3 A Word-Filled Overcomer Series

My youngest has been tearing up his Bible! I walked out into the dining room the other day and there he was, not only reading it, but he had several pens, pencils, markers, maybe even some crayons, I don’t know, but he was underlining, and I noticed more than one color in his Bible.

A couple questions: How many of you would say you prefer an old-fashioned written version of the Bible to read rather than a digital version like on your phone? How many of you had a mom or dad, grandpa or grandma you have mental pictures of who underlined in their old Bible? How many of you tear up your Bible by really getting into it by underlining or highlighting verses?

I can remember when I read my first NIV Bible.

Jesus attended synagogue where the word was read. One time, he was even called upon to read it and give an interpretation. The WORD is referred to as BREAD, a metaphor for what you live on, what you need to survive, what you need for sustenance.

Do you remember the story, when Jesus was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness, and in one of those tempting moments, the devil said “turn some stones into bread, Jesus” -and he had been fasting - do you remember how many days? So you’d think he’d be pretty hungry after six weeks! Both Matthew and Luke write about this, interestingly enough, both are in chapter 4 and both verses are v4.

Matt 4:4- Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Luke 4:4 - Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’

But where is it written? How did they both know this? From the fifth book of Moses - Deuteronomy 8:3 (1-3)

Have you ever been hungry? REALLY hungry? We need to develop a hunger for the WORD from God, crave the word, have hunger pangs for it - as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

The word of God is powerful! Heb 4:12 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. So the WORD gets into us in places nothing else can–in those inner and invisible real and raw places we try to keep hidden.

And the WORD provides all of what we need, as Paul told Timothy, 2 Tim 4:14-17

So the WORD of GOD is bread, it is a sword, it is God-breathed and profitable – for when we use it in our teaching, and preaching, when we listen to its rebuke, and correction, we can be trained by it in what are the right activities to please God!

Is there anybody here who wants to please God? Can I get a witness today?!

So we are still observing the veiled Jesus today, reminded how the word “apokalypse” means unveiling.

The message today is for the church #3 to be built by “Word-Filled Overcomers.”

NIV Rev 2:12-17

To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna (it is sort of like instant mashed potatoes I think). I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. The hidden manna is Jesus himself, who said to his disciples that he was the manna that came down from heaven. But there’s this white stone [put it on the pulpit]. More on that later.

This church was being warned and encouraged at the same time to be a group of people who EAT THE WORD of God! And how many of you here today were thankful for a momma who ate the WORD?! Eating food can make you feel good, but eating doesn’t satisfy us Spiritually. That inner hunger. The God-shaped void everyone has been created with. Jesus had food to eat his disciples didn’t know about - and what kind of food was that? An inner, spiritual manna from God - His Word fills you–let HIM fill you today!

John chapter 4, we don’t want to leave his FOURTH chapter out, so he has just had that great discussion with the Samaritan woman at the well.

John 4:27-41. Are you hearing and seeing what Jesus is saying here? Open your eyes! He told his disciples and at that exact moment what did they see? The people coming from town who heard the testimony of the woman about Jesus were coming toward Jesus!! That’s FOOD! That’s the harvest!!