The Word of God Must Penetrate Our Hearts

Hebrews 4:12

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. (NIV)

We can never forget how Satan quoted and manipulated Scripture in his attempt to corrupt Christ in the desert. A person does not have to be a believer to be familiar with the Word of God. Sometimes, it is perplexing to see how a person can know the Word of God so thoroughly, yet remain unchanged by it. After all, if it is the Word of God that penetrates, how has it not penetrated some even as they read it, quote it, and even tattoo it on their bodies?

We have a part to play to ensure the Word of God penetrates our hearts.

The Word of God is made alive by the Holy Spirit.

Without the Holy Spirit, the Word of God is nothing more than ink on a page. We can read the Word of God, quote it, post it, tweet it, and tattoo it. But if we do not engage with the Holy Spirit as we also engage with the Word of God, it will not penetrate.

Throughout the Scriptures, anointing oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. One reason God has chosen oil to represent His Spirit is because it stays on us and penetrates. It is the Spirit that carries the eternal truth written upon the pages or appearing on our screens deep into our hearts. We need the Holy Spirit for the Word to surgically cut out what is killing us from the inside out. We need the Holy Spirit to water and feed the seeds of Scripture He plants in our souls. Without the Spirit, the Word simply does not penetrate.

To have the Holy Spirit, we must seek Him and walk in Him.

We seek Him through prayer, meditating on Scripture and other spiritual practices. But we walk in Him through obedience to the Word of God. Obedience without spiritual practices will not keep us in the Spirit. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day did this, and it led them to hate Christ. How absurd to obey the Scriptures only to finally reject the author of every word. At the same time, spiritual practices without obedience puts a barrier between us and the Holy Spirit. God warns us not to have a façade of worship in practices even as we reject His way of living. But when we seek Him and obey Him, the Word of God penetrates our hearts. The Spirit carries it deep in us to heal our pain, sustain our weakness, strengthen our faith, and lead us to an abundant life now and, one day, eternal life in Heaven.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek You and walk in You that You might penetrate my heart with Your Word. Amen.