Now this is a key to having the Word of God work effectively in your life
It isn’t enough to simply hear it –
We hear a lot of the Word – but how do we hear it – Receive it gladly or do we wrestle with it!
Or Do we fight against it
The answer to those questions is going to determine whether or not we are growing in the Lord – or digressing.
What hinders the Word from working in us ?
Heb 4:2-3 NOT MIXED WITH FAITH !
2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
The word ‘gospel’ meaning ‘good news’, the good news for the children of Israel was that there was a land flowing with milk and honey.
Yes, there were obstacles, but God promised them victory if they simply believed.
‘Oh, but we’re only grasshoppers,’ they said. And the grasshopper mentality still paralyzes us today . . .
‘I’m not a man of this,’ or, ‘I’m not doing that.’ ‘I can’t receive God’s blessing on my life because I’m blowing it here, or I must be bugging God there.’
No. According to our text, it was not their shortcomings which kept the children of Israel from entering the Land of Promise.
It was their failure to mix God’s promises with faith.
What will keep you from enjoying the best blessings in your family or in your ministry? Simply this:
Not believing what God says.
All the Promises of God are Yes and Amen – In Christ –
Are you in Christ ? – The Promises are Yours !
You know God said He would provide for all of your needs, that all things are working together for good, that He is with you even unto the end of the world.
But these promises will not do you any good until you stop saying, ‘What’s the catch? This can’t be true for me.
God said it I believe it – that settles it – Walk in the reality of that that promise!
TRADITION Mark 7:12-13 tells of a time when the religious leaders made the word of God of no affect because of their traditions.
We have to be careful of that – it is easy to ignore what God’s word says because we get entrenched in an idea – that has it’s origin in tradition and not the Word of God.
Example: Worship – Not going to lift my hands
religious background – didn’t do that – Bible in many places says: lift / clap/ shout / Expressive
We have to be careful – Why do I do this and not do that – why don’t we do this
Careful not what does Calvary Chapel say or this group or that – But what does the Bible say! | 
