Psalm 119:1—The Key to Real Blessing

Let’s start with Psalm 119:1: “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” Right from the beginning, this verse lays out a profound truth: if you want to walk in God’s blessings, you have to walk in His Word. Notice it doesn’t say, “Blessed are those who occasionally think about the Bible,” or “Blessed are those who go to church when it’s convenient.” It says blessed are those who walk in the law of the Lord. That means living by what the Word says, not just knowing about it.

Some people might take offense at that. They’ll say, “Oh, I love God, but I don’t have time to study the Bible every day,” or “I just try to be a good person. Isn’t that enough?” But the truth is, you cannot live the victorious Christian life apart from the Word of God. You can’t walk in the fullness of what He has for you while ignoring what He has spoken. That’s not my opinion—that’s what Scripture teaches, over and over again.

Psalm 119:9 says, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” If you’re struggling in life, wondering why you keep falling into the same patterns of defeat, this verse has your answer. It’s the Word of God that cleanses your way. Not willpower. Not good intentions. Not religious rituals. It’s knowing the Word, believing the Word, and applying the Word that will change your life.

This is why I put such an emphasis on studying the Bible. In our Bible college, I require every first-year student to read through the entire Bible in nine months. And some complain or criticize this, but my response is always the same: how in the world can you go to a Bible college and graduate without reading the Bible? That would be like going to medical school and never reading a textbook on medicine. I just believe it is absolutely essential. If you want victory in your Christian walk, you have to know the Word.

The Uncomfortable Truth About Your Relationship with God

In 1 John 2:4, it says, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” That’s in the New Testament, and boy, that’s offensive to a lot of people. You can’t say you love God and not live according to His Word. If you’re not keeping His commandments, Scripture says you’re a liar. I’m not saying this to hurt anyone but to open our eyes.

We’ve got many people today who are Christians in name only, but they aren’t living it. Jesus warned of people who would say, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we do great things in Your name?” and He’ll say, “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). That’s because they professed it but didn’t really possess it.

Jesus talked about how the devil sows false Christians among the true believers and compared them to the tares among the wheat (Matt. 13:24–30). You can’t tell them apart until the harvest.

We’ve made it so easy to call yourself a Christian—just come down front, sign a card, repeat a prayer after me. And although it really is that simple, it’s more than just repeating words. It’s about believing with your whole heart. Romans 10:9 says you must confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord. We must seek God with our whole heart (Ps. 119:2). And you can’t serve God with your whole heart without His Word.

The Truth That Will Challenge You

I know this teaching might be stepping on some toes, but I’d rather tell you the truth than let you continue struggling through life without the power of God’s Word. Romans 3:4 says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” Every man—even yourself. You need to get to a place where God’s Word trumps your own way of thinking. If you want to live a victorious Christian life, this is how you do it. This is powerful. Psalm 119:4 says, “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Did you know that’s a command? It’s not a suggestion.

I preach the grace of God as strong as anyone I know, and I know it’s not my good works that saved me. God saved me because He is love, not because I’m lovely. But some people take this truth to an extreme and believe that it doesn’t matter how they live because of God’s grace. Jesus Himself said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

God’s Grace Doesn’t Mean Living in Sin

If someone says they’ve received God’s grace but then goes out and lives in sin, using grace as an excuse, I don’t think their heart has ever truly been changed. Yes, God loves you, even in your sin, but He loves you so much that He wants to set you free from it. If you truly love God, you will desire to keep His commandments. Now, I’m not saying you’ll be perfect, but if you don’t even desire to live for God, something is wrong with you.

There’s plenty of room for a Christian to have failure in their life and not be doing everything right. But if you are truly born again, you don’t like that. That is not where you are wanting to live. True believers want to seek God, to live holy, and to please Him.

There’s so much more I have to say about this. That’s why I want to encourage you to get this book I’ve put together titled Psalm 119 in Twenty-Two Days. The reason I structured it in twenty-two days is that Psalm 119 follows the Hebrew alphabet. Each section corresponds to a letter, with eight verses beginning with that letter. This will walk you through Psalm 119 one section at a time and help you meditate on what God is saying.

How to Walk in Victory

I guarantee that if you commit to studying Psalm 119 for twenty-two days, it’ll change your life. I don’t say that lightly. If you give yourself to the Word, it will transform you from the inside out. You’ll develop a hunger for Scripture like never before. You’ll start seeing things you’ve never seen. The Bible will become more than just a book—it will become your lifeline.

The truth is, you don’t have to live in confusion, fear, or struggle. God has given you His Word, and it has the answers you need. But you have to make the decision to receive it, believe it, and walk in it. If you want to be blessed and experience the fullness of what God has for you, then you must seek Him with your whole heart. And that starts with knowing His Word.

So don’t put this off. I encourage you to please take advantage of my book Psalm 119 in Twenty-Two Days, along with the accompanying resources. Make the Word of God your priority today. Get into Psalm 119. Meditate on it, and let it transform the way you think, the way you live, and the way you relate to God. I believe that if you do, your life will never be the same.