Joseph Prince - Get Excited To Read The Bible Again
This excerpt is from: Ask Big, Ask Bold (16 May 2021)
God's Word is our inheritance. When we study God's Word, God has so many things in store for us and He has prepared riches, riches of His grace. The Bible talks about the riches of His glory, riches of His grace, that He has prepared for us in His Word. And we need to seek out God's Word. In the book of Proverbs, it says: "If you seek her as silver, dig out the gold of God's Word, you'll find the knowledge of the Lord, find the wisdom of God". Hallelujah. And when you get wisdom, not knowledge. People of the world can receive knowledge. They can get experience, they can read books and acquire the expertise they need for certain fields. But knowledge is not wisdom.
"Wisdom cometh from the Lord. For the Lord giveth wisdom". The Bible says. "Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding". So every time we go into God's Word, we are searching out God's wisdom. And His Word is so alive that because His Spirit is involved, it's not just the Word itself, but the Holy Spirit is involved. He brings out from the written Word, the "now" word for us. Hallelujah. How cool is that? Amen. The word that we need perhaps for this week, perhaps for the next day, even for this very day, He can speak to us from the written Word and make the written Word, the living Word. Praise the Lord.
And I'm reminded of the story of Caleb. Caleb, the man who said: "I'm as strong this day at 85 years old as I was when Moses sent me when I was 40 years old. My strength is still the same as the day 45 years ago". Until now, his strength has not diminished. It is undecayed. Unfailing strength. If anything, he is increasing in strength! He asked for the mountain of Hebron to be his possession at the age of 85. Well, this same man has a daughter called Achsah. Let's read about it. "And Caleb said, ‘He who attacks Kirjath Sepher’" Very interesting. Every name in the Bible has a meaning. And it has a meaning for us today! And I just want to pause here and show you this. From 1 Corinthians 10, it says: "Now all these things".
Now this is a New Testament verse, right? But it says this. "Now all these things happened to them", (referring to the Old Testament people) "as types". As what? "As types". The word there in the Greek is "tupos". "as types and have been written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come". So even all those things in the Old Testament, they are written for our admonition. So in other words, when God tells Joshua to set out the boundaries of the territories that He has given to the children of Israel, where this tribe would inherit this portion and the other tribes would inherit that portion, every name and every city, every mountain, every stream, every valley, every name has a meaning for us today. And perhaps it is an area that we have neglected. That has caused us to suffer in that area. And perhaps it's something that God wants to bring us to our attention because "There's yet very much land to be possessed"!
That's the word today. "There's yet very much land to be possessed". And God wants to give you the secrets of possessing your possessions. Praise the name of Jesus! So in Caleb’s story, it says: "Caleb said: ‘He who attacks Kirjath Sepher.’" Now, even "Kirjath Sepher" has a meaning. This city means, literally. "Kirjath" means "city". "Sepher" is "book". "City of the Book". "And whoever attacks the City of the Book". Now, look at this. The Bible, the Word of God is the Book. Amen. It is the written Word. But watch this! "He who conquers Kirjath Sepher and takes it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as wife. So Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife". "Othniel". His name means "lion of God". "Achsah". Her name means "anklet". And whenever the Bible talks about the "ankle of the foot", it is a picture of possessing the land. "Every place the sole of your foot treads upon shall be yours".
So we see here that names have meanings! "Othniel" means "lion of God". I see a picture here of the Lord Jesus taking the scroll, the Book He conquered. Amen. He conquered the City of the Book and He received. "And who is worthy"? Amen. "Who is worthy to loose the seals thereof"? He’s the only One who took the Book. And only there, the Bible describes Him as the "lion of the tribe of Judah". Othniel means the "lion of God". And He conquered the city of the Book. "Kirjath Sepher". And the Bible says that: "Caleb named the city later on ‘Debir.’" So "Kirjath Sepher" became "Debir". "Debir" means? You know "dabar" means God's Word. Literally, he who conquers the City of the Book, the written Word. He who really masters this Book will have the living Word of God. Only then can you speak as the oracles of God. Literally, the City of the Book became the oracles of God. "Debir" means the "oracles of God". The spoken Word. Amen. But there's no spoken Word unless we spend time in the written Word. Praise the Lord!
"Now it was so, when she came to him, that she persuaded him to ask her father for a field". Now obviously, she has married Othniel in this context. "So she dismounted from her donkey and Caleb said to her: ‘What do you wish?’ She answered: ‘Give me a blessing! Since you have given me land in the South, give me also springs of water!’ So her father, Caleb, gave her the upper springs and lower springs". And finally, we just read. She has the South land. The father gave her the inheritance of the South land. Now, the South land of Israel is quite arid and dry. Even though there are a lot of great things in the Bible that happened there. Historically, it is rich. Amen. But she possessed the South land. But she needed what? Because it's a land that's exposed to the sun, "that brings forth precious fruits, brings forth great things". Amen. The Bible says that! Although the South land is a great possession, she needed springs of water.
And so she asked the father: "Give me also springs of water". Would to God that we would produced children, bold in their faith! Strong to ask God! Just like Othniel, he was bold in warfare. His wife, Achsah, Caleb's daughter, was bold in petition. She asked her father! She never felt like: "My father already gave me a South land, it'd be too much for me to ask him for extra land, where springs of water are flowing. And I think I'll be imposing on him". It's like: "I'm asking too much". She never felt that way! And child of God, if you have the spirit of sonship, you honor God when you ask big. Don't ask small. When you ask small, you don't honor God. Faith pleases God, and God is pleased with faith. And she asked her father, so we can ask our Heavenly Father. And you know what the father gave? The father exceeded her request and gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. Springs that come out of the mountains and springs that come out of the valleys. Amen. He gave her this inheritance.
And these are pictures of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes after I share with people the Word of God, and I felt like, today, I didn't feel the anointing, I didn't feel like the flow was there, I would go back and I would tell God: "God, give me springs of water! Give me springs of water from now on! When I stand up, I want springs of water. Not just the knowledge of the Word but springs of water to preach by". And that's the Holy Spirit! So the upper springs refer to the Spirit upon. The Spirit comes upon you for a certain task. Just like Samson in the Bible. Or Gideon. The Holy Spirit will come on them at certain times for a certain exploit. And then it's a successful exploit.
By the way, the word there is "tsalach". The Holy Spirit "tsalach" on them and the same word is used for "prosper" in the Bible. "Whatever he does shall 'tsalach', shall 'prosper'". The same word the Holy Spirit "comes on you". Usually, when the Holy Spirit comes on you, it's for preaching, it's for sharing the Word. When you share with your colleague, the Spirit of God will come on you and you can share. And you'll find words. That you never realized you had those words in you. And you will start using illustrations that you never even thought of, there and then because you know what? You are no more operating in your own natural strength. Right now, the Holy Spirit is anointing you and giving you the words! you don't pre-meditate to say certain things but it comes up because your Father will give you the words to speak in the same hour and none will be able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which you speak. Because right now, springs of water are flowing out of you!
So child of God, we have all these things! These things are our possession and don't be complacent! Don't be just satisfied with the South land! Ask for the springs of water! Hallelujah. If you're feeling dry, the sun is taking its effect, ask for springs of water! Springs of water! Amen. So the father gave her the upper springs. The Spirit anointing upon. The Spirit upon which is for assignments, for certain tasks. And then the lower springs. The lower springs is what is in us. That abides permanently. The Spirit upon comes and goes. The moment you finish your task, it lifts. Amen. And I know what it's like. Amen. When it lifts, you are just like a mere man again. But the spirit within. The spirit within leads you every single day. It is the anointing within. That one remains forever. But that is not enough for ministry. When there's ministry, you need to ask God for the anointing upon. By which you will perform, with His strength, with His wisdom and by His grace. Amen. And you become, in a sense, at that moment, supernatural. Praise the Lord.
Do you remember the Valley of Achor? There's a place called Achor. And the Bible says that's where Achan was stoned. And in the Valley of Achor, it says here in Hosea. God says: "I will give Israel her vineyards from there and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope". Now, look at this. If you just look at it in the natural, the Valley of Achor is just a valley called Achor. But there, God promised a door of hope. I need to know where I can find this door of hope. Hallelujah. Praise God. God has opened a door of positive expectation of good in my life but it's found in the Valley of Achor. When we look into the Hebrew, Achor means "trouble". Achor means "trouble". So in your trouble, look for the door of hope. And the Bible continues to say that "You will sing there as in the days of your youth".
There's going to be a renewal of your youth, that you will find a youthful vibrancy to sing! Just like you did when you were young. Amen. God says in that door of hope, you'll find your springtime again! Hallelujah. So where's the door found? In the valley of trouble. In the valley of trouble. Usually, valleys are always a picture of trials. And in the valley of trouble. Are you going through a valley of trouble right now? There is a door of hope! The Bible says: "God will not allow you to be tested above" I know that many Bible translations say: "temptation". But the word there can be "test" as well in the Greek. "There is no temptation or testing that has overtaken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful". Why? "God will not suffer you to be tested above that you are able, but with the testing".
Notice "with". Not "without". "With the testing, in the valley of trouble, with the testing, God will give you a way of escape". God will make a way of escape, with the testing God will make a way of escape. So that's your door of hope. Praise the Lord! So you find that in the meaning of the place "Achor". in the Old Testament, a lot is hidden in the names. The Old Testament is the shadow. The New Testament is the substance. And we can also say: The Old Testament is a type. The New Testament is the anti-type, the substance. Praise the Lord! Just like when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Jesus Himself interpreted that in John 3 to Nicodemus as Himself. So that bronze serpent is the type. Jesus raised on the cross is the anti-type. Amen.
So you can say that in the Old Testament, you have the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the New is concealed. In the New, the Old is revealed. Praise the Lord. In fact, I find that many of the details of the doctrines in the new covenant, in the New Testament, I find the details. Sometimes the Bible tells you generally what it is, but it doesn't go into details. You know why? God has given us the Old Testament for that. Amen. So we search the Old Testament, just like the way Jesus used the Old Testament on the road of Emmaus. He expounded in them, not the do's and don'ts, not the laws, but the things concerning Himself. Especially hidden in the types. Do you see that all the books in the world cannot compare with all the wisdom that you find in the Word of God?
Do you see the Bible is something that it's a privilege for us to go into, to go in and study. It's a privilege for us to read. In all the affairs of life, when it comes to your own life, it comes to your marriage, it comes to parenting, it comes to your business affairs, your relationship with people. And especially your walk with God. It is all found in this Book. Praise the Lord. It is your inheritance. It is not just a good Book. It is a very very good Book. Why? All books in the world are man-inspired. You won't find God in it, in the world. But this Book is God throughout. Amen. And that is the missing element to what the world is looking for today. They are missing out because they don't see God.