Psalm 17:4  
The Power of the Word  
  It is not entirely clear what motivated David to write this Psalm, we don’t know the exact timing or the precise identity of his adversaries. Obviously there had been some background skulduggery going on, he hints at bribes and manipulation which suggests that his enemies were known to him and probably from within the kingdom rather than foreigners. The second part of this verse possibly reads more correctly as; “I have kept myself from the ways of the destroyer, by the commands of your lips.”  What a statement! What an incentive for us all; if we want to be kept from evil and the ways of the evil one, we have our weapons and our defence, for we have the words and commands from the lips of God Himself. “Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11. 
This is so important and it is a constant theme in the Scriptures.  If we want to stand against the enemy we can only do so if we stand on the Word. The Word is our sword and it is our shield. The Word is stronger than armaments and man-made weaponry for it is the power of God.  With the Word He created all things, the Word is truth, the Word is Christ and the Word cannot be overcome. The Word resonates throughout the universe and God’s words and His actions are complimentary.  Jesus rebuffed Satan with the Word of God when He was tested in the wilderness, that Word is so powerful that our enemy flees from before it.  Nothing can stand against the Word. That is emphasised so powerfully in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians chapter 6; we do not fight flesh and blood so human weapons are useless. Our weapons are spiritual because the true nature of the battle is spiritual and we cannot fight unless we are armed by the Word for that Word of God is the most powerful force on earth. Why? Because the earth was made by the Word. The very existence of everything around us depends on the Word which is why John tell us in his Gospel that all things were made by the Word and that Word is life. So, when we trust in the Word and speak out the Word we are identifying ourselves with the very thing that hold everything else together. That power is available only to believers who recognise that the Word is God’s ultimate power source on earth, that the Word is Christ and the Word is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. The Word has been written down for us and it is spoken to us and through us – it is our awesome God and Father communicating with language that has exceptional power. You can withstand anything, if you have the sword of the Word of God, for His name and His authority are untouchable. 

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