Unlock Your Next Level
Did you know you can read the Bible and get hurt? There are many bleeding Christians because they read the Word but don’t know how to read it correctly.
May 25, 2025
The Word Can Wound
Did you know you can read the Bible and get hurt? There are many bleeding Christians because they read the Word but don’t know how to read it correctly. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” It can wound if handled improperly.
Think about this: you wouldn’t give a sharp knife to a toddler because they don’t know how to handle it. The same is true for the Word of God—it must be read with understanding. There’s a sickness in the church today: the sickness of assumption. Many assume they know how to pray or read the Bible just because they’ve grown up in a Christian household.
Assumption limits our growth. We think we already know everything the moment a pastor begins a familiar verse. But this Word is not just text—it is the very person of God. It is eternal. We must be trained to read the Bible rightly.
Skill in the Word of Righteousness
“For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.” — Hebrews 5:13
No matter your age or background, if you are not skilled in the Word of righteousness, you are still spiritually immature. Theoretical knowledge is not enough. You don’t become skilled in driving by reading a manual; you become skilled through practice. Likewise, the Word of righteousness requires repeated exercise and practice.
When you’ve exercised the Word enough, it becomes second nature. You can read and understand the Bible accurately and clearly. Without this skill, you’ll read the Word and walk away confused or misled. You need to dig with purpose. Don’t just dig aimlessly—know what you are looking for.
The first step: abandon pride. Stop assuming you already know how to read the Bible. Humble yourself and become a student.
The Bible Is a Treasure Book
The Bible is a treasure book.
“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” — Proverbs 25:2
If you don’t know what treasure you are seeking, you’ll remain lost. The treasure hidden in this book is Jesus.
“”…who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” — 2 Corinthians 3:6
If you only see the letter and never encounter the Spirit behind the Word, the letter will wound you. We need to go beyond the surface, beyond the words, and encounter the Word Himself.
What Is the Word of Righteousness?
“He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21
This is the Word of righteousness: because of what Jesus has done, you are righteous. You were a sinner, yes, but now you are a saint. Your identity has changed. When a sinner reads the Bible, they often get hurt. But when a saint reads it, the atmosphere changes. You’re not a “sinner saved by grace”—you were a sinner. Now, because of grace, you are a saint. This is a massive identity shift. You are the righteousness of God in Christ.
This means that when God looks at you, He sees you with the same love and acceptance with which He sees Jesus. His righteousness has become your righteousness. You are not righteous because of your own good deeds, but because of Jesus’ perfect obedience.
The Importance of Identity in Prayer
Your identity matters when you sit to pray or read the Word. If you approach as a sinner, you will burn out and struggle. But when you approach as a righteous child of God, you will see transformation.
Two people can pray the same prayers from the same place for the same duration and get completely different results. Why? Because the one who prays makes the difference. Are you praying from your righteous identity or from a sinful one?
Tears don’t manipulate God. We don’t need to weep to move Him. You’re His child—you already have His attention. Let’s stop praying from a place of guilt and start praying from our place of righteousness.
Encountering the Word Beyond the Words
When you read the Bible, don’t just read it like a book. Look beyond the words and encounter the Word—Jesus.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” — John 1:1.
The Bible contains the Word, but it is not the Word itself. Jesus is the Word.
Name some Old Testament heroes—Abraham, David, Moses, Elijah. Their stories include failures and flaws. Abraham lied, David committed adultery, Moses had anger issues. These stories aren’t meant to glorify their heroism—they reveal one true hero: Jesus. You can read entire chapters about Abraham and still miss Jesus. But if you find Jesus, even in the book of Lamentations, your heart will rejoice. That’s why every Bible reading must become a Jesus encounter.
Prayer and Word Must Go Together
You can’t separate prayer and the Word. They must work together. Prayer without the Word is like an airplane with no direction. The Word without prayer is like a plane that never takes off.
When prayer and the Word combine, the supernatural becomes possible.
“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” — Genesis 1:2–3
God’s Word activated by the Spirit brings life. So read and pray simultaneously. Be in a posture of prayer while reading and receive revelations as you go. Often, during prayer, God puts a word or scripture on your heart—and when you go to that scripture, it opens up with deep revelation.
The Language of God
If you were moving to China, you’d learn Chinese to communicate effectively. In the same way, if you want to hear God, you need to learn the language He speaks: the language of scripture.
God speaks through the vocabulary of the Word. If your scriptural vocabulary is limited to “The Lord is my Shepherd…” then that’s all you’ll hear from Him. Expand your vocabulary. Fill your mind and heart with the Word so God can speak to you in multiple ways.
Even if an angel or Jesus Himself gives you a message, it must align with the scriptures. If it doesn’t, reject it.
“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” — Galatians 1:8
So know the Word. Learn the stories. Know David—not your classmate—but the one in the Bible. Know Elijah, Abraham, Esther. Be familiar with them so that God can use their stories to speak to you in your time of need.
Encountering Jesus Through the Word
Find Jesus in the Word—especially in prayer. If you truly desire to hear God accurately, you must increase your vocabulary of the Scriptures.
Let me show you what happens when you immerse yourself in the Word of God.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
—Hebrews 4:12
When you encounter the Word, you are meeting something that is alive and powerful. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63). The Word isn’t just intellectual stimulation. When you engage with it, you receive life in your spirit.
Even in the most hopeless situations, the Word can impart new life. As you read it, life begins to stir in places that once seemed dead. The Word empowers you to rise above despair and begin declaring hope over your life. From death to life—this is the power of God’s Word.
The Word: Powerful and Precise
The Word is not only living; it is active—meaning it is powerful, energetic, and dynamic. If you feel weak in your body or your spirit, turn to the Word.
Jesus said,
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” —Matthew 4:4
The energy that flows from the Word is far greater than what natural food can provide. While food sustains the body, the Word empowers both the spirit and the soul. The Word of God is also sharper than any two-edged sword. It can distinguish between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, thoughts and intentions. No medical tool has yet been invented that can isolate and heal with such precision. If a tumor or cancer is found, surgeons typically remove the affected area along with surrounding healthy tissue, simply because their tools are not exact. But the Word of God is so accurate that it can isolate the wrong and preserve the right.
When you read the Word, it begins a divine surgery inside you. It separates selfish ambition from divine calling. That kind of spiritual operation—surgical, precise, restorative—only the Word can do.
The Role of the Word and Prayer
For a healthy spiritual life, you need both the Word and prayer. These two are foundational for every believer. But how do you know whether you’re truly growing in the Word and in your walk with God?
Just like a vehicle has a fuel indicator, imagine having a spiritual indicator that shows you your current condition. If you’re half-full, what would you do? You’d fill up—by turning inward in prayer.
When you go for a medical check-up, doctors provide various metrics to assess your physical health. In the same way, I want to give you five spiritual metrics you can use to evaluate your growth. These are practical indicators that you can check daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly to ensure you’re progressing in your walk with God.
When I began a weight-loss journey, my coach told me something important: more than exercising or dieting, the key was to record my weight every day. Why? Because the graph reveals the pattern. The same principle applies spiritually—what you measure, you can improve.
Let’s explore five spiritual indicators you can track.
Indicator #1: Spiritual Hunger
Are you hungrier for God than you were yesterday? Than last week? A lack of spiritual appetite is a warning sign. When someone tells a doctor their appetite is gone, the doctor knows something is wrong internally. In the same way, when you lose your hunger for prayer or the Word, it’s a red flag.
That’s why the very moment you don’t feel like praying is the time you must pray more. When you don’t feel like meditating on God’s Word, that is precisely when you need to meditate on it more deeply.
Why? Because often, a silent spiritual attack is taking place. It’s quiet, subtle, and undetected. Unlike wars fought with visible weapons, these spiritual battles happen silently, and the only clue might be your declining desire for God.Don’t wait for a full-blown crisis to wake you up. Monitor your hunger daily—it’s a powerful indicator of your spiritual vitality.
Jesus said,
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” – Matthew 5:6
The Psalmist wrote,
“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” – Psalm 42:1
Before going to sleep each night, ask yourself: Was I spiritually hungry today?
Indicator #2: Mental Health
How is your mental health?
There are two main indicators in your mental health: your emotions and your imagination. If your imagination is constantly flooded with evil or negative things, it’s a sign you need God’s Word to flood your thoughts. Are you being controlled by your emotions—or do you control them?
If today is a good day because you feel good, that’s unstable. But if today is a good day because God is good, that is maturity.
This generation struggles intensely with emotions and imaginations. If your emotional highs and lows are extreme, that’s a red flag. It’s time to stay in His presence and be washed by the Word. Left unaddressed, emotional instability can become poison—eventually becoming part of your personality. Then others begin to assume that’s just who you are.
But it’s not. Take these matters to God quickly: “Lord, I’m struggling with my emotions. What am I missing?”
Your imagination can be sanctified by the blood of Jesus. Like an innocent child, you can have pure thoughts again. Write this down:
The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your thoughts.
If your thoughts are of low quality—focused only on survival—your life will reflect that. But the Bible is full of God-thoughts. When you meditate on the Word, you’re downloading heaven’s thoughts into your mind.
The problem is that we’ve become too familiar with the language of mental health and not familiar enough with mental deliverance. Don’t try to manage stress when God wants to deliver you from it. Don’t manage depression—get delivered. What you tolerate will remain.
Indicator #3: Physical Health
A healthy person in the hands of God is a mighty weapon. Missions, ministry, service—all require strength. Praying for hundreds of people takes spiritual energy and physical stamina. God wants you well.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 John 1:2
Spiritual health directly affects physical health. Moses was in God’s presence for 80 days. He didn’t eat, but he didn’t grow weak—he came down full of strength. When you are full of the Spirit, it influences your emotional life, mental state, and even your body.
One of the most spiritual things you can do for your body? Sleep. Sleep on time. Your body runs on rhythm. Your heart beats rhythmically, even when you rest. So the time you sleep, the duration of sleep, and how you wake up all affect your life.
Even sleep is spiritual warfare. The enemy will attack your sleep through nightmares, anxiety, or irregular routines. But God gives His beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2)
Before you sleep, meditate on
“He makes me lie down in green pastures” – Psalm 23:2
Imagine God laying you down in peace. Build a healthy sleep rhythm. Don’t abuse your body’s rest needs and then blame spiritual fatigue.
Second physical indicator – Energy levels. Are you drained, tired, or constantly exhausted? You can’t preach the gospel on empty. God wants to energize you by His Spirit.
One practical way: Speak in tongues. Pray in the Spirit 20–30 minutes and feel the energy of the Holy Spirit renew you. Track your energy. If you’re constantly low, don’t just sleep—soak in His presence. Recharge with the Word and Spirit.
Indicator #4: Relationships
The quality of your relationships often reveals the state of your spiritual life. How do you relate to your parents? Leaders? Those under your care? Your peers?
You may feel close to God, but if you’re constantly at odds with people around you, something’s off. Don’t delay fixing it. Take broken relationships to the Lord. Stop making excuses based on background, culture, or personality. If something can be healed in the presence of God, run there and fix it. Because people in your life may be your destiny helpers. God often sends people into your journey to accelerate your calling. Don’t let offense, pride, or emotional instability sabotage divine connections.
Be wise. The colleague you disrespect may be your boss tomorrow. Guard your heart and honor your relationships—they’re spiritual indicators.
Indicator #5: Financial Health
Are you barely making it month to month? Living on borrowed money or constantly in debt is not God’s best for you. Paul, writing to Timothy, said an elder must manage his own household well. It’s a sign of spiritual maturity. You can’t have traveled the world preaching and left your family in hunger. That’s not fruit. You’re called to be a provider, a blessing—not a burden. The beauty of finances is that they are measurable. You can track if you’re growing. But if you keep having testimonies of healing or deliverance weekly, it might mean you’re frequently falling ill or being attacked.
Financial growth is a tangible sign of stewardship. And if you’re not growing, it’s likely because your vision is too small. God doesn’t give wealth just for luxury. He provides for impact. God wants to bless your family, city, and nation through you.
Don’t just pray to receive. Pray to become the giver. Be the one God uses to answer someone else’s prayer.
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:38
Generosity never goes unnoticed by heaven. God will always refill a generous hand. Your finances are not yours—they’re His. You are a steward. Enlarge your vision, manage well, and you will see growth.
A God Who Provides: Living by Faith, Not by Sight
When I was in the fourth standard—maybe nine or ten years old—my father sent me to buy bread and eggs. As he handed me the money, he casually said, “Sam, this is the only note I have. Go and bring the things. Let’s see what God will do.”
I remember thinking, Oh man, this is serious. It wasn’t just a chore—it carried weight. It was the only money we had. There went my plans of buying sweets! So I carefully bought the groceries and started walking back home.
As I approached our house, I saw something I’d never seen before—a Mercedes van parked outside. It was extraordinary, unlike any vehicle I’d ever seen in India. This was no dream. This was real.
When I entered our house, I was introduced to a group of foreigners. My father explained that these four individuals had traveled all the way from Sweden in a caravan, and Delhi was their final stop. They had planned to fly out from Delhi and leave their caravan with us.
Inside that caravan were things I’d only heard about—Snickers, tuna fish, rice, and even a bunk bed with storage filled with chocolates! I couldn’t believe my eyes.
What amazed me more was this: they had no prior relationship with my father. This connection started when my dad met a man at the Singapore airport, accidentally bumped into him on his way to the restroom, exchanged a visiting card, and that was it. From that small, seemingly random encounter, these people got to know my dad.
You serve a living God.
If your life is for the Kingdom, the Kingdom will back you up.Here’s a word for you: If God is your head, let Him use His brain.
Live today as if it’s the best day of your life. Tomorrow will take care of itself. The One who called you is faithful.
I once went for a youth meeting on a Monday, carrying many personal needs in my heart. Still, I preached with great passion, pouring out my heart to the young people. At the end, they handed me an envelope. You know, sometimes you can tell what’s inside an envelope just by holding it—you don’t need a prophetic gift for that. I opened it. ₹5,000. It didn’t cover my needs, but I thanked God. Just the honor of preaching the gospel was enough for me. Seeing young lives touched—that was my reward. Anything more was icing on the cake. Later that evening, one young person who had attended the meeting sent me another ₹5,000 because he was so blessed. I rejoiced!
But then—just two hours later—someone else who had been in that meeting sent me ₹70,000. Now imagine: what if I had gotten bitter because the host didn’t give me more? What if I had looked down on them? I would have choked the blessing. That’s why you must never put your trust in people. Trust the Lord.
Whatever comes to your hand, receive it with gratitude, and God will multiply it. I remember when I had just started ministry. During a house visit, an aunty came up and gave me ₹30. I took that ₹30 and cried in the presence of the Lord—not because of the amount, but because I knew she gave her best. That money was more precious than gold to me. So don’t get upset when people don’t give. Trust the Lord. He will provide and multiply. I don’t believe in begging—I believe in trusting Him. And He shall give. The face of Indian missions is changing. The Lord is not calling beggars into the field; He is calling kings.
Early on, the Lord told me, Don’t raise funds. Raise people, and I will raise funds through them. People are the greatest investment in the Kingdom. When God raises people to stand with you, no dream of yours can go unfulfilled.
The five indicators we’ve discussed:
- Are you spiritually hungry?
- How’s your mental health?
- How’s your physical health?
- How are your relationships?
- How are your finances?
Before going to sleep, take just 30 seconds to ask yourself:
- Was I spiritually hungry today?
- How was my mental health?
- How was my physical health?
- How were my relationships?
- How were my finances?
You can do this daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. Just don’t wait too long. Self-assessment takes only a few seconds, but it helps you stay aligned with God’s purpose.
Maybe last week something was off in your relationships—you didn’t give enough time to your spouse or kids. This week, sit with the Holy Spirit, receive wisdom, and course-correct.
Maybe last week your finances were strained. This week, you can pray, meditate on the Word, and get fresh revelation. Don’t wait for something magical to happen. Move by faith.
Even if you feel no spiritual hunger, if you have desire, that’s where it begins. Hunger grows from desire. Bring that desire to the Lord. Bring your honest desire before Him, and He will turn it into divine hunger.
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