In our English Bibles, the word word comes from two distinct Greek terms:
Rhema — God’s spoken word
Logos — God’s written word
Sometimes we use both words in the same conversation without realizing there is a difference. Understanding that difference can help us recognize how God works in our lives.
A rhema word is a present, specific message from God directly to our heart (spirit). It often relates to a current situation, need, or concern. These promptings are direct, Spirit-to-spirit communications from the Holy Spirit to the believer’s heart.
Rhema messages are often clear, timely, and frequently accompanied by Scripture. They bring insight, direction, encouragement, or correction, exactly when needed.
There is something very important to remember, however: God’s rhema word will always agree with His logos word. God will never speak something to your heart that contradicts what He has already written in Scripture.
Whether God speaks through rhema or logos, faith is still required to see His will fulfilled.
God chooses to partner with His people to bring His purposes into the earth. And wherever faith is present, resistance from the enemy is usually not far behind.
When we take a stand of faith in order to win the battle we’re facing, satan is usually there to attack. Resisting our enemy with persistence and patience is always required to overcome.
Many miracles and answers to prayer begin with an inner prompting from the Holy Spirit. As we respond in obedience, with faith, that prompting often grows stronger and clearer.
Our belief must overcome doubt. It must become stronger than human reasoning, circumstances, and the resistance of the enemy. We do this by focusing on God’s promises, speaking His Word, and taking actions that agree with what we believe.
Perseverance is always required if we are to see God’s promises manifested in our lives.
Even when hope seems to be fading, and even when you feel as though you are down to your last mustard seed of faith, hold on. God rewards those who persevere in faith.
Consider Ephesians 6:13–14, where Paul describes the activity of faith in spiritual warfare. We are reminded that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that oppose God’s purposes.
Remember, faith is more than believing. Faith and believing are closely related, but they are not exactly the same. Faith is acting on what you believe.
Miracles often await us on the other side of obedience—especially when taking that step of faith feels most difficult. At least, that has been my experience throughout my own life and while observing the lives of those closest to me.
Jesus also warned us that when God’s Word is planted in our hearts, the enemy immediately seeks to steal it.
Mark 4:14–15 says:
“The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”
Spiritual opposition is real. Guard the word God has placed in your heart. The enemy wants to snatch it away before it takes root and produces fruit.
Faith (acting on what you believe) opens the door to the miraculous. When you believe, God’s unlimited power meets your trust.
As Jesus said in Mark 9:23:
“All things are possible to him that believeth.”
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May the Lord strengthen your faith, encourage your heart, and help you recognize His voice more clearly. As you trust Him, stand firm in His Word, and refuse to let go of His promises, may you experience His faithfulness in fresh and wonderful ways.
I have been tryhh yo quiet my soul to her God’s rakah words to me. I was stressing over soe sifficulties of fraud I was dealing with. I herd God say to my spprit, “Wjy are you stressing? Don’t you beloeve I am ijn comt=ntrol?” I reploied. “O lnow uou are in control.” He saud, “Yhen trust me and quit stressing. I prayed the fa=raud woudl go away and in the same spirit as eorge Mueller when I prayed the fog wouold life==t and it did. I believed the fraud willbe canceled and this morning it seems to have been canceseled.
JHe also remind me of Psalm 23 tha says,’Though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no eve=il because you are with me.”/ He thentoldmy spirit that The evil arounf me was darkness and I need not be afraid of it. He is in control and it cannt harm me/
Perhapos the best example to me of God’s ramah boive is in connection with my novel My Fresjman Year: First Book. In it I take a five-mile run in the miffle of the night and pass a meadow. I was inspired toinclude an owl in th emeadow and call it a barred owl. I had no reaso to choose barred owl. I know nothing about barred owl and would more liely jave chosen a Great Horned Owl or a Snowy Owl or a Screech Owl, but the Ramah word said “barred owl”. Thejn latt=er in the book Carolshares ar breaksfast she had a very real drewam inw hich she was walking past the meadow acqes had talked about and saw an owl on ts post looking at her. She made eye contact with it and it said. “HHoo hoo hoo aae yoo”. I repeated the call. then blinked at her and flew off/ Dhr dsif dhr id d=ure thr oe=w was tryign to dsy c=somethng to her but has no idea wa=hat it is. I said that since she had seen things I had mentioned, I veleieved God was givig e the interpretation. namely that God is asking yo to she hyorseldf as the perso HHod made yo =u tro be, not what you thik ot want, not what the world sees in you, but how God sees you and how He has made uyou special for a ujiqunique persose. Yhe chapa[laina ske her to sharee it in chapel and she me to share the interpretation. I added that no one is a nobofy. God ade everyne as someone special and you get in touch with the real you that God made uou to be, your life will be the best for you and ,odt effective. Afterwards on girl who had an iferiorioty complex came to me and thhaned me for the message. It gave her a new sense of hope. The next week she has=d hanged and was beginnign to see soe of how special she is.
Then at the beginning fo the sequel, uy fresjkan Year: Seocond Boo (stil in prparatio) my rommate Beth wants to run wiith e. as we pass the easow she hears the owl and said, “It sunds just like Carol saidit was in her f=dream.” I said I had never her=ard it like that. But agter writng that I became curious. I looed up barred owl on the Internet and foud a recording of v=barred owl calls. To muy utter amazment I foiund one of its calls is exactly like Carool and Beth said.. I was p=brought to y knees in awesome praise. Obviously rhe spirit had been guding me and my wriitng because of a message He wants people to kow. I was hearing the Ramah voice o fGod without evenrewcogniixing it, but went along with it anyway and as a resultGoid was honored andHis meesage communicated.
I have mych ore to eatn, but thank you Dale for continuing to guide us in a deeper, richer, more friuiful lifethrough follwomg Jesus and heedin the Ramah boive to our spoirits to guide us in His ways and bless us.
(Please forgie the errors. I have amcular degneration and with these faijt letters it is too hard to see the errors and make corrections. I hpe you can still read most i=of it.)
Jacques, thank you for taking the time to share this. I was able to follow your thoughts just fine, so please don’t worry about the typing errors. I appreciate you persevering despite the challenges with your eyesight.
I especially appreciated your testimony of hearing the Lord gently remind you, “Why are you stressing? Don’t you believe I am in control?” What a wonderful reminder for all of us. When we truly trust Him, fear begins to lose its grip, and His peace takes its place.
I also enjoyed reading about the “barred owl” in your novel. It’s amazing how often the Holy Spirit quietly guides us in ways we don’t fully recognize until much later. Looking back and seeing His fingerprints on our lives is one of the great joys of walking with Him.
Thank you for sharing how God has been speaking to you and for encouraging others through your writing. I’ll be praying that the Lord continues to strengthen your vision, guide your work, and give you many more opportunities to point people to Christ through the gifts He has given you.
God bless you, my friend.
Dale
Each of your God—-given written words that you share dear brother, are mor encouraging to my faith! A thought came to me for a title while reading, “ Taking Action on Faith” God’s word speaks to me at different times and it’s like His presence is right along with me. God bless you for staying strong through the trials.