Obey God’s Voice 1

‘So then faith comes by hearing … the word (rhema) of God” (Rom 10:17).

A. LOGOS AND RHEMA

There are two Greek words translated as “word” in our English Bibles. “LOGOS” and  “RHEMA” (pronounced as ray-mah). Logos often refers to the written or inscriptured “word” Rhema often refers to the living or life-giving “word”.

[Editor's note: The following examples are not meant as accurate or precise usage of these Greek words. They are given as examples of the idea the author seeks to explain related to the words logos and rhema.]

Jesus said, “It  is written [logos], ‘man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”‘ (Acts 17:11).

these verses illustrate the inseparable bond between the logos and the rhema. They always work together. We must know the Scriptures (logos) to judge whether the word (rhema) that comes to us is really from the Lord – or some other spirit. the Holy Spirit (rhema) and the Holy Bible (logos) always agreed.

Jesus said of the Pharisees, “Your error is caused by your ignorance of the Scriptures [logos] and of God’s power [rhema] (Matt 22:29). The Pharisees of Jesus’ day knew neither the logos nor the rhema.

Many church leaders know neither the Scriptures nor God’s power. Such leaders and churches make God throw up (Rev 3:15)

There are other church leaders who know the Scripture, but do not know God’s power but do not know the Scriptures. They usually dry up.

There are also some church leaders who know God’s power but do not know the Scriptures. The usually blow up.

If you know both the Scriptures and God’s power – it will cause you and your church to grow up.

1. A Rhema From God

A rhema is usually a communication from God designed and empowered to apply to a specific situation. When we are reading the Bible and a certain verse suddenly strikes us with power, we are receiving a rhema (living-word) for our personal need.

When we have been praying for God’s wisdom or God’s answer for an insoluble problem and suddenly God speaks the solution into our hearts in clear practical terms which solve the problem, that is a rhema.

When we are in the midst of some ministry-related activity and we have a sudden impression to take some specific action, which results in great blessing, that is a rhema.

[A word of caution: We should not assume every urge, impression or feeling is a rhema. No rhema will ever be contrary to the Scripture (logos), God's eternal Word.]

If I am sick, I can open my Bible and read, “… by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet 2:24). I have the Word (logos) to tell me it is God’s will to heal me. Yet, I may not be healed when I read the verse.

a. Peter And The Lame Man.

The lame man (Acts 3) who had lain at the temple gate for years was not healed by Jesus, Who had passed in and out of the temple many times.

Peter, fresh from his personal Pentecost, went up to the temple to pray. When the lame man asked alms, Peter received a rhema for him. “Look on me! Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6).

Instantly, the lame man leaped up and followed Peter into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. The lame man may have known the Bible verse, “I am Jehovah Rapha that healeth thee” (Exo 15:26). Yet he was not healed until Peter heard God’s voice and spoke the life-giving word (rhema) to him.

“So then faith comes by hearing… the word [rhema] of God” (Rom 10:17). When God speaks to you – faith comes. If you will obediently respond to what God has said, miracles will take place for you just like they did in Bible times.

b. Miracle In Mexico.

About fifteen years ago I was in Hermosillo, Mexico ministering with Evangelist D’Sousa from Panama. He invited me to go visit a man who was bedridden with sickness. When we got to the sick man’s house and started to pray for him, I sensed the Holy Spirit giving me a message for the man.

I said to him, “Unless you repent you are going to die.”

Suddenly the man broke down and began to weep uncontrollably. He was praying and crying so hard, the little bed he was lying on was shaking back and forth.

The word of the Lord (rhema) came to me again. “Take the man by the hand and tell him to get up and walk in the Name of Jesus.”

I took the man’s hand and began to gently pull him from the bed. He slowly got up and stood shakily on his feet. All at once he began to shout and jump all over the room. He had been miraculously healed in a few moments time.

I found out later he was a backslidden church member, who before his conversion had been a notorious gangster and had killed quite a few men.

He had fallen away from the Lord. Back in sin he came down with incurable heart and kidney disease. He was in such bad health the doctors had instructed no one to move him, as it could kill him. (I ‘m glad I did not know that – I might have been afraid to obey the Lord.)

That night, he was at the evangelistic meeting and gave his testimony. Because he was so well known in the community, the impact of his testimony was dynamic. Many came to Christ for salvation and healing as a result.

Next week

Relationship – not formula