Scripture isn’t meant to just affirm you, it is meant to teach, rebuke, train, and correct you. In this talk from Pastor Louie Giglio, we are challenged to reflect on whether or not we really believe the Word of God and trust God as the ultimate authority in our lives.
Key Takeaway
If we believe in the Word of God, we must live lives that reflect that belief.
In the previous weeks of this collection, we discussed how Scripture is unique and reliable, but today, we want to focus on the authority of the Word of God.
Authority is a good word at its heart.
God's plan for you is a powerful life—a life marked by authority. Not authoritarianism or dictatorship, but with the authority to know who He is and who you are.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Scripture isn't here to affirm, soothe, and support you. It is to teach, rebuke, train, and correct you. This miracle breath is a course-correcting wind that puts us in a position to live out God's best for our lives.
Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:1-11
The primary expectation when we come to God through His Word is to expect adjustment, moving us in a different direction, with different beliefs and behavior than we arrived with. There isn't just insight, wisdom, and encouragement—the Word snaps curses and uproots lies to shift direction and destination.
God’s aim through Scripture is to put us under glass, under the microscope of God’s perfect intentions for our lives, and to show us and shape us to be like Christ.
Read Romans 8:28-30.
God doesn't want to just leave you where you are—He wants to mold and shape you; to be conformed by the Word of God means to live a life that is shaped by and reflects His authority; He wants to make us more like Jesus.
God wants you to live a life in which you walk in authority and under authority, and things move because of the power of God's Word.
How do you live an authoritative life?
1. Believe in the God of the Word.
If the Word is unique, God is unique.
If the Word is reliable, God is reliable.
If the Word is authoritative, God is authoritative.
God is not authoritarian (although He could be)—He’s giving you a choice.
But make no mistake, He is the uncontested expert on abundant life and the unrivaled authority over all spiritual powers.
Everything bows to the name of Jesus. Do you know Him?
Read Matthew 7:28-29 and Ephesians 1:18-23.
Yes, He's Savior and the lamb of God, but He also has all authority and all power. Do you know Him? Or do you just choose characteristics you like about Him?
2. Come under the Word.
Is your posture to humble yourself under God's Word?
Come under the Word fully, and expect to get corrected and rebuked. Expect to be taught and trained so that you are fully able to do every good thing as you serve God's Kingdom.
3. Apply the Word.
Your belief in Scripture is born out of your adherence to it, not your declarations about it.
Are you seeking first the Kingdom of righteousness?
Are you really blessing people who persecute you?
Read James 1:19-25.
This isn't God slapping legalism on our lives—this is God saying that if you want to be saved, this is how. Humble yourself and accept the Word that is planted in you.
This is not legalism—it is “beliefism.”
God is the leading authority on everything.
4. Wield the Word.
Read Matthew 28:18-20.
God has authority and sends you in His authority, in His name.
We need the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
So, let's evaluate if we truly believe Scripture.
The main reasons we don’t approach Him through the Word:
- Unbelief
- Unwillingness to be shaped by it
- Over-confidence
Maybe you don't want to change your lifestyle, maybe you don't want to course-correct.
But God wants you to live and move in authority, and you have to be under authority to have authority.
Discussion Questions
- When you first heard the word authority, what was your assumption about this word? How does it make you feel?
- Authority in the hands of a perfect Father is safe and trustworthy. How does it make you feel knowing that God is the ultimate authority?
- Re-read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and share a few takeaways.
- How has Scripture rebuked or corrected you this week? If it hasn't, reflect on how you intake Scripture. Do you leave studying Scripture feeling soothed or corrected most often?
- How have you seen people using Scripture to only affirm them result in harm or incorrect theology?
- Do you truly believe in the God of the Word? If not, what is keeping you from fully believing in Him?
- If someone were to see your life from the outside, would they see a life reflective of someone who studies the Word of God?
- What changes can you make in your life right now that would make you look more like Christ?
- God is authoritative for our good. Do you believe that? Why or why not?
- If you aren't actively seeking out the Word of God, what could be keeping you from it? Unbelief, unwillingness to be shaped by it, or over-confidence? If you are, share how God has uprooted lies and shaped your life as a result.
Scripture References
