the two words used in the Bible for yielding.
Yielding is setting aside yourself for the sole purpose of God’s use.
By yielding ourselves, we are made available for God to use according to His will.
Our availability for God’s use depends on how much we give Him.
Hence, anyone who gives just a little of themselves to God will be used in a small way but anyone who gives much of themselves and their time to God will be used mightily in ways beyond human understanding.
Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“ Luke 9:23 says, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Galatians 5:24 says, “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.“ John 12:24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.“ 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.“ Matthew 10:38 says, “And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Romans 6:11 says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Enter into God’s Sanctuary
Entering into God’s sanctuary is an important Christian exercise that we can’t afford to omit in answering the question “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” This is to say that if you are serious about answering God’s call in your life, you’ll need to build a deep relationship or establish a covenant with Him. It is the process of establishing a faithful relationship with God that we refer to as entering His sanctuary. Entering God’s sanctuary is not necessarily going to a Christian assembly which we’ve come to refer to as a Church. It is more of getting into your secret place, where you regularly talk with God in all quietness. Referring to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Likewise, Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
God’s sanctuary can as well be perceived as your heart, a place where His Spirit dwells. This is a call for you to treasure your heart as you strive hard to always keep it clean so that God’s spirit won’t be grieved. You do this by paying attention to what proceeds forth from your heart thereby making sure that it is in line with the will of God. In the same light, you should pay attention and align your thoughts, words, and actions according to the will of God. Remember to fill your heart with the Love of God and that of your neighbor. By so doing, you’ll reflect the loving nature of God Almighty thereby gaining mercy and favor on His side. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Psalm 51:10 says, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 1 Samuel 16:7 says, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Acts 15:9 says, “And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Matthew 15:11 says, “It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that defiles and dishonors him, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles and dishonors him.” Below are some of the spiritual exercises that will grow your relationship with God and maintain you in His sanctuary:
a. Praying without ceasing
As Christians, we are called to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, started with prayers and ended with prayers. It is without a doubt that a prayerful life was the key to achieving success in the Divine Mission which was attributed to Him by God the Father. It is in the light of following His footsteps that we ought to pray at all times and pray without ceasing. If you expect God to use you, you must value the aspect of regularly communicating with Him. It is through a prayerful life that you will identify what God wants you to do. Prayer is a two-sided communication line – that is, as you speak to God, He is also speaking to you. Hence, you should learn to listen and hear from God because He is always saying something.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing,“ Mark 6:46 says, “And after He said goodbye to them, He went to the mountain to pray.” Luke 5:16 says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” John 15:7 says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Matthew 6:6 says, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“ Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Matthew 6:7 says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.“ James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Luke 11:9 says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,“ Matthew 6:9-13 says, Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
b. Regularly reading and meditating on your Bible
The Bible is an authoritative means through which God speaks, teaches, and confirms His Holy Will to mankind. It is one of the greatest means of communication with God. The Bible teaches us about the great things which God has done, those that He is still doing, and those that He will do in times to come. God’s word is to our spirit what food is to our body. Failure to hear God’s word is likely to lead to what we refer to as spiritual starvation. By daily and regularly studying God’s word, you are equipped with what it takes to do His will as well as minister it to others.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.“ Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.“ Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Isaiah 55:11 says, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Joshua 1:8 says, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.“ Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“ John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.“ Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Hebrews 4:12-14 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” Matthew 4:4 says, But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?“ Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.“ Psalm 19:7-11 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.“ Proverbs 4:20-23 says, “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.“ Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.“ James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Matthew 7:24 says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.“
c. Thanksgiving to God at all times
It is our Christian duty to be thankful to God at all times and in all circumstances. That is, we are to thank God for everything that comes our way – whether good or bad. We do this because God is always in control; nothing happens without His knowledge. Hence, we can say without a doubt that God is aware of all things that are happening to us. In short, He is in total control of all things that come our way. That’s why we should not dwell our hearts on worries. Always remember that God is working and turning all things for the good of His children. Let’s support this message by reading from Jeremiah 29:11 – “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!“ Psalm 7:17 says, “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,“ Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.“
d. Singing praises to God
Offering praises to God is more of an outer expression of the inward joy and happiness in one’s heart. This is generally done in acknowledgment of God’s goodness, immeasurable and unconditional love. True praise is a spontaneous action that is mental, physical, emotional, and highly verbal. In reading across the Bible, we hear more of the vocalization of praise than dances or other expressions of praise. Remember that it was the vocal praise that brought down the great walls of Jericho. Hence, it is without a doubt that vocal praise moves God into action as He locates His people in mercy and favor. The Greek word for praise is “Story.” The moment something proclaims the work of God, it is offering praise. In simple terms, praise is telling a story of God’s goodness, might, power, love, mercy, compassion, and sovereignty.
Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.“ Psalm 100:1-2 says, “A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!“ Psalm 95:1-2 says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!“ Ephesians 5:19 says, “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,“ Psalm 147:1 says, “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” Acts 16:25 says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” Psalm 104:33 says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.“ Psalm 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! …“
e. Worship
Worship is a spiritual exercise being carried out in the presence of God Almighty. It is more of a personal experience with God, the Father of Creation. Since it requires a personal experience with God, you’ll need to have been baptized (filled) with the Holy Ghost in order to genuinely worship God for who He is. Remember the words of Jesus Christ when He said that all those who worship God MUST do so in Spirit and Truth. In worship, the Holy Spirit fills us with what is necessary to truly acknowledge God for who He is. It provides us with the necessary reasons to genuinely worship God in spirit and truth. Genuine worship is not necessarily due to what God has done but for who He is. This is more likely when the Holy Spirit renews your mind and convinces you of God’s unfailing, unconditional, and immeasurable love. You can also learn what the Bible says about Prophetic Worship.
John 4:23 says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!“ Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.“ Luke 4:8 says, And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 96:9 says, “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!“ Psalm 99:5 says, “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!“ Psalm 66:4 says, “All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Matthew 4:10 says, Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
f. Praying in the Spirit
Note that praying in the spirit is different from your normal or daily prayer routine. Here, you willingly allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you with its own words. Praying in the spirit can involve praying in tongues, prophesying into the air, and carrying out an intercessory prayer. When praying in the spirit, you speak many things which you would not speak under normal prayers. That is, the Spirit prays for those things through you that you normally should have prayed for but you are not aware of. At times, we lack words to pray or simply do not know how to pray. However, as we yield to praying in the spirit, the Spirit of God within us prays for all those things we ought to pray for and also intercedes on our behalf and that of our close ones before God. You can as well read the following: Understanding how praying in tongues opens supernatural dimensions and How to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:26-27 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Jude 1:20 says, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,“ 1 Corinthians 14:15 says, “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.“ Colossians 3:14-17 says, “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
3. Serve the Lord your God
Behold, serving God is an act of voluntary service. There are many ways through which you can serve God. You can serve God when you minister to Him in worship, showing Him homage, and when you witness His love, sovereignty, goodness, mercy, favor, and faithfulness to others. Note that your greatest service to God Almighty is spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a call for mankind to sincerely repent from their sins and turn to God. There are also many places in which you can serve God in Spirit and Truth. You can serve God in your local Christian assembly, you can serve God in a private location, and you can serve God in a different country. In short, you can serve God anywhere and at any time according to His will. Your service to God is reflected by certain characters and values in your life:
a. Holiness
Holiness is one of the key elements in answering the question of “how do I prepare myself to be used by God?” It is the power of God within you that strengthens and guides you to walk no longer in sin. This power is achieved through Christ by being faithful to His teachings. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the faithful thereby making them Holy before God. In Christ, we’ve all been given the power to overcome our corrupted flesh and reflect God’s righteous nature. Holiness is what causes a separation to manifest. A genuine follower of Christ who strives for righteousness on daily basis appears different in thoughts, words, and actions as compared to those who claim just by mouth to be of Christ. He/she who becomes righteous in Christ is easily detected by a change in morals, thoughts, words, and actions.
Leviticus 20:26 says, “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.“ 1 Samuel 2:2 says, “There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.“ 1 Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.“ 1 Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.“ Romans 6:22 says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.“ Matthew 5:48 says, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.“ Leviticus 19:2 says, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
b. Ministry
A person can as well serve God by working in the ministry. We can’t afford to omit ministry work when answering the question of how to prepare yourself to be used by God. Behold brethren, let no one deceive you for we have all been called into ministry in the presence of God. Indeed, we’ve been called as ministers, ministers of love, reconciliation, mercy, truth, and faithfulness to God Almighty. We’ve all been commissioned by Christ to spread the Good News of Repentance and Life Everlasting to the four corners of the World thereby restoring to God all His lost children. You can also serve God by joining local Christian ministries in your assembly. Here, you can willingly serve as a Minister, Usher, Deacon, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle, Prophet, or any other ministry that is available and that God has called and anointed you in it.
2 Chronicles 29:11 says, “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“ 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“ 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“ 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“ Romans 10:13-15 says, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
c. Witnessing
Still, on how to prepare yourself to be used by God, we’ll say that witnessing is a great way to serve God in Spirit and Truth. This is more of a personal practice that does not necessarily require that you teach, preach or share out tracks. In simple terms, witnessing is all about telling others about the mighty things that God has done in your life out of His unfailing, unconditional, faithful, and immeasurable love. A witness is someone who has clearly seen or heard about something he/she can give a consistent account of how it took place. Here, the person gives his/her witness based on what they say or heard thereby persuading the audience to believe. In our case, when you witness, you are giving a testimony of Jesus Christ, the savior of the World.
Mark 16:15 says, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.“ 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,“ Jeremiah 1:7-8 – But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“ Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Matthew 10:33 says, “But the one who denies and rejects Me before men, that one I will also deny and reject before My Father who is in heaven.”
d. Loving
Loving is the greatest way of serving God. Christ spoke through His Apostles saying that “anyone who does not love does not know God.” This is because God has a loving nature. An objective look across the Bible will reveal that it revolves around Love – that is the love of God and the love of your neighbor. It is for this reason that some have gone to the very extent of calling the Bible “God’s Love Letter” to mankind. For God so loved the world that He sent His beloved Son, Jesus Christ so that anyone who hears, believes, and obeys his teachings will not die but have everlasting life in Heaven (John 3:16). Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the World but to invite everyone to Sincerely Repent and start obeying the Commands of God.
Love is a lasting value in the Kingdom of God. Christ Himself summarized the Law of Moses and the teachings of the Prophets into loving God with all your being and loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Through love, we clearly reflect the nature of God and Jesus’ mark of ownership. It is Jesus’ command that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:29-31; John 15:12). In this way, we will please God in the things that we do. Hence, we should never stop loving or get tired of loving. Behold, he/she who does not love does not know God just as the scriptures point out (1 John 4:7-8). On the other hand, he who loves is one who knows God, and one who knows God will live forever in His presence. When we say we Love God or our neighbor, our thoughts, words, and actions must reflect this saying. Mark 12:29-31 says, Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.“ 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.“
How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God?
2 Chronicles 29:11 – “My sons, do not neglect your duties any longer! The LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him, and to lead the people in worship and present offerings to him.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 – Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 49:1-2 – “Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.“
Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—“
John 20:21-22 – “Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].” And when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.“
Matthew 23:34 – “Therefore, take notice, I am sending you prophets and wise men [interpreters, teachers] and scribes [men educated in the Mosaic Law and the writings of the prophets]; some of them you will kill and even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues, and pursue and persecute from city to city,“
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,“
Mark 16:15-18 – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.Group 1- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 28:18-19 – “Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
John 8:12 – Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.“
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:“
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ“
John 12:26 – “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Matthew 20:25-28 – But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 22:14 – “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Galatians 5:13 – “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.“
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 2- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Colossians 3:23-24 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.“
Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
1 Corinthians 12:27-31 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.“
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Group 3 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 John 4:12 – “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.“
John 15:1-27 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. …“
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.“
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
2 Corinthians 6:3-10 says, “We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; …“
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;Group 4 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Luke 10:19 – “I have given you authority to trample on snakesGroup 5- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.“
James 1:27 – “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.“
Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.“
Hebrews 13:21 – “Equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Philippians 1:6 – “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Group 6 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 7:37 – “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.””
Romans 14:4 – “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Romans 5:1-21 – “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. …“
Hebrews 4:10 – “For whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
Romans 15:17 – “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
1 Corinthians 3:1-23 – “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. …“
Group 7- How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Psalm 54:4 – “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Psalm 90:17 – “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!“
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 – “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …“
1 John 4:2 – “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,“
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 10:1-42 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” …
Group 8 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
John 8:24 – “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Hebrews 6:1-20 – “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …“
Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Proverbs 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.“
1 Corinthians 15:1-58 – “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. …“
John 16:1-33 – ““I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ …“
Group 9 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Colossians 1:29 – “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.“
Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Hebrews 1:2 – “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.“
Matthew 28:19 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,“
Acts 2:1-47 – “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. …“
Acts 17:31 – “Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Group 10 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 Timothy 2:4 – “Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Romans 7:1-25 – “Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. …“
John 14:1-31 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” …
Genesis 1:1-31 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …“
Group 11 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Ephesians 4:28 – “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.“
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
Proverbs 12:11 – “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“
Hebrews 6:10 – “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.“
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
John 3:14 – “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,“
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.“
2 Thessalonians 3:10 – “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.“
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“
Group 12 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.“
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
Revelation 20:1-15 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. …“
John 6:1-71 – “After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” …“
John 20:1-31 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. …“
Group 13 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 16:19 – “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
John 17:1-26 – “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. …“
James 1:2 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,“
Revelation 21:1-27 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” …“
Group 14 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Revelation 17:1-18 -“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” …“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.“
Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.“
John 6:46 – “Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father.“
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Group 15 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
1 Peter 5:3 – “Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.“
John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.“
Colossians 1:16 – “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.“
Group 16 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.“
Hebrews 11:6 – “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
John 6:27 – “Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”“
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.“
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.“
John 3:2 – “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”“
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Group 17 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Hebrews 10:25 – “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.“
Isaiah 26:12 – “O Lord, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works.”
2 Timothy 3:16 – “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,“
Ephesians 2:2 – “In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—“
1 Thessalonians 4:11 – “And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,“
Galatians 2:8 – “(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),“
John 3:1-36 – “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. …“
Group 18 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.“
James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“
Romans 12:11 – “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.“
Matthew 24:1-51 – “Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. …“
Isaiah 65:1-3 – “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks;“
1 Corinthians 14:1-40 – “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. …“
Group 19 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Proverbs 14:1 – “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”
1 Corinthians 7:1-40 – “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. …“
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …“
1 Chronicles 17:1-27 – “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. …“
Group 20 – How Do I Prepare Myself To Be Used By God
Romans 13:8 – “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.“
Revelation 14:12 – “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
1 Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.“
Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.“
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; …“
A Bible Verse Of The Day has the power to reposition you within God’s presence through Christ. It is of a greater physical and spiritual importance to start and end your day with God. Psalms 143:8 puts it this way “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” Early morning is just the best time for believers to contact God and obtain spiritual nourishment for the day. Seeking spiritual nourishment early in the morning is important in keeping a Christian faithful all throughout the day. This spiritual nourishment offers the strength necessary to overcome the challenges of the day alongside the temptations coming from the evil one.
Remember that God commanded Moses to tell his people to collect manner precisely in the morning or every new day (Exodus 16:15-21). Following this principle, Christ rebuked the Devil in Matthew 4:4 – It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God” This clearly reveals that our savior, Jesus Christ, understood the importance of taking God’s word as his daily food and meditating on it at all times. In as much as our physical bodies need food to grow, our spirits also need God’s word to grow. That’s why we should stay away from spiritual starvation in as much as we avoid physical starvation.
Bible Verse Of The Day
The importance of starting your day with God
Successfully seeing a new day is a sufficient reason to give thanks to God. Remember that we all go to bed every evening but not everyone wakes up the next morning. In as much as many wake up in sound health, others wake up with illnesses and others never wake up. That’s why you should rejoice in thanksgiving to God for counting yourself among the living. This is done through prayers and praises. It is said that wherever there is a man to pray, there is a God to answer. That is, as you are talking to God, he is also talking to you. It is left for you to position yourself in a receptive mood. We position ourselves in a receptive mood by studying our Bibles.
The Bible is an authoritative voice of God. It tells us what God whats from us and what he has promised to give us. This makes up for our writing on the Bible verse for the day. Our writing is aimed at calling everyone to start their morning with a Bible verse of the day followed by a moment of praise and prayer. Through morning prayers, you commit your day to the lord who knows what lays ahead of you. Note that God has the ability to prepare your day in advance if you ask him. Unto him, all things are possible. He can successfully plan your day and turn all traps from the enemy for your advantage. When we commit our day in God’s care, he will protect us, provide for us, guide us, bless us, and accomplish his will in our lives for that day.
Best Bible Verse Of The Day
Group 1 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
Lamentation 3:22-23 – “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Psalm 31:24 – “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!”
Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 16:8 – “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”
Psalms 46:7 – “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Psalms 62:6 – “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.”
Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Psalm 119:50 – “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.”
Group 2 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Psalm 118:14-16 – “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: ‘The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!’”
Psalm 120:1 – “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.”
Psalm 119:114-115 – “You are my hiding place and my shield;I hope in your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.”
Isaiah 26:3 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Group 3 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Mark 10:27 – “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.’”
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Nahum 1:7 – “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”
Joshua 1:7 – “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.”
Group 4 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Psalm 27:4 – “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.”
Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Psalm 34:8 – “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”
Isaiah 26:3 – “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Group 5 – Bible Verse Of The Day
1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
Ephesians 3:17-19-21 – “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.”
Group 6 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Hebrews 10:19-23 – “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
1 peter 2:11 – “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
Philippians 3:7-9 – “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”
1 John 3:22 – “And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”
Group 7 – Bible Verse Of The Day
1 Peter 2:9-10 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
James 1:2-4 – “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – “Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”
Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Exodus 15:2 – “The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love, he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Group 8 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’”
Psalm 18:1-2 – “I love you, O LORD, my strength.The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 8:2 – “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.”
Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Psalm 27:1 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 46:1-3 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
Psalm 37:39 – “The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.”
Group 9 – Bible Verse Of The Day
Psalm 71:16 – “With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.”
Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Psalm 119:28 – “My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!”
Psalm 138:3 – “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.”
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Mark 12:30 – “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
2 Corinthians 4:16 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
Ephesians 3:16 – “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
Also Read
This narrowly brings us to the end of our write-up on Bible verse of the day. We hope you were able to figure out your best Bible verse for the day. Meditating on your Bible verse for the day will keep you on track as you grow spiritually. Note that you can as well pickup a Bible verse of the day from random Bible verses generator. Have a look at the following interesting articles:
There are many Bible Verses About Strength that were written by men who were inspired by God. These Bible verses about strength are there to comfort, reassure, and keep us motivated in our Christian journey to meeting God through Christ. In thinking of the concept of strength, many people commonly associate it with physical power. It is important to note that both are overlapping synonyms that carry the capacity to act effectively, whether physically, morally, or intellectually. That is why it is said that the strongest is not always the ultimate master unless he/she converts his/her strength into doing what is right out of love and obedience. The Christian journey is full of challenges. Without strength, these challenges will lead you into wandering far away from the faith. Strength obtained from the certainty of God’s word, love and ability to fulfill all his promises keeps us within the faith.
It is without doubt that we’ll say that Christians all need strength to follow Christ who is their master. Christ in-turn will lead us to God the father in his mighty strength. We all need strength to accomplish our respective Godly assigned missions. Remember that Jesus Christ our savior was also strengthened for the accomplishment of his mission. He was empowered to carry his cross on daily basis till death. Today, we are all called to carry ours and follow him in everything that we do. Let’s support this message by reading from Luke 22:43 – “An Angel from Heaven appeared to him and STRENGTHENED him.” In addition to requesting God’s straightening power for the accomplishment of special tasks, we also need it to overcome the daily challenges that come our way. It is in this light that we hereby write to present the most powerful Bible verses about strength.
Powerful Bible Verses about Strength
The Father of creation whom we refer to as the Omnipotent God is repeatedly shown in the Old and New Testaments as a personality of supreme strength. With his words, he created Heaven and Earth together with all that is in it. His active strength was displayed in moving out of Egypt the people of Israel that were held as slaves. At his command, the Red Sea opened a path for the children of Israel to cross. The need for God’s strength in the midst of his children is not only seen in the miraculous delivery of Israel from the hands of the Egyptians. It can as well be clearly observed in the narratives of Exodus. Moses’s strength relied fully on the power that God alone could provide.
Moving to the New Testament, we see God’s strength in manifestation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ in his nature of God the son took human nature and moved among men for their salvation. His birth was a mystery and his life was a testimony of supernatural power which could only come from God the Father. Under the sun’s light, he raised men and women from death, cured all kinds of diseases. Using divine strength, he overcame Satan and all his agents. Today, at the mention of his name, all knees bow in honor of his divine nature. Brethren, these marvelous accounts of God’s strength were not limited to the people of old. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that God has not changed for he is still the same.
What the Scriptures say About Strength
The word strength and its derivatives are mentioned over 360 times in the Holy Scriptures (Bible). The word and its derivatives apply to both natural and supernatural strength. In the Greek language, the word katei means “might, power, strength”. In the Bible, the word strength is mostly linked to God’s power. You’ll figure out this as you go through the Bible verses about strength. Christian ought to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. If we are asked for the source of strength, we’ll say that the unlimited power of Christ is the source of strength for all his followers.
The strength that we have is not ours but God’s. That’s why no one has the right to boast of strength. Be it natural or supernatural strength, it comes from God and we are able to accomplish anything because of his grace and love. Let’s now present the best Bible verses about strength that every Christian ought to know and benefit from the spiritual blessings that come with it.
Best Bible Verses About Strength
https://youtu.be/p1YYLdEUfrU
Group 1 – Bible Verses About Strength
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.“
Psalm 46:1-3 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”
Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him!“
Psalm 34:10b – “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
Psalm 9:9-10 – “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Exodus 33:14 – “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 32:7-8 – “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 – “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 34:17 – “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.”
Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
Group 2 – Bible Verses About Strength
Isaiah 30:15 – “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 43:1-3 – “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Philippians 4:6 – “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Luke 12:25-26 – “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life[a]? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?“
Psalm 27: 1-3 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.”
Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Group 3 – Bible Verses About Strength
1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Joshua 1:9 – “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.“
Isaiah 12:2 – “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Psalm 145: 18-19 – “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them.”
Psalm 138:3 – “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.“
Psalm 62:1-2 – “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.“
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
Psalm 16:8 – “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 112: 1, 7-8 – “Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid.”
Psalm 91:1-2 – “You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
Group 4 – Bible Verses About Strength
Philippians 4: 12-13 – “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . . . I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”
Hebrews 4:16 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.“
1 Peter 5: 10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 – “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”
Deuteronomy 31:6,8 – “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; in addition, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Group 5 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Psalm 18:1-2 – “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
Psalm 59:16 – “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Jeremiah 32:17 – “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
Group 6 – Bible Verses About Strength
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
1 Chronicles 29:11 – “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
Mark 12:30 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Zachariah 4:6 – “So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 18:31 – “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?“
Group 7 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 44:3 – “It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.”
Colossians 2:9-10 – “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Psalm 29:11 – “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
Job 37:23 – “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.”
Act 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Group 8 – Bible Verses About Strength
2 Peter 1:3 – “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
2 Timothy 2:1 – “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 1:11-12 “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
Isaiah 41:4 – “Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord—with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”
Zachariah 10:6 – “I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph. I will restore them because I have compassion on them. They will be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.“
Group 9 – Bible Verses About Strength
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 40:31 – “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Group 10 – Bible Verses About Strength
1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Deuteronomy 20:4 – “For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’”
Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.“
Psalm 27:1 – “Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”
Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Psalm 46:1 – “To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Habakkuk 3:19 – “God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
Group 11 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 31:24 – “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”
Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Mark 12:30 – “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.””
John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Group 12 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 29:11 – “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!”
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”
2 Timothy 4:17 – “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”
Psalm 118:14 – “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Psalm 28:7-8 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Ephesians 3:16 – “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,“
Group 13 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul, He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …”
1 Samuel 30:6 – “And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”
Isaiah 40:28-31 – “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Psalm 18:32 – “The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.”
Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Group 14 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 18:1-2 – “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 27:14 – “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love, he will exult over you with loud singing.”
John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Psalm 18:32-34 – “The God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”
Psalm 138:3 – “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.”
Psalm 68:35 – “Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel—he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!“
Group 15 – Bible Verses About Strength
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.“
1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Daniel 10:19 – And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
Ephesians 3:20-21 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Group 16 – Bible Verses About Strength
Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””
Isaiah 30:15 – “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,”
Psalm 22:19 – “But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!”
Jeremiah 32:17 – “‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”
1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Romans 5:5 – “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
1 Chronicles 29:12 – “Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”
Galatians 6:9 – “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Psalm 59:9 – “O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.”
Group 17 – Bible Verses About Strength
Psalm 119:28 – “My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!”
Isaiah 40:1-31 – “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …“
Matthew 17:20 – He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Psalm 59:16 – “But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.”
Romans 5:6 – “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Philippians 1:28 – “And not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”
Group 18 – Bible Verses About Strength
Genesis 22:1-3 – “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
2 Samuel 22:40 – “For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.”
Isaiah 33:2 – “O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.“
2 Chronicles 16:9 – “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.”
Matthew 21:21 –And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.”
Psalm 18:2 – “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.“
Group 19 – Bible Verses About Strength
Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
2 Samuel 22:33 – “This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless.”
Mark 10:52 – “And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
Psalm 18:1 – “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O Lord, my strength.“
1 Corinthians 1:18 – “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Joshua 1:9-11 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’””
Exodus 15:13 – “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode.”
Group 20 – Bible Verses On Strength
Matthew 5:1-48 – “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …”
Job 13:15 – “Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”
Psalm 18:31 – “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?—”
Psalm 41:3 – “The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.”
Romans 1:20 – “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”
Acts 10:1-48 – “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. …“
Group 21 – Bible Verses On Strength
Psalm 44:3 – “For not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.”
Psalm 39:7 – “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.”
Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
1 Timothy 1:12 – “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,”
Nahum 1:7 – “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.”
Psalm 118:6 – “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Group 22 – Bible Verses On Strength
Ecclesiastes 4:9-13 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice.“
Recommended related articles
This brings us to end of our write up on Bible verses about strength. We hope that you enjoyed reading and will equally find the following articles interesting. Use them to complement that on Bible verses about strength.
Bible Verses About Money and Greed are destined to authoritatively instruct God’s children how to live righteous lives through Christ. Money and Greed are two hooks which can mislead people from their faith. Many have been so eager to get money that they found themselves wandering far away from the faith in activities that are unpleasing to God. While this does not mean that money in itself is evil, we are simply trying to call off your attention on perceiving money as a primary focus.
As Christians, our primary focus should be on God and the heavenly things for that is where we belong. We should perceive money as a secondary necessity which has a far less value than the things of God. In this light, we won’t get caught in the different temptations that come with money. Unto those in the world, money generally goes together with greed. And learning how to handle both in the light of God’s righteousness is worth every Christian’s effort.
If this is your aim, then we’ll say that you are at the right place. For we hereby write to present the main Bible verses about money and greed which will reveal God’s mind about them. Money in the Bible is a reality which must be properly understood by every Christian. Failing to do this will lead to lots of misunderstandings and wrong perceptions. Money in general is a precious gift from God which acts both as a reward to the work done at his command and as a means of sustaining the precious lives he gave us.
On the other hand, greed is a selfish and intense desire for something especially power, wealth, and food. Such poor desires are likely to lead us away from the path that is pleasing to God.
Bible Verses About Money and Greed
Money is a necessity for life so much that Jesus Christ himself talked about it. That’s why you must not perceive it as a taboo topic. However, such perceptions can only be derived from your definition of money. Note that Jesus Christ himself used money while on Earth. We are told by the scriptures that he paid the Temple tax with money (Matthew 17:24-27). His ministry also operated on a financial basis whereby Judas Iscariot was responsible for carrying the money bag (John 12:6).
Note that money is simply a medium of exchange which has been generally accepted in the world for purchasing goods and services. It is a reward for work which was destined by God for mankind. After disobeying God, Adam and his offspring were commissioned to work and eat from what the ground produces. Today, it is either you are working the ground to eat from what it produces in accordance to God’s will or you are executing a job which yields money to purchase what the ground produces for food.
Handling Money God’s way
Still on Bible verses about money and greed, we’ll say that money in itself is not evil. However, you can make it evil through your heart desires and actions. The scriptures are not against wealthy people but are rather against those who wander away from God in the name of wealth. The problem here is when you value wealth more than God for it is God who provides wealth as it is written in the proverbs. Reading across the Bible, you’ll find out that most Biblical figures were blessed by God with wealth. We can name a few by mentioning Abraham, Job, Solomon, Joseph and Arimatheas.
However, these Biblical figures understood that they were simply keepers and not owners of wealth. And as a result, they remained humble before God without trusting in money which can disappear overnight. They used their wealth as a means of pleasing God through their thoughts, actions, and deeds. King Solomon in his wealth belt a Temple where men and women could gather to praise and honor God.
It is in this light of giving that we should handle our wealth. Let’s rather store up riches in heaven than on Earth were they won’t last for long. In heaven, your riches are guaranteed to last forever. When God blesses you with wealth, remember to stretch out a helping hand to those in need. Become a father to the fatherless, and mother to the motherless. Feed and cloth the poor for this is pleasing to God.
Never rely on wealth which will pass away but rather keep your confidence in God who remains. Note that no-matter how much security you get from money, it won’t protect you from God’s judgement. Let’s now present the best Bible verses about Money and Greed:
Quote 1
Proverbs 15:27 – ” The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.”
Quote 2
Hebrews 13:5 – ” Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you, Never will I forsake you.“
Quote 3
Ecclesiastes 5:10 – “Whoever loves money never has enough, whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.”
Quote 4
1 John 2:16 – ” For everything in the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world.“
Quote 5
2 Corinthians 9:7 – ” Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.“
Quote 6
Luke 12:15 – ” The He said to them, watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.“
Quote 7
Matthew 6:24 – ” No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other. Or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.“
Quote 8
Proverbs 11:28 – “Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.“
Quote 9
Proverbs 13:11 – “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”
Quote 10
Proverbs 22:9 – ” The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.“
Quote 11
Proverbs 28:22 – ” The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.“
Quote 12
1 Timothy 6:17-19 – ” Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provide us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the upcoming age, so that they may take hold of the life which is truly life.“
Quote 13
1 Timothy 6:6-10 – ” But godliness and contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith ad pierced themselves with many griefs.“
Quote 14
James 5:1-6 – ” Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your cloths. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Almighty. You have lived on Earth in luxury and self-indulgence and have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.“
This brings us to the end of our presentation of the Best Bible Verses About Money and Greed.
Bestofchristianity.com is a Global Media Ministry. As a Christian Website and Online Evangelical Ministry, Best Of Christianity focuses on the teachings of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy spirit, and above all the Love of God. It uses the Bible as the foundation to knowing and obeying God. It steps in at the command of Jesus Christ to take the holy gospel to the four corners of the world so that those who believe in him can have eternal life. Under the authority of Jesus Christ, we are Apostolic and Prophetic sons and daughters of God sent out to set the captives free, heal the sick, bring deliverance, give sight to the blind, strengthen the lame to walk and above all lead souls to heaven. It is in the Christian light that we analyze topics like Prosperity, Wealth, Debt free, Credits, Finance, and Money in the Bible.
Ads Blocker Detected!!!
We have detected that you are using extensions to block ads. Please support us by disabling these ads blocker.
