Jesu, juva
SPEAK THE WORD
Colossians 3:16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
WE’VE NEVER HAD IT SO EASY
When I was young, Bibles came in hardback or paperback. You could upgrade to larger print, gold-trimmed pages, leather covers. That was it.
Now? We have Bibles in every translation imaginable. Physical copies for study with highlighting and notes. Digital apps on our phones with reading plans, devotionals, commentaries. The entire Word of God in our back pocket.
Compare that to previous generations.
Before Christ, the Old Testament was painstakingly written on scrolls. Kept in synagogues. Guarded by priests. The average person didn’t own a copy. They memorized what they heard. They passed it down orally.
After Christ, when the gospel spread and Paul’s letters circulated, believers didn’t have personal Bibles. They had what they could memorize. What they could sing. What they could speak to one another.
Today, we have unprecedented access to God’s Word.
In our pocket. On our computer. On audio. On video. We can read it, study it, highlight it, and share it with ease no generation before us ever had.
BUT HERE’S THE PROBLEM
We read it silently. We study it privately. We keep it to ourselves.
And then we wonder why our faith feels weak. Why we struggle in battles. Why we don’t see breakthrough.
We’re not using the Word the way God intended.
Look at what Paul told the Colossians. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. How? By teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
Not just reading it. Not just studying it. Speaking it. Singing it. Declaring it out loud.
WHY SPEAKING MATTERS
There’s power in speaking the Word out loud. Real, tangible power.
When you speak the Word, you’re declaring truth.
You’re not just thinking about it. You’re proclaiming it. Into the atmosphere. Into your circumstances. Into the spiritual realm.
When you speak the Word, you’re waging warfare.
The enemy can’t read your mind. But he can hear your voice. When you declare Scripture, you’re wielding the sword of the Spirit. You’re taking ground.
When you speak the Word, you’re building faith.
Faith comes by hearing. When you speak Scripture out loud, you hear it. Your own voice declaring God’s truth back to you. That builds faith faster than silent reading ever will.
When you speak the Word, you’re encouraging others.
When you teach and admonish one another with psalms and hymns, you’re strengthening your brothers. You’re reminding them of truth they’ve forgotten. You’re speaking life when they’re surrounded by death.
WHY SINGING MATTERS
When you sing the Word, you’re embedding it deeper.
Music has a way of writing truth on your heart that reading alone cannot accomplish. You remember lyrics to songs from decades ago. But you forget what you read last week.
The early church understood this. They sang psalms. They sang hymns. They sang spiritual songs. Not for entertainment. For survival. To keep the Word alive in their hearts when they didn’t have Bibles.
We need to recover this.
THE CHALLENGE
You have more access to the Word than any generation in history. The question is: Are you using it the way God intended?
Stop reading it silently and keeping it to yourself.
Speak it.
When you’re under attack, don’t just think about a verse. Say it out loud. Declare it. Proclaim it. Wield it like a weapon.
Sing it.
Find worship music that’s saturated with Scripture. Sing it in your car. Sing it in the shower. Sing it when you’re battling darkness. Let the Word get into your soul through music.
Teach it.
When you’re with your brothers, don’t just talk about sports and work. Teach one another. Share what God’s been showing you in the Word. Build each other up with truth.
Admonish it.
When your brother is off track, speak truth to him. Not your opinion. God’s Word. Do it with grace. But do it.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO THIS
The word of Christ will dwell in you richly. Not just intellectually. Richly. Deep in your heart. Embedded in your soul. Ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
You’ll be stronger in battle. Because the sword is sharp and you know how to use it.
You’ll be more effective in ministry. Because you’re not just sharing information. You’re declaring living truth.
You’ll be a better brother. Because you’re teaching and admonishing, not just existing alongside each other.
And you’ll experience the power of the Word the way the early church did. Not as a book to study. But as a weapon to wield. A truth to proclaim. A song to sing.
Brother, you have the Word of God in your pocket. Stop treating it like a reference manual you only pull out when convenient.
Speak it. Sing it. Teach it. Admonish with it.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
Blane
SDG
Leave a Reply