Sunday Omori
God created animals and plants because He knew that some of these creatures have nutritional value for man. He however advises that man should not feed only the physical body but feed the inward man (spirit) as well.
“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
So, in this part of the article, I will discuss how the Word of God is diet for every child of God aside from being the wisdom of God, ordinance of God and the revelation of God and His purposes.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a diet is a special course of food to which a person restricts themselves, either to lose weight or for medical reasons. Thus, the Word of God is a special spiritual food God recommended for His children to nourish the inward man and lose the weight of every contrary imagination.
“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20 – 23)
More than a Balanced Diet
The Word of God contains all the “nutrients” required for the inward man, soul and body to survive. God has instructed believers to keep His Word in their hearts – spirit (Proverbs 4:21). Just like carbohydrates give us significant proportion of energy to carry out our daily activities, God’s Word strengthens the believer. Prophet Jeremiah found and ate God’s words and He was afterward filled with supernatural joy (Jeremiah 15:16) and the Bible declares that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Numbers 8:10). So when next you fill weak in spirit, soul and body, find the right word to eat. In John 6:63, Jesus Christ affirms that His words are spirit and life giving strength to those who believe, meditate on and confess it (Philippians 4:13).
As protein rich diets contribute to the growth, repairs and maintenance of tissues as well as boost our immune systems, God’s Word enhances spiritual growth.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1st Peter 2:2)
Furthermore, as vitamins and minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc etc) are needed for bodily functions such as helping to fight infection, aid wound healing, make our bones strong and regulate hormones, the power of God’s Word destroys every spirit of infirmity from the spirit, soul and body of the believer.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
Water is another important component of food that is needed to replenish the lost fluid from sweat, ensure a healthy stool, avoid constipation and help the kidneys in filtering out waste through urination. In the same vein, the Word of God quenches thirst (John 4:14) and cleanses the believer (John 17:17).
“That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26-27)
How to Feed the Spirit
It is important that every believer locates the right word (Job 6:25) for any issue of concern. As the Bible recommends in Proverbs 4:20 – 21, a believer must give attention to God’s Word (Verse 20). Just as we are hungry for food and eat daily, we give attention to God’s Word by intentionally opening the Bible and searching for what God is saying. As we open the Bible, we must read it (Verse 21a) and meditate on the found Word (Verse 21b). Keeping God’s Word in the midst of our hearts means meditating on or thinking about it so it dwells and bears fruits in our spirits and this should be done regularly to achieve desired results (Joshua 1:8).
We feed on God’s Word by the help of the Holy Spirit Who is the author of the Bible. It is imperative that a believer asks the Holy Spirit for understanding of His Word and consciously make reference to different Bible translations and commentaries while documenting what the Holy Spirit says during personal devotions.
You can only understand the Bible and benefit from God’s Word if you have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Say this prayer of salvation: Lord Jesus, come into my heart. I receive You as my Lord and Savior; I believe that You came, died for me and rose again to save me. Conform me to Your likeness. I declare that I am born again. Amen!
Congratulations! Identify a Bible believing and teaching church around your area to fellowship with God and His children. God bless you!
HEM Int'l 