. . . they shall mount up with wings as eagles . . . Isaiah 40:31

Hearing by the Word

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

This is a verse that is used in the context of receiving faith for salvation, faith to be saved through the salvation of Christ. Faith for salvation comes by hearing the message of salvation.

However, since the believer in Christ lives his life by faith, (we walk by faith, and not by sight) then faith is also needed for other things as well, like provision, like healing, like wisdom and guidance, like living a life pleasing to the Lord. We need faith for that, and faith always comes by hearing the word of God.

All of the promises of God, not just salvation, are received by faith. So, we need aith for them.

2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

All the promises are yes and amen, or, that is, so be it, by us. Just like salvation and the new birth, they all require our agreement in faith before they can be received by us. And we need faith to please God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Without faith we are powerless to please Him. For one must believe that God exists before he is able to approach or draw near to Him, and he must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

The word “rewarder” in this verse means “one who pays wages, one who rewards.” Who does He pay wages to, who does He reward? He rewards those who ekzeteo (ek-zay-teh'-o) Him, meaning seek out, search for, investigate, scrutinize. He is a rewarder of those who search for and investigate Him.

Do we believe that God exists. Certainly, we must, or we would not be reading this article. Do we believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him? Maybe we believe that to an extent, maybe up to a certain point. But the notion that God would reward us or pay us for something is a little over the top for some folks to agree with.

Yet the Bible says that God is a rewarder of those who seek Him. We can see this principle in Matthew chapter 6 as well as in Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
Luke 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Jesus is talking about things that the world seeks after, things like food and drink, and in another place He says clothing. And He tells us not to seek after these things, because your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

But rather, or, that is, instead of seeking those things, seek the kingdom of God. And what will the result of seeking the kingdom be? All of these other things that the world seeks after will be provided for us.

Then, according to this, the kingdom of God will provide for us based upon the amount of time we spend seeking the kingdom.

What then does it mean to seek the kingdom of God? The phrase “seek ye” is from the Greek word zeteo, (dzay-teh'-o), meaning to seek in order to find, to seek a thing, to seek [in order to find out] by thinking, meditating, reasoning, to enquire into.

To find out something by thinking, meditating, reasoning, and enquiring into. What do we think about, meditate in, reason with, and enquire into? The word of God.

We started this meditation session with the verse that says that faith comes by hearing the word of God, and we have gone down a few side trails and other paths, yet here we are back to the verse about faith coming by hearing.

Seeking the kingdom of God is accomplished by hearing the word of God, not just hearing it or reading it on the surface, but by going deep into it, by enquiring into it, by meditating upon it.

We hear the word of God, faith comes, and grace begins to work in our lives to provide the things we need. And this principle has been valid since the earliest times, as we can see in the days of the journeys of Israel through the wilderness, and into the land of Canaan.

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt HEARKEN DILIGENTLY unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt HEARKEN unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

If you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God. What is the voice of the Lord our God? His word is His voice. At least that is the part of His voice that we have recorded, the part that we have documented.

What will happen if we hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD our God, His word? All these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you.

Deuteronomy 28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
Deuteronomy 28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
Deuteronomy 28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

And it goes on and on. And remember, this was back when all the word of God they had was the law of Moses. How much more are great blessings available to us now that we have all the promises of God and the New Testament? We have a better covenant with better promises.

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith for what? Faith for God’s grace to be released in our lives for the blessings of heaven to be in our lives here upon the earth.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: Romans 5:2 By whom also we have ACCESS BY FAITH into this GRACE wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Faith comes by hearing God’s word, and grace comes through faith.

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