“God has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:2-3).
Jesus is holding up the world and all that is in it by “the word of His power”. That must be a powerful word! We have seen the miracle work of the word of God’s power throughout the history of the world. God spoke, “Let there be light” and there was light. God spoke, “Let us make man in our image” and man was formed. Jesus said, “Rise up and walk” and the lame were healed. Jesus said, “It is finished” and the sacrifice for our sins was completed. Jesus said, “In that day, I will be in you” and it is a promise we can take to the bank.
God speaks, incredible things happen. This is the “word of His power”. And Jesus is the one who upholds all things by this word because He is the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God!
Throughout the New Testament, the phrase “word of God” refers to Jesus and His gospel message.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). Jesus is the Word!
After Jesus’ resurrection, the apostles spread the message of the Word [Jesus] far and wide. Throughout the book of Acts, the “word of God” is shorthand for Jesus and His gospel message.
“And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).
“The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).
“Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John” (Acts 8:14).
“Now the apostles and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God” (Acts 11:1).
“When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper” (Acts 13:5).
“But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that the word of God had been proclaimed by Paul in Berea also, they came there as well, agitating and stirring up the crowds” (Acts 17:13).
“And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (Acts 18:11).
Throughout the book of Acts, just like today, the “word of God” (Jesus and His gospel message) was proclaimed and received. And when it was received, lives were changed. People were saved, born again, adopted into God’s family. Hearts were made new. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in new believers. Folks became “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). In short, lives were changed by believing the word of God.
That is how powerful the word is. The range of the power of God’s word is immense. It is so specific that it can change an individual’s heart. It is so broad that it can create and sustain the world. And in a beautiful promise of the new covenant, this divine power lives in you.