The Transforming Power of God's Word

Note, this is part of a series on the Importance of the Word.

The passages below describe some of the ways God's word works its transforming power in those who receive it, from new birth, to growth, to wisdom, to eternal life. Most of these promises are conditional, requiring something of us in response, such as believing, desiring, taking heed, or hiding His word in our hearts, as underlined in each passage below.

Born again by the Word:

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever."
1 Peter 1:23

Believe and have Life by the Word:

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."
John 20:30-31

Grow by the Word:

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:"
1 Peter 2:2

Learn the Fear of God by the Word:

"And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:"
Deuteronomy 17:19

Built up by the Word:

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified."
Acts 20:32

Cleansed by the Word:

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
by taking heed thereto according to thy word."
Psalm 119:9

"Now ye are clean through the word
which I have spoken unto you."
John 15:3

"...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word..."
Ephesians 5:25b-26

Furnished unto good works by the Word:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Kept from sin by the Word:

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee."
Psalm 119:11

Spiritual warfare by the Word:

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil."
Ephesians 6:11

"...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
Ephesians 6:17b

Discern our heart by the Word:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12

Made wise by the Word:

"The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple."
Psalm 19:7

Prepared to share the Gospel by the Word:

"And your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace;"
Ephesians 6:15

Enables you to know the certainty of the words of truth

"Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels
and knowledge, That I might make thee
know the certainty of the words of truth;
that thou mightest answer the words of truth
to them that send unto thee?"
Proverbs 22:20-21

That ye might know that ye have eternal life

"These things have I written unto you that believe
on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
1 John 5:13

As we believe, desire, take heed to, and hide God's word in our hearts, it brings new birth and life, causes growth, teaches the fear of the LORD, builds up, cleanses, furnishes us unto every good work, keeps us from sin, arms us for spiritual warfare, discerns our hearts, makes us wise, prepares us to share the gospel, and gives certain knowledge of the truth, including the truth that we have eternal life in Him.

If you want to take the next step and put this into practice, see Exceeding Great and Precious Promises, which walks through six of these conditional promises and a practical method for applying them.