After the children of Israel were set free from Egyptian bondage they crossed the Red Sea. They were then led by Moses in the wilderness wanderings for 40 years before entering the promised land of Canaan. In Deuteronomy Moses made every effort to prepare the Israelites for what was ahead by preaching to them a series of messages.
I wonder what Moses emphasized as being essential for their future success? What was indispensable for their physical and spiritual survival and future victories? Training in warfare? Powerful weapons? Lift weights and be in good shape to fight? Super smart strategy for defeating foes? NOPE – None of these! The answer: they needed to rely on God and know that their lifeline was connected to God’s word. Moses says, “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). That’s it? Live by God’s word? 10-4 little spiritual buddies.
Immediately after Jesus was baptized He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to take on Satan. In “round one” Satan tempted Jesus to use His powers to take care of Himself. If Jesus would have turned the stones into bread it would have been a victory for Satan. It would have meant that Jesus, by using His powers to take care of Himself in the wilderness against Satan, would use His powers later to take care of Himself to stay off the cross. Instead Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3, “…man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord”. That is the amazing son of god! In fact, in all three temptations by Satan Jesus quotes scripture from Deuteronomy as His counterpunch. There is power in the word of God.
In Ephesians 6:10-18a Paul instructs the Christians to stand firm in the Lord. He refers to the armor of God. The last part of the armor is the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:18). Of all the armor of God, the sword (God’s word) is the only offensive weapon.
In Britt Nicole’s song entitled Hanging On she clings to every word God says to make it through life. Notice the lyrics in the chorus:
Hanging on to every word You speak – ‘Cause it’s all that I need
Hanging on to every word You say – To light up my way
Even every little whisper I’m – Hanging on as if it were my life
I’m hanging on.
Read Psalm 119:97-105. Then listen to the precious song by Britt Nicole called Hanging On.
Psalm 119:97-105
Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.