In the previous post, we touched on Jesus’ supernatural ability to perceive the goings-on in the spiritual realm through the power of the Holy Spirit. And we talked about perceiving spiritual things through our minds, spiritual information from God Himself, from ourselves, from angels and demons, and from other people. 

Using the same story found in Mark 2, I’d like to point out another spiritual principle about the words of Jesus. Let’s focus on these three verses.

The Impossible Command

“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic– “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”” (Mark 2:9-12 ESV)

Jesus gave the paralytic man an impossible command: “Rise, pick up your bed, and walk.” Every factual evidence was obvious to every single person in the room: this paralytic man was paralyzed! He had no control over his limbs. It was impossible for him to stand on his own, to carry anything, or to walk.

But here’s the spiritual principle at play: the Words of Jesus give us the power to obey. The Words of Jesus enable us to do the impossible. And the impossible is done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Gabriel Drops a Revelation Bomb

This principle was clearly articulated by the archangel Gabriel in Luke 1. He drops a bomb of revelation on Mary as the last phrase he spoke to her.

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 ESV)

Or in a literal translation, it reads:

“For no word from God shall be void of power.” (Luke 1:37 ASV)

So, every time the Lord tells you something, like a command, it comes preloaded with the power of God to do it. If He tells you, “Be holy, for I am holy,” then He’s giving you the power to actually be holy. (See 1 Peter 1:14-16.) 

If He tells you, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons,” then He is blessing you with Holy Spirit power to actually do that. (See Matthew 10:8.)

Jesus’ Words are Spiritual Weapons

We can use His words as spiritual weapons to fight through the demonic spiritual resistance.

I’ll give you an example of something the Lord was teaching me the other day. I felt like He said this message to me:

“Pay attention to Me and to My things this year. I know you are, but My words are a declaration over your life, that you have the ability to pay attention to Me and not get distracted. It’s a bulwark against distractions, as many distractions will be sent your way… to distract you. Because I’ve said, ‘Pay attention,’ it will allow you to break through the attacks of distraction in order to actually pay attention. This is a spiritual principle that you have discovered and are discovering. It opens up a whole new world of interpretation of My Word and leads to breakthrough and more breakthrough.”

Did you catch what the Lord was doing for me? He was seeing a future attack of the enemy and providing me with a Word over my life, which gives me the power to overcome any distracting spirits! 

And guess what, if He’s doing this for me, that means He’s doing it for you! He has already done it too, because there are so many amazing promises in the Bible that you can grab hold and claim over your own life.

That’s how Jesus being the Living Word works. God’s words are alive, filled with power. They are Jesus Himself, spiritual words filled with spiritual meaning and energy.

The Woman Caught in Adultery

Do you remember the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery? Let’s read it.

“The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. 

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 

Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”” (John 8:3-11 ESV)

Old Religious Thinking

“Go, and from now on sin no more.” In our religious, soul-based mindset, we tend to think, “Yeah right. She’s just gonna go right back in that adultery lifestyle. I’ve seen this before. They don’t change. Once an adulterer, always an adulterer.”

Why do we think such a thing? Maybe we’ve seen it through experience. A person gets a scolding, “Don’t do this thing!” And they go on and do it again. Included with the scolding is the power of guilt and shame, keeping the person in the bondage and never letting them out. The guilty person may even feel sorry for their sins and repent, but then they fail again in their sinful lifestyle, thus proving to themselves that they are defined as “sinner.” 

God Doesn’t Deal in Guilt or Shame

Let me tell you, Friend: God does not deal in guilt or shame. He’s not going to load you down with these burdens that you can’t bear. He’s interested in replacing these heavy things on you with his burden, which He says is easy and light (Matthew 11:30).

For the woman caught in adultery, by telling her to “sin no more,” Jesus wasn’t shaking his finger at her in a scolding way, knowing that she’d just end up back in the same lifestyle. No, not at all.

Jesus’ Word is Power

His words gave her the power to be released from the bondage of adulterous relationships and a sinful lifestyle. His words provided her the ability to leave the old lifestyle and enter an entirely new lifestyle of following Him!

If Jesus did that for her, it means He’s doing it for you too! Any addiction, any sin, any power of hell that’s trying to bring you down cannot overpower the Word of God!

Do you need a powerful word from Jesus for your life? Ask Him! Pray and ask Him to give you the Word of Power for the thing you’re struggling with. Do you have a family member who needs an encounter with Jesus and a Powerful Word? Ask the Lord to give you a Word to declare over them that can help set them free.

The Words of Jesus give you the power to obey. Every time the Lord gives you a command, it comes preloaded with Holy Spirit Power to do it.