The NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
MARATHON PRAYERS
Monday 21st - Sunday 27th October 2024
UNDERSTANDING THE WORD OF GOD: LOGOS AND RHEMA
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).
In the past few weeks, we have been examining various issues in the Church in anticipation of the much-awaited revival. Expectedly, some of the prayer calls elicited notable responses, especially from some who considered their concept of “Christianity” challenged. In the past few prayer calls, we have posed questions like, “Where did the prosperity message come from?”, “What is the purpose of the Church?”, and last week we sought to highlight the misalignment of Old and New Testament principles, resulting in a distortion of heavenly focus for many New Testament saints.
We are impelled from the foregoing to delve deeper into the Word of God and understand how God presented His word to us. When the Bible commands in 2 Tim. 2:15 to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth," it is to prevent a mishandling of the word of God through ignorance, and in some cases, through the deliberate mischief of false teachers.
In the New Testament, two different Greek words are used to describe the word of God: logos and rhema.
Logos is the revelation of God in His word and as His Word. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word [logos], and the Word [logos] was with God, and the Word [logos] was God." The Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is logos, that is, God revealing Himself to man through the written word. The character, purpose, plans of God are revealed in the logos. Since no one has seen God, and no one on earth has had the opportunity of living with Him physically to understand His character, God chose to reveal Himself through His Word. By studying the Word of God, we come to know Who God is and how to relate with Him.
Rhema, on the other hand, is generally described as a specific word, given to a specific individual, at a specific time, for a specific purpose. While the entire logos is available for us to study, the entire Bible does not constitute a rhema to anyone. God chooses which word to 'quicken' to any person, under different circumstances. It is the rhema that gives someone faith. Basically, rhema is God committing Himself to someone, that He would do something. It displeases God when He speaks thus to an individual and that person does not believe Him (Heb. 11:6). When that happens, God charges the fellow with unbelief. Without a rhema, there is no faith based on a specific word for that specific individual for any specific purpose.
It says in Rom. 10:17,” So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of God.” That is how faith comes - by hearing. It is the rhema that produces faith from the 'hearing' of the logos.
How did Mary receive the news from Angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Messiah? Luke 1:38 says,” And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word" - rhema.
John the Baptist headed for the wilderness, very certain that men would come to him because, according to Luke 3:2,” … the word [rhema] of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.” Peter told the Lord,” … Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word [rhema], I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5).
The rhema that God gives a person encapsulates the power, the grace, the anointing, and everything that is needed to accomplish the purpose for which God has spoken that word. Isaiah 55:11 says,” So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void.” For that reason, it is serious offence to disbelieve what God has said.
Some individuals attempt to convert the logos into a rhema. Because something is in the Bible does not imply that it applies to you. That is where prayer comes in. One needs to pray and discern God’s will concerning a matter, before jumping to conclusions that God wants to intervene. It is not enough to pray, it is also important that we exercise patience and wait for God to speak, rather than do something in presumption, which is the opposite of faith. The following short story illustrates the point.
A group of young people in South Korea wanted to go for a retreat but their way was blocked by a flooded river. While they stood at the bank, three girls reasoned that since Peter walked on water, they too could walk on water. They prayed and stepped into the flooded river. It carried them away, and the secular press had a field day mocking the Christians and their God. Pastor Cho took the matter to God and God referred him to Matt. 14:28:” And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.”
The word “come” was the rhema that enabled Peter to walk on the water. When he lost sight of the Master's call to, “Come,” he started to sink. Those three girls sought to re-enact what Peter had done whereas Jesus did not 'tell' them in those specific circumstances to “Come." It was presumption, not faith.
Unfortunately, that is what many Christians do, and they become frustrated, believing God to do what He never promised to do for them. The "hyper-faith" theology of “see it, claim it, and have it” has done a lot of damage to many Christians who now find it difficult to trust God.
What many Christians call faith is “hope.” It is okay to pick a promise in the Bible and pray that God would fulfill it in one’s life. However, the person praying must wait for God to speak, then they can claim the promise. There are cases in which God could prompt someone to take a step to accomplish what God already has in mind. A good example is the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48).
God can give a rhema from out of the logos, or He can use a dream, a prophecy, or a word of knowledge. God is so creative He can even use the traffic light to give a rhema. One thing is clear, when an individual receives a rhema they will know that God has spoken to them in that specific way about the specific matter.
The prayer call of last week stated that the mandate of the New Testament saint was different from that of the Old Testament saint.
” God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1-2).
God spoke to the Old Testament saints “by the prophets” (Moses, Isaiah, Micah, etc.), but He speaks to “us” (the Church) by “His Son” (Jesus Christ). If the OT prophet said, “God gives you power to get wealth” and the Son says, “ye shall receive power to witness," the Christian must ensure what the Son says. If the OT prophets said, “an eye for an eye”, and the Son says, “if they slap you on one cheek turn the other,” we must follow the instruction of the Son. If the prophets promised a land flowing with milk and honey, and the Son says, “in this world ye shall have tribulation,” we should prepare to endure difficulties.
When Christians return to the commands of the Master, the Church would have been ready for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. John 10:27 says,” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” May Christians in this generation hear the voice of the Master.
PRAYER POINTS
1). John 10:27
Pray that the spirit of obedience shall rest on Nigeria Christians, and they shall obey the commands of Jesus Christ.
2). John 8: 32
Pray that Christians in Nigeria shall be grounded in the truth of the word of God.
3). 2 Pet. 2:17-20
Pray that Nigeria Christians shall be delivered from the influence of false teachers who pervert the word of God for personal gain.
4). 2 Pet. 2:1-2
Pray that all false teachers be uprooted from the Church.
5). Gal. 1:6-9
Many Christians have been led astray by hyper-faith teachers. Pray that Christians shall be delivered from the presumption that leads to expecting what God never promised.
6). Col. 2:6-10.
Those who practice syncretism in the Church (the combination of Christianity and human tradition) rely mostly on the OT practices and promises to promote their craft. Pray that God shall dismantle syncretism in the Nigeria Church and guide His people to follow Jesus Christ alone.
7). John 16:13-14
Pray for fresh a outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon Nigeria. Amen
