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The Power of Nothing
This brief study is
about nothing. We’re going to study nothing because the Bible
is full of nothing.
In our society today we use the word
nothing quite often. A husband might say to his wife, “you’re making a
big deal out of nothing”, or we use the expression, “Oh it’s nothing”, when
really we mean it was something. Haven’t most of us called a friend and
asked “so what are you up to today?” getting a reply of “oh nothing”. My
personal favorite is when my children used to come home from school and I
asked them what they did in school that day often they replied, “Nothing”.
Strong’s Exhaustive
Concordance defines nothing as: not even one (man, woman or thing),
that is none, nobody, nothing: neither anything, no man, none of these
things, not (any, at all), never, not so much as; G3762/3761 - That’s a lot
of definition for nothing :)
So let’s look at some of the Lord’s
nothings!
Luke1:37
“For with God nothing shall be
impossible [to be unable, weak, could not do, impotent, not possible
G101/102].”
I think most of us
would be quick to agree with this Truth from the Gospel of Luke. I wonder
however if we are as quick to believe this next verse.
Matthew 17:20
[apostles asking why they could not cast out the demons]
“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief [disbelief,
faithlessness, disobedience, incredible [meaning that which is not credible]
thing, infidel G570/571]: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as
a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to
yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible [to be unable, weak, impotent G101/102] unto
you.”
Wow, we can really live this!
Mark 7:15
“There is nothing from without a man
that entering into him can defile [to make (or consider) profane, call
common, pollute, unclean G2840] him: but the things which come out
[proceed, project, go forth G1607] of him, those are they that defile the
man.”
Mark 9:29
“And He said unto them, this kind can come forth by
nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”
Luke 10:19
“Behold [An imperative - behold, see G2400], I give
[bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, have power, put
G1325] unto you power [exousia (in the sense of ability); privilege,
force, capacity, competency, freedom, mastery (concretely magistrate,
superhuman, potentate, token of control), delegated influence: - authority,
jurisdiction, liberty, power, right, strength G1849] to tread [ a
“path” -meaning He has provided a way-Diane); to trample (literally or
figuratively): tread (down, under foot); to hit (as if by a single blow);
specifically to sting (as a scorpion): - smite, strike G3961/3817] on
serpents and scorpions [through the idea of sharpness of vision; a
snake, figuratively (as a type of sly cunning) an artful malicious person,
especially Satan: - serpent G3789 / and meaning to pierce; a “scorpion” from
its sting G4651], and over [A primary preposition properly meaning
superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of
distribution that is, over, upon, against, among, have
charge of, G1909] all [ any, every, the whole: - all (manner of,
means) always, daily, thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever G3956] the
power [dunamis {dynamite}from G1410; force (literally or
figuratively); specifically miraculous power (usually by implication
a miracle itself): - ability, abundance, might (-ily, deed), (worker
of) miracles, power, strength, violence, mighty (wonderful) work G1411/1410]
of the enemy [to hate; hateful (passively odious, or actively
hostile); an adversary (especially Satan): - enemy, foe G2190]: and
nothing [not even one (man, woman or
thing), that is, none, nobody, nothing G3762] shall by any means
[a double negative strengthening the denial; not at all:
- any more, at all, by any (no) means, neither, never, no (at all), in no
case (wise), nor ever, not (at all, in any wise) G3364] hurt [to be
unjust, that is, (actively) do wrong (morally, socially or physically): -
hurt, injure, be an offender, be unjust, (do, suffer, take) wrong G91]
you.”
John 3:27
“John answered and said, A man can receive [to get hold of; accept, +
be amazed, assay, attain, have, hold, obtain G2983]
nothing, except it be given him from
heaven.” NOTE next
scripture . . .
John
5:19
“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do nothing of Himself, but
what He seeth the Father do:
for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”
John 15:5
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do
nothing.”
John 6:63
“It is the Spirit that quickeneth [to vitalize, make alive, give life
G2227]; the flesh [human nature, to be carnally minded G4563]
profiteth nothing: the words that I
speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life.”
John 18:20
“Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the
synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret
have I said nothing.”
1 Corinthians
7:19
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is
nothing, but the keeping of the
commandments of God.”
1 Corinthians 13:2-3
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
[3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my
body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing.”
“Let all your things be done with
charity.”
1 Corinthians 16:14
“And above all these things put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
Colossians 3:14
“And above all things have fervent
charity among yourselves:
for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:8
Philippians 1:20
“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in
nothing I shall be ashamed, but that
with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my
body, whether it be by life, or by death.”
Philippians 4:6
“Be careful [to be anxious about: to take thought; (through the idea of
distraction); solicitude =( Webster’s- anxious, fear, apprehension,
foreboding) G3309/3307] for nothing;
but in everything by prayer [worship G4335] and supplication [a
petition: prayer, request G1162] with thanksgiving [gratitude;
actually grateful language to God, as an act of worship G2169] let your
requests be made known unto God.”
These next two are
most likely area’s that we all need to work on more!
1Timothy 5:21
“I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect
angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before
another [a prejudgment (prejudice), that is, prepossession: -
prefer one before another G4299] , doing
nothing by partiality [a leaning towards, proclivity
(favoritism) G4346].”
Philippians 2:3
“Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves.”
1 Timothy 6:7
“For we brought nothing into this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing
out.”
Titus 1:15
“Unto the pure [clean, clear, pure G2513] all things are pure: but
unto them that are defiled [taint, that is, contaminate (ceremonially or
morally) G3392] and unbelieving [disbelieving, that is, without
Christian faith (specifically a heathen); faithless, infidel, unbeliever
G571] is nothing pure; but even their
mind and conscience is defiled.”
Hebrews 7:19
“For the law [to parcel out; law (through the idea of prescriptive
usage), regulations, specifically of Moses G3551] made
nothing perfect [to complete, that
is to accomplish, or consummate in character, consecrate, finish, fulfill
G5048], but the bringing in [a superintroduction G1898] of
a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
James 1:4
"But let patience [hopefulness, endurance, constancy: enduring, waiting
G5281] have her perfect work [make complete (in labor, growth,
mental and moral character); of full age, G5046], that ye may be perfect
and entire [complete in every part, that is, perfectly sound, whole
G3648], wanting [to fail or be absent: be destitute, lack. G3007]
nothing.”
James
1:6
“But let him ask in faith, nothing
wavering [a violent adverb
meaning to separate thoroughly; to withdraw from; to oppose; hesitate;
stagger; be partial; to discriminate Gr1252]. For he that wavereth is
like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
And just a few
from the Old Testament –
With Strong’s defining nothing
as; not exist; a non-entity,
incurable, neither, never, no (where), none, nor (any, thing), not,
unsearchable, without, H369
Ecclesiastes
3:14
“I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever:
nothing can be put to it, nor any thing
taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him.”
Jeremiah 32:17
“Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great
power and stretched out arm, and there is
nothing too hard for Thee:”
Amos 3:7
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing,
but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.”
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