Preach the Word

David W Palmer

(Matthew 3:1–4 DKJV) In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, {2} and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near at hand.” {3} For this is the one that was spoken about through the prophet Isaiah (40:3), saying, ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.”’ {4} John’s clothing was made from camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

God’s angel told John the Baptist’s father that John would operate under the spirit and power of Elijah (See: Luke 1:17). In the above passage, the Holy Spirit shows what that looked like in John’s ministry. The first thing we see is that John was a preacher. Jesus was also a preacher, and he proclaimed this over himself at the outset of his spirit-empowered ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth:

(Luke 4:18–19 EMTV) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel … to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind … to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Without doubt, Jesus was a preacher who proclaimed God’s word. As we have already noted; in his ministry, we see the Living Word of God in action. As we preach and proclaim the word God quickens in us and through us, we are literally releasing the same divine ability into this world that Jesus released. I encourage you to preach the word in any and every way you can. (Remember: standing up and speaking to crowds is but one way to proclaim God’s word and have him watch over it to perform it (Jer. 1:12)). So, also proclaim the word:

To yourself for mind renewal

To the spirit realm in confession and prophecy

To God in prayer and intercession

To the enemy in spiritual warfare

To others in instruction, encouragement, comfort, and prophecy

To “things,” like storms and fig trees

To unbelievers in the gospel

To crowds in sermons, teaching, and preaching, etc.

In Matthew 3:2, the Holy Spirit recorded for us the content of John’s preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near [at hand].” His focus was twofold: “repent,” and, “the kingdom of heaven.”

Our Lord Jesus advised us to seek God’s kingdom as our first priority (Mat. 6:33). Seeking his kingdom is listening to hear the word of the King, hungering to know his heart, and then doing what he says.

The word, “repent,” in John’s message means to “think differently” or to “change your thinking.” Again, this is accomplished through God’s word. The Apostle Paul expanded on this as the heart or conclusion of his long doctrinal explanation in Romans. Paul says that the way we are transformed is by a change in our thinking: “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2 NKJV). This is why preaching the full counsel of God’s word is so important. Nothing else can transform people; nothing else can release God’s power to effect positive change—in individuals, nations, cities, towns, cultures, churches, and families—like God’s eternal, holy word can.

Jesus told his followers to:

Preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Mat. 10:7)

Go into the entire world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15)

Preach repentance and remission of sins in His name to all nations (Luke 24:47)

Through the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit added the following:

(2 Timothy 4:2 EMTV) Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all patience and teaching.

Therefore—like John the Baptist, and in obedience to Jesus and the Holy Spirit through Paul—as we take up the mantle of Elijah’s ministry, his spirit and power will impel and empower us to preach the following:

Proclaim mind-renewing truths from God’s word

Teach the full counsel of God

Publish the gospel

Declare that the kingdom of heaven is near at hand, etc.

Enact the Word

(Matthew 3:3 DKJV) “For this is the one that was spoken about through the prophet Isaiah (40:3), saying, ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.”’”

The next thing the Holy Spirit notes is that John the Baptist was fulfilling the written word of God; he was doing what God wrote about him: John was in the wilderness, he was calling out as God’s oracle, and he was saying exactly what the word said about him, his ministry, and what he should proclaim.

The prophetic writing of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah described John’s ministry—the Elijah task:

(Isaiah 40:3–4 LITV) The voice of him who cries in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of Jehovah; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. {4} Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the knoll shall be a level place, and the rough places a plain.”

The first characteristic Isaiah mentions of the person operating in the spirit and power of Elijah, was that he was simply a “voice”—one who gives verbal expression to what God wants said. Yes, our role is purely to give voice to what God wants to say; we are to speak the word—written and quickened. (We note that a quickened word from God is the word he is “saying” at a particular time, and it will always line up with his written word; it will never contradict it.)

God is looking for a voice to speak, preach, and proclaim for him today. Will you be that voice? He is not looking for people to preach their own ideas, philosophy, a genetically modified gospel, or an “acceptable” non-offending version of Scripture. God simply wants us to take up the mantle of (that is to take up the responsibility for) releasing his word. This is a very straightforward job description. God’s word, in tandem with the Holy Spirit’s action, will convict, exhort, rebuke, teach, edify, comfort, renew minds, and create. Plus, it will be the command to action that God’s angel armies are awaiting:

(Psalm 103:20 NKJV) Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word.