TLDR;
Derek Prince discusses eight effects of God's Word, emphasising its power to bring faith, facilitate the new birth, provide spiritual nourishment, offer mental illumination, bring physical healing, enable victory over sin and Satan, cleanse and sanctify, and act as a spiritual mirror. He supports each point with scripture and personal anecdotes, illustrating how the Word of God can transform lives.
- The Word of God brings faith.
- The Word of God facilitates the new birth.
- The Word of God provides spiritual nourishment.
- The Word of God offers mental illumination.
- The Word of God brings physical healing.
- The Word of God enables victory over sin and Satan.
- The Word of God cleanses and sanctifies.
- The Word of God acts as a spiritual mirror.
Introduction [0:00]
Derek Prince introduces the topic of the transformative effects of God's Word, highlighting that it actively works in believers. He outlines eight specific effects that the Word of God can have in a person's life, promising to explore these in the following sections.
Romans 10:17 [0:49]
Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. Prince shares a personal story of being hospitalised with a skin disease and realising that faith, which he lacked, was the key to healing. He highlights Romans 10:17, explaining that faith is attainable by hearing God's Word. He also notes the importance of reading the Scripture aloud, as hearing oneself read can strengthen faith.
Faith [1:51]
The first product of the Scripture is faith. If you don't have it, you can get it by hearing the Word of God.
The New Birth [2:43]
The Word of God facilitates the new birth. Referring to James 1:18, Prince explains that God brings people forth through the Word of Truth. This act is based on God's decision to create a people for Himself through Scripture. He reinforces this point with 1 Peter 1:22-23, noting that purification of the soul through obedience to the truth leads to sincere love and being born again by the incorruptible seed of God's Word.
Peter 1:22-23 [3:43]
Purification of the soul through obeying the truth leads to sincere love and being born again by the incorruptible seed of God's Word. The nature of the seed determines the nature of the life produced, and because God's Word is incorruptible, it produces incorruptible, divine, holy, and eternal life.
1 Peter 2:2 [5:32]
Once someone is born again, they require nourishment, and God's Word provides suitable nourishment for every stage of spiritual growth. Quoting 1 Peter 2:2, Prince encourages new believers to desire the pure milk of the Word to grow spiritually. He notes that many testify to craving the Bible immediately after being born again, indicating a healthy appetite for spiritual nourishment.
Hebrews 5:12 [6:54]
As believers mature, they need solid food, as mentioned in Hebrews 5:12. Maturity comes from exercising one's senses and applying the Word of God to discern good and evil. Without serious application of the Word, spiritual growth is stunted, and one remains unable to digest more than basic truths.
Mental Illumination [8:17]
The Word of God provides mental illumination. Referencing Psalm 119:130, Prince states that the entrance of God's Word gives light and understanding. He contrasts this with education, which he says is not the same as light, sharing his personal experience of being educated but in darkness until the Word of God illuminated his life. He cautions that education alone does not guarantee wisdom and that the entrance of God's Word is what truly brings light.
Physical Healing [10:15]
God's Word provides physical healing, supported by personal experience and scripture.
Psalm 107:17-20 [10:30]
Drawing from Psalm 107:17-20, Prince explains that God saves, heals, and delivers through His Word. He notes that some afflictions are a result of wrong living and that people often delay seeking God's help. He emphasises that healing is accessible through receiving God's Word, even without a preacher, and warns against relying solely on individuals rather than the Lord.
Proverbs 4:20-22 [12:46]
Quoting Proverbs 4:20-22, Prince shares his testimony of being healed from a chronic skin disease by taking God's Word as medicine. He explains how he internalised the scripture, recognising that God's words are health to all flesh. By diligently applying the Word three times daily, he experienced complete and permanent healing, even in an unhealthy climate.
Victory Over Sin & Satan [15:08]
The Word of God enables victory over sin and Satan. Psalm 119:9 and 11 highlight that one can cleanse their way by adhering to God's Word and storing it in their heart to avoid sinning. Prince contrasts this with modern educators who question the possibility of leading a pure life. He also references Jesus's encounters with Satan in Matthew 4, where Jesus used the weapon of "It is written" to overcome temptation.
Spiritual Mirror [17:39]
The Bible acts as a spiritual mirror, as mentioned in James 1:23-25. It reveals one's inner self and highlights areas needing attention. Prince encourages acting on what the mirror of God's Word reveals, tending to spiritual needs just as one would address physical imperfections seen in a physical mirror.
Spiritual Nourishment [18:21]
Prince concludes by summarising the eight effects of God's Word: producing faith, facilitating the new birth, providing spiritual nourishment, offering mental illumination, bringing physical healing, enabling victory over sin and Satan, cleansing and sanctifying, and acting as a spiritual mirror.