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Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet…the power of the Word of God is unmistakable. It changes lives, it GIVES life!
There are many ways we see the power of the Word of God. The Bible tells us it is sharper than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. KJV
But I want to focus on how the Word acts as our guide. It is a ‘lamp unto my feet’ and guides us in our specific situations. Psalm 119:105 says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.(KJV)” But how does God’s Word guide us in our daily walk with Him?
Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet – The Power of the Word of God as a Lamp
I believe one of the most amazing ways we see the power of the Word of God is how it guides each and every one our steps each day. The Word says it is both a lamp and a light. Let’s look at the Word as a “lamp”. The word “lamp” as used in this verse is from the Hebrew word “niyr“, which, according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, means ‘to glisten, a candle or light’. A candle or a “glistening lamp” gives off a very small amount of visible light. It is just enough to see right in front of you.
It is not a broad, glaring amount of light, like we would see in modern day flood lights. Rather, picture what you are able to see when you are using candlelight when the power goes out, or while eating a romantic dinner with your spouse.
When you walk through your home in a power outage using just a candle, you can see only a short distance in front of you. It doesn’t illuminate everything around you in a way that makes them clear. But it allows you to see enough.
And a Light Unto My Path – The Power of the Word of God as a Light
The other way the power of the Word of God is seen is by being a light to our path. The Hebrew word for “light” in this verse is the word “‘owr” and means “a light, bright, clear, like morning”. This is a much brighter kind of light. This is a light that is bright enough to see what it around you. It is clear like morning! It is illuminated!
It’s the kind of light you might have on your street or on your home’s walkway, so that people can walk along the path at night safely and can see any dangers that might exist around them.
Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet – How is God’s Word a Lamp?
God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet. What do our feet do? They take steps forward or backward, they help us to stand and walk. They help us balance and help support our weight.
When God wants us to move in our walk with Him, He often doesn’t show us the whole picture. He wants us to follow Him step by step without us necessarily knowing of or worrying about the bigger picture because that could lead us to try to control the outcome.
It helps us develop our faith when we need to rely the power of the Word of God every step of the way. It would be easy for us to take certain steps in life if we saw the bigger picture. What measure of faith is there when you know the outcome?
We need God and His Word as truth in our lives to guide each step, maybe not knowing what the next step will bring until we take it.
A Light Unto My Path – How is God’s Word a Light?
God’s Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path!
A path is the way we are to go. It is the direction God wants us to take. It leads us to our destination. God’s Word may provide more light on this type of situation. For example, God’s Word says to forgive our enemies. Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” ESV
So God’s Word makes that clear! If we are in a relationship with someone who has wronged us, maybe an issue in our marriage, God’s Word is telling us to forgive them.
The power of the Word of God is how it is showing us the path we are to take with this person. He makes it clear in His Word, illuminating it so we know what we must do regardless of how we feel.
However, the steps we have to take to get there may be revealed step by step.
God may not show us the next step until we take the first one. He will not show us all the steps at once. Like that candle, we may know the destination we are heading in but can only see the way a step at a time. He wants us to listen to Him and His Word each step we take and rely fully upon Him.
The overall path He shows us is forgiveness and restoration, but the steps to get there may be shown to us along the way. And with each step of obedience, another step may be revealed.
So God may, at times, only reveal steps along the way without showing the path, and sometimes shows us the path ahead, but we have to wait for Him to light up the steps we need to get there.
Either way, we see the power of the Word of God is in its guidance in all of life!
Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet – God’s Plan Revealed
God may be putting it on your heart to start a ministry! He may be telling you to write a book! He may be telling you to take a step further into your current ministry!
But He may not reveal to you HOW you will do it.
I have heard story after story of people losing their job and God providing for them month after month, right when they needed it, without showing them ahead of time how it would happen! Sometimes God wants us to rely solely on Him for our provision and not put our faith in ourselves or in other people!
Provision
I recall watching Joyce Meyer on TV one day speaking about how she felt God tell her to quit her job as a step forward to the ministry she felt God was leading her into. She didn’t listen completely and instead she began working part time. So she got fired! She said she had never been fired in her life!
But God has a way of putting us where He wants us when we don’t follow His leading!! If we don’t obey, He will sometimes work things out to get us onto the right path to be used by Him! The path for her was enlightened (ministry) but the steps were being revealed one step at a time!
She talked about that period of time after she had lost her job and not knowing where she was going to get the things she needed for her kids or her home, but each time it came down to the wire, God provided everything they needed. She said she had to rely on God for her dish towels! But God wanted her in ministry and part of what she needed to learn was to rely solely on His provision!
He didn’t show her how everything was going to play out. He didn’t tell her at the start of the month where all her needs would be met, but he DID meet them.
God provided the light unto her path; her ministry. But he only provided that lamp unto her feet; each step she would have to take to get there.
He wants us reliant on Him in our walk to get to that path! What ways is God showing you the bigger vision without showing you the steps to get there before you take them? Or what ways is God directing your steps without showing you the destination? How is He working on your faith and reliance on Him?
Always remember, no matter how unclear the path, we need to say “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path”, and trust and rely on Him and His Word alone!
Bible Verses About the Power of the Word of God
2 Timothy 3:16-17
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. (NIV)
Matthew 7:24
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (NIV)
Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. (NIV)
1 Peter 1:25
...but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you. (ESV)
Ephesians 6:17
...and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, (ESV)
Isaiah 55:11
...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (ESV)
If you are new to studying the Word, check out this video and my post on Bible Study Methods!
Some other posts like “Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet – The Power of the Word of God” you might enjoy:
How to Study the Bible for Yourself – 7 Simple Bible Study Methods!
Give it to God – How to Let Go and Let God Handle It
Waiting on God’s Timing – Are You Birthing an Ishmael?
Willpower for Reading the Bible and Why It Doesn’t Work
SOAP Bible Study Technique – With Your Free Workbook
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Tree of Life (TLV) – Scripture taken from the Holy Scriptures, Tree of Life Version*. Copyright © 2014,2016 by the Tree of Life Bible Society. Used by permission of the Tree of Life Bible Society.
Listening and learning here today!
Why do we separate our “real lives” from our reading of the Word of God?
Thanks for this reminder that He gives us light on our path, but it might not be as much as we would like!
Thank you Michele!! So true!
A lamp, a light, a guide. Thanking God for His Word this morning … and for this space you give us to meet together. Bless you, Diane …
Thank you so much Linda!! Blessings!!
What a beautiful post! God’s Word has illuminated my path so many times. When I am unsure or need encouragement, the answer is always found within the pages of His Word. Thank you for this poignant reminder. God bless!
Thank you Susan!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Powerful message, Diane. I like your analogy to God’s Word lighting our path one step at a time…the way a flashlight would do on a dark path in the woods. We can’t see far on up ahead. It’s one step at a time. Beautiful imagery to trust God with every step I take.
Thank you so much Karen!!
What a great encouragement on so many levels. Not only are we supposed to trust that He will light our way, but we should help others see their paths by loving them well!
Amen Rebecca!! Thank you!!
I know what that’s like to have to rely on Him.
Amen!!
I can’t read that verse without singing the song. laurensparks.net
Same here!!
Great words as always! So grateful! I never looked at the difference between the two words (Lamp and Light) I have heard them both referred to as a dim light in comparison to today’s lights. I find that it always comes back to relying on Him for everything, trusting in anything/anyone else is that same as trusting in Egypt. Thanks for digging in and sharing these great nuggets. 8)
Amen! It does come down to just trusting and relying on Him!! Thank you so much Debra!!
I love this post! 🙂 His Word—our textbook for life. We are so blessed to have it and to freely be able to own a copy. Sometimes I think we take that for granted. Thanks for the great post! Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
Thank you and yes, I agree!! We do take so much for granted!!
I’m so glad we landed next to each other at Debbie Kitterman’s linkup. I love teaching from the Hebraic. Blessed today to have found you.
Thank you for visiting!! I had actually just been to visit yours!!!
I was just learning about this the other week! I love the picture of only knowing a few steps ahead of us when it comes to God lighting our path. It might feel scary at times, and we’ll want to shine that light further down the path, but we know we can trust God! Enjoyed being your neighbor on #DestinationInspiration today. 🙂
Amen and thank you Emily!!
So thankful God is the provider of our light. I did a study on the lamps they used were just clay post with two holes. One to pour th oil and the other for the wick. To make the lamps burned they needed oil, a wick and fire to light the wick. In order to keep the lamp burning they needed to bring extra oil with them or the light wouldn’t burn anymore. Love the metaphor we are the vessel, Jesus is the light, God is the wick and the Holy Spirit is the oil. Without all three our lights would go out. He is almost uno my feet! Great post!
Amen! I love that Heather. What an amazing study!!! Thank you for sharing that!
Diane, I love the explanation for the difference between those 2 words! Thanks for widening our understanding and for hosting. Blessings!
Thank you so much Donna!!
You broke down these scriptures beautifully. Thank you for sharing your faith so intricately woven with The Word. Our savior certainly illuminates our path piece by piece because of we were to see all He has planned for us at once it would overwhelm us. So grateful for the experiences He allows us to have to get to where we need to be and the community he sends us while on this journey. God bless you Diane.
Amen!! Thank you so much Stacy!! I am so glad you enjoyed the post!
GREAT post, Diane! There IS so much power in the Word!!!
Pinned & tweeted.
Thank you for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
Thank you so much Patsy!!!