God loves us and desires to communicate with us on a daily basis. One of the ways He does this is through His written Word. When we spend time reading and studying the Bible, God speaks to us. Moreover, we feed our spirit the “nutrients” it needs to be healthy and strong.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God ….” God wants more for us than just knowledge of His Word; He wants us to live by it so that we can effect change in our lives and in the lives of others. Our first step to living by His Word is studying it. We cannot very well apply it if we do not know what it says!

I found this out the hard way. There was a time in my ministry when I was so busy imparting into others that I was not taking the time to replenish my spirit through personal study time. Because I wasn’t receiving sustenance from the Word for myself, I began to experience the symptoms of an empty spirit—frustration, loneliness, depression, and a lack of joy.

Finally, the Lord spoke to me about it. He said, “In a rush to complete the assignment I have given you, you didn’t fill your spirit. Now you are ministering out of an empty spirit. From this day forward, I don’t want you to preach out of an empty spirit. I want you to preach out of the overflow.” In order for me to do that, I knew that my Bible had to become my filling station. I had to feast on, be nourished by and live by the Word—I could no longer view it as just a tool for learning.

Many Christians are deceived into thinking they are spiritually mature because of what they know. However, spiritual maturity does not have anything to do with how long you have been saved or how many scriptures you can quote. The person who is spiritually mature goes beyond mere knowledge of the Word by making it his or her guide for living. A permanent change in our circumstances does not occur because we have memorized the Scriptures; it occurs when we apply God’s Word to every area of our lives.

The word apply means “to bring into action.” In order for the Word to work, you must add corresponding action to it. James 2:20 says it like this: “Faith without works is dead.” Too many Believers make the mistake of sitting back, hoping and praying their faith will work, instead of getting up and doing something to cause it to work. For instance, if you are looking to prosper financially and do not tithe and give offerings regularly, you will not receive a harvest. Tithing and sowing financial seeds are the corresponding actions required for faith to work in that area.

It is time to take our knowledge of the Word to the next level and see it manifest in our lives. Read it, study it, live by it, and do it! Then we will be able to hear God’s voice, follow His instructions, and see His blessings abound!

— Dr. Creflo A. Dollar