A Specific Word (Isaiah 55:11; Matthew 7:24; John 6:63; Ephesians 6:11-18)

COMMUNICATION

Years ago, I remember listening to an effective communicator, speaking on the subject of healthy marriage relationships. He talked about coming home from the office, and his wife was all dressed up to go out somewhere nice, for fine dining. When he asked where she was going, she replied, that he had told her, that they were going out to a fancy restaurant, once he got home from work. In bewilderment, he assured her that he had said no such thing, and in fact, had some office work to catch up on that evening. The reality was that what she perceived, and what was actually said, were two different things.

TRANSMIT the THOUGHTS

Communication is the refined art of being able to transmit the thoughts and intents from one person or persons, to another, where the receiving party has a solid grasp on what was the original concept that the party communicating actually intended. It is an enviable and necessary trait, of a healthy marriage, or any long lasting relationship.

WORDS

Words are powerful things, creating hope; encouragement; giving strength; and even life, to people. There are two terms used in the Greek, that are both translated as "word", and though related, they have very specific uses.

(1) LOGOS

The one Greek word is (logos), [3056, Strong's], which, like the idea of communication, encompasses all that is thought or imagined, or even intended, before it is even uttered. It requires no voice, initially, to be alive in the mind of an individual. It is the complete gathering of thoughts and intentions, wishing to be conveyed from one person to others. Once it is released, through the voice, or perhaps, eventually, through the written text, it is not complete, in fulfilling it's purpose, until the intended recipient, has totally grasped it's meaning and content.

PROPHETIC RREVELATION

In 221 of the 241 Old Testament occurrences of (logos), [about 92%], the word is used as a technical term for prophetic revelation, in the phrase, "...the word of the Lord". In fact, there is the repetitive phrase, "...the word of the Lord came to..." [This phrase is used 113 times in the OT], and it is literally, "...the word of the Lord was to...".

BECOME EFFECTIVE

The Hebrew word for "...came to..." or "...was to..." is the verb (hayah), and means, "it was", denoting something that has become effective. The whole phrase could be translated, "...the word of the Lord became active reality to..." or "...the word of the Lord assumed effective shape in...".

WORDS are CONTAINERS

Words are containers that transmit effective change, positive or negative. In the ancient Orient, words, in cursing or blessing, were believed to "carry" effective power that would produce change. A curse or blessing, could penetrate the intended person, and like some disintegrating substance, once spoken, spread outward, from within, to produce the intended results, of the curse or the blessing.

CONTAINERS

God says that His words, that proceed from His mouth, do not return to Him empty, but they are containers that carry out His accomplished purpose, fulfilling His will completely (Is.55:11).

"...the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do" (Jerusalem Bible)

BUILDING his HOUSE

Historically, Judaism had a saying, that whoever would hear the words of the Torah and do good works, would be building his "house", on solid ground.

ON THE ROCK

Jesus said, "whoever hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock" (Matt.7:24).

OBEY

Jesus didn't say to listen to God, and do what He says, but rather, to listen to Him, and obey His words; because He is God.

(2) RHEMA

The second Greek word translated "word" or "saying", is (rhema), [4487, Strong's]. Whereas (logos) is referred to generally, as the word of God, (rhema) is not the general word of God, but the specific word of God.

THE WHOLE or THE ONE

(Logos) would be the whole story, or narrative, but (rhema) is the one chapter within the story; or (logos) is the one chapter, but (rhema) is the specific paragraph; or (logos) is the one paragraph, but (rhema) is the specific sentence, within the paragraph.

GENERAL & SPECIFIC

(Logos) refers to words, or the Word, generally, but (rhema) is a specific word, and more directly, to words that are spoken. (Logos) can exist in the mind of someone, where no utterance has been made, but (rhema) is always found in verbal expression.

WORDS

Jesus said, "The words (rhema), that I am speaking to you right now, are spirit and are life" (John 6:63)

SPECIFIC WORD

It is not just the "general" word of God, but the specific word of God, spoken to us, or, like the ancient Oriental concept of blessing, spoken "into" us, that penetrates, and disseminates, throughout our being, that is spirit and life, to our whole person.

EPHESIANS 6:17 says to take "...the sword of the spirit, which is the word (rhema) of God".

[In many translations, "spirit" is capitalized, indicating the Holy Spirit, but there is no specific foundation to designate the reference to the Holy Spirit, and not rather, to the recreated human spirit].

"...take the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word (rhema) of God; what God has spoken" (Amplified; Rotherham).

"...take the helmet salvation provides and take the sword the Spirit wields..." (Williams)

EPHESIANS 6:11-18, specifically refers to spiritual battle, and our offensive weapon, is the word (rhema), that God has spoken to us, because this is the sword that our spirit wields.

SPEAK OUT

In the OT, (logos) is dominantly referred to, as the prophetic revelation from the Lord. In the NT, (rhema) is the specific prophetic revelation, in our everyday life and circumstance, spoken to us by the Holy Spirit, which we then speak out of our mouths, which is the sword our spirit wields, to bring victory in our daily lives.

GOD'S WORD

The (rhema) of God, is an effective cause that produces an event of change in our lives, through the revelation and implementation of that word (rhema), by us speaking out that prophetic revelation, to our circumstances and situations. When we speak the specific word of God (rhema), it is still God's word, but simply spoken, through our mouth, and it will produce change.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours