Perhaps you have heard the saying in Christian circles, “If you only have The Word you will dry up, and if you only have The Spirit you will blow up”! More than ever we need both the Word of God and the move of the Spirit to bring the body of Christ to maturity and manifest the kingdom in power. We have many who teach the Word, but they never have any demonstrations or manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Then we have the other extreme where there are those who must have demonstrations and manifestations of the Spirit almost to the point where they quit speaking and teaching the Word. Both extremes have walked away from the importance and necessity of having both the Spirit and the Word working together.
There must be a powerful agreement of both the Word of God and the Spirit for the plans of Heaven to be truly carried out. In fact, many men and women of God have prophesied about our time saying, “The last move of God will be a divine move of the Spirit and the Word.”
Without Form and Void
As we see in Genesis 1:1, the earth was without form and darkness was on the face of the deep. Notice it was not until the Spirit of God moved and the Word of God went forth together in agreement that Heaven’s plans came into being. This prophetic example shows us that speaking the Word in faith, coupled with the guidance and anointing of the Holy Spirit, brings us into blessings and results. Remember also that signs and wonders of the Holy Spirit follow the preaching of the Word (Mark 16:20).
The Word and Spirit in Moses’ Day
The Bible says in Acts 7:38, that Israel was called the church in the wilderness. Even in this Old Testament type of the Church, we find the importance of the Word and Spirit. The pillar of cloud and fire by night that went with them represented the agreement of the Spirit and the Word. The cloud represents the glory of the Spirit and the fire is likened to the Word. Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like a fire, says the Lord!” It is also important to notice in Exodus 34:9, that Moses’ face was shining as he walked down from Mt. Sinai carrying the law of God on two tablets of stone. His face was shining with the glory of the Spirit as he held in his hand the law or Word of God. Once again, the Word and Spirit were in agreement in the wilderness church and among its leadership. It was the very essence that guided them everywhere they went. The same must be true today.
Dry and Lifeless
In Ezekiel 37, we see the valley of dry bones. The bones were dry until the prophet commanded the bones to hear the Word of the Lord. Immediately the bones came together and there was form, but still there was no life. It was not until the prophet prophesied to the wind, which is a type of the Spirit, and commanded breath to manifest that the form lived. When we speak and stand on the Word; our lives begin to take form by conforming to God’s Word. Too often many of us just stop there and our speaking becomes a formula. We must be careful that we don’t have too many “Word formulas” without any direction or move of the Spirit. Like the bones we will remain dry and lifeless. We will be without form is in the beginning of creation. However, when we follow the move of the Spirit as we speak the Word the result will always be life and breath. In Ezekiel 37:10, it was the Word and Spirit that agreed that finally caused a mighty army to arise. This is how God wants us to live!
Anna and Simeon – The Two Who Agreed
In Luke Chapter 2:25-38, we find two people who were waiting for the coming of the Messiah. They were Simeon and Anna. Both were praying, fasting and waiting for the coming of the Lord. Simeon’s name in the Greek means “to hear the Word”! Anna’s name means “full of grace”. Grace is a divine endowment of the Spirit that comes upon our lives. The Greek word for grace (charis) is also where we derive the word charisma which is a gift of grace and favor that comes from the Holy Spirit. Once again the Spirit and Word are in agreement. I believe that when Jesus returns the second time, just as the first time He came, there must be those in the church, like Anna and Simeon who will manifest the Word of God and the move of the Holy Spirit together.
The Church at Antioch
Acts 13:1, says that there were certain prophets and teachers in Antioch. Again, this is a picture depicting the importance of the Word and Spirit working in the church. The teachers here obviously represent the Word for teachers are given to the study and teaching of God’s Word. Prophets, however, are people of the Spirit who speak by the unction of the Spirit. Antioch was also the place where they were first called Christians.
And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 11:26
Like Antioch, every church that calls itself Christian must have the Word and Spirit in place so that, similarly to that of the Antioch church, we can train and release people in an apostolic, sending anointing!
Moses and Elijah Stand by the Lord
In Matthew 17, we find Jesus standing with Moses and Elijah on what is often called the Mount of Transfiguration. Why these two? If you think for a moment, Moses was the recipient of the Law of God (or the Word) and Elijah was a prophet who prophesied by the Spirit. I believe this event again prophetically reveals how the Lord wants His church to have the Word and Spirit work together to exalt Jesus in the earth. As believers, we are commanded to go into the world preaching the Word. Then the result will be the Holy Spirit working with us and confirming the Word of God with signs following.
And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Mark 16:20
The Body and the Blood
Through the celebration of the communion meal, we remember the body and blood of our Lord. We remember what Jesus did and our powerful covenant in Him. I believe once again that we find the Word and Spirit making up the very elements of the bread (His body) and the cup (His blood). The cup of His blood can be likened to the Spirit since the life of all flesh is in the blood. When God breathed into Adam, in Genesis 2, he became a living human – spirit, soul and body. Thus, blood flowed into Adam’s veins and his spirit was made alive. We also know that wine was used in the cup and new wine is scripturally likened to the Spirit. The bread represents the Word. Jesus was the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us according to John 1:14. Jesus also said He was the bread that came down from heaven in John 6:51. When we receive the body and the blood of our Lord in communion, the Spirit and the Word are agreeing and the benefits of our covenant are manifested over our lives.
The Importance of the Word
1. Deuteronomy 6:1-9, they were commanded to teach the importance of the Word to their household.
2. Joshua 1:8, they were to meditate upon the Word
3. Psalm 119 – vs 11, the Word keeps you from sin
vs 105, the Word gives you direction
vs 130, the Word gives you understanding and revelation
vs 165, the Word gives you peace
4. Proverbs 4, the Word must be first place
5. Hebrews 4;12, the Word is a sharp, powerful weapon – Eph 6:13-17
Set aside a time every day to read, meditate and speak the wonderful Word of God!
The Importance of the Spirit
1. We must fellowship with the Holy Spirit – 2 Corinthians 13:14
2. We are told to be filled with the Spirit – Ephesians 5;18
Set aside time to fellowship with the Holy Spirit and pray in the spirit
Benefits of being filled with the Spirit
A. Salvation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate experiences:
1. John 4, Salvation
2. John 7, The infilling of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:8
B. Benefits of praying in the spirit/tongues through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
1. Makes you strong, Jude 20
2. Builds your faith, Jude 20
3. Keeps you in love, Jude 20
4. Recharges your spirit, Jude 20
5. Makes you spiritually sensitive, Hebrews 5;14
6. Gives you power to be a witness, Acts 1:8
7. Gives you power to evangelize, Mark 16:17
8. Brings refreshing spiritually, Isaiah 28;11-13
9. Helps you in your weakness, when you don’t know what to pray, Romans 8:26