BY THE WORD (RHEMA) OF GOD

THE RHEMA OF GOD

For many years we have heard about the term "Rhema".

We have a tendency to accept at face value what we hear from knowledgeable people without checking them out. Not that it is not OK to do that, for many times it is.

The bad part about it is that we often sell ourselves short by NOT doing a little checking. This is one place where I definitely benefited from "sniffing out" what I have heard.

Strong's lists it as: G4487rhema, hray'-mah; from 4483; an utterance (individ., collect. or spec.); by impl. a matter of topic (espec. of narration, command or dispute);
with a neg. naught whatever:-+ evil, + nothing, saying word.
It is definitely different from the term "Logos", which is used predominantly in New Testament scriptures.

It was a "definite" Word which came to Mary and announced to her that she would be the mother of Jesus. The "Rhema" words are identified in the following scriptures by <_>

LUK 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy . And the angel departed from her.

Simeon had also had a "definite" Word from God, telling him that he would not see death until he had first seen the Lord's Salvation.

LUK 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy :

It was a "definite" word from God which launched the Ministry of John the Baptist.

LUK 3:2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

The fishermen heard a "definite" Word about how to catch fish on that particular day.

LUK 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy I will let down the net.

It is the "Rhema" Word that becomes the basis of our FAITH-- whether it be a general Faith or a specific Faith. In other words-- WHEN GOD SPEAKS AND WE HEAR, we have a foundation for Faith.

ROM 10:8 But what saith it? The is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the of faith, which we preach;

ROM 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the of God.
JOH 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

The "Rhema" was involved when Peter, at the command of Jesus, went to the house of Cornelius

ACS 10:44 While Peter yet spake these , the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
ACS 11:14 Who shall tell thee , whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
ACS 11:16 Then remembered I the of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

Perhaps the greatest "eye opener" for me was this next scripture. It explains the workings of God in our lives better than anything I have ever run across. I have often wondered why so little happens as we preach our hearts out-- quoting the scriptures-- even yelling them out for emphasis. But men go on their sinful ways-- unheedful of our efforts.

EPH 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the of God:

It appears that it is the "definite" Word of God which becomes the sword which the Spirit uses to "divide the marrow and bone, and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." With the "Rhema", the Spirit can cut a swath through all kinds of opposition and difficulty, and bring us into Victory.

Oh Yes! It was the "definite" Word which God used when He spoke the worlds into existence. I believe He also created LIGHT in the same way. The scripture also tells us that He who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has also SHINED IN OUR HEARTS to give the LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST. We didn't learn about the ONENESS OF GOD from the Logos alone. It comes by a SHINING of the Spirit in our lives.

HEB 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.