Living from Rhema, a Subcategory of Logos

Mark Virkler's picture

I awoke with an example of a clear distinction between Logos and Rhema (two Greek words) which are translated as “word” in the New Testament. Here is the distinction. May I share it with you?


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If I say “I communicated with my son” that could include any modality of communication: I wrote him, texted, emailed, spoke to, drew a picture for, wrote a song to, sang to him, winked at him, I gestured, I painted a picture for him, I sculpted a creation for him, etc. Logos is like the word communicate. Logos is a big umbrella word that includes many forms of communication within it.

However, if I say “I spoke to my son,” that involves a specific way I communicated with him. I communicated through spoken words. The Greek word “rhema” literally means "spoken word."

The overlap is this: Since Logos is the big umbrella word, it could mean I communicated by speaking. However, since rhema is the specific word for speaking, rhema NEVER meant “written down words” when used in the New Testament. So, logos includes rhema, however, rhema does not include all aspects of logos.

Implications for my life

If God connects a promise in the Bible specifically with rhema, it means that promise is available to me only as I am living out of the words He is speaking to me. On the other hand, if God connects a promise in the Bible with Logos, it means this promise could be connected to either written or spoken words. This is an important distinction to be aware of.

I have written out for you in this blog all 62 verses in the NASB that contain the word “rhema” in them. In addition, I have highlighted in yellow a dozen of these verses which include life-altering promises. The point is these highlighted promises are ONLY available if I am hearing and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Note: You can easily discover if a verse contains logos or rhema by using the free download E-Sword and looking at the KJV+ version, which will give you the exact Greek words in every verse. Here’s how I use E-Sword.

How we use logos and rhema (think computer hard drive versus software)

  1. Memorization: I create a solid foundation for my life by using logos: I hide the word in my heart by memorizing Scripture.
  2. Meditation: I gain revelation insight into Scriptures by coupling logos and rhema together. For example: "Were not our hearts burning within us as He was opening Scripture to us?" (Lk. 24:32). As I prayerfully meditate upon Scripture (Josh 1:8), I am asking the Holy Spirit to grant me insight, revelation, and understanding (Eph. 1:17-19) just as Jesus did for the disciples as He walked with them on the Emmaus Road.
  3. Daily walk: I live and walk by the spirit (Gal. 5:25) which would mean living and walking by rhema. In the moment I am living in, I am asking the Holy Spirit to guide me, and with my eyes fixed on Jesus at my right hand (Acts 2:25), I am tuned to flow. I honor this flow as the River of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 7:37-39), or as the Fountain of Living Waters (Jer. 2:13), and I discover that the Spirit is selecting the right piece of information for the moment I am living in. Wow! What a wonderful and easy lifestyle.

I need both a well-filled hard drive (brain) coupled with software that does great searches (indwelling Holy Spirit).

  • If I fill my brain (hard drive) with daily meditation on the Scriptures, I will have good content for the Holy Spirit to draw upon.
  • Then, when I ask Jesus for divine wisdom and guidance, the Holy Spirit FLOW (software) brings to my attention the exact piece of information that is right for the moment I am living in.
  • Various terms that describe this experience of flow: words of wisdom, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits, revelation, the mind of Christ, anointed thinking, and prophecy. All these come as flowing thoughts, flowing pictures, and flowing emotions that light upon my mind.

How did Jesus live?

  • Jesus said 11 times, “I only do what I hear and see My Father doing" (see this blog).
  • Since Jesus felt a need to repeat this 11 times, I am comfortable that I am once again being instructed by God to write another blog on living out of rhema. It takes constant repetition of this truth to overcome satan’s lie in the Garden that… “YOU can KNOW,” meaning you don’t need to abide in Christ, be a branch grafted into the Vine, or drink from the Fountain of Living Waters. Satan is glad to have you drinking/living from a broken cistern (Jer. 2:13).
  • However, Jesus has a different view: Apart from Me you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). My words (rhemas) are spirit and life, the flesh profits nothing (Jn. 6:63). Jesus' lifestyle modeled living by the Spirit.
  • If living from flow (Jn. 7:37-39) and beholding Jesus with me (Matt. 28:20 Modern KJV), were difficult or hard, I would be asking for a lot. However, this lifestyle is NOT hard!
  • It is living as a child lives – in intuition, freedom, flow, joy, laughter, and insight beyond my years.

Confession: I choose to live the way Jesus lived, from flow/rhema, allowing the software of the Holy Spirit to select the right piece of information from the stored data in my mind (hard drive) for the moment I am living in. I choose to live as a child does – in intuition, vision, laughter, joy, and flow. (Matt. 18:1-4).

Two-way Journaling Application

Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting myself down (Ps. 62:5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His input and tuning in to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39), and 4) journaling out His words and visions (Rev. 1:9-11). These are then tested, and they must line up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2) and be affirmed in the hearts of my spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1).

  • Lord, what would You speak to me about the lifestyle of memorizing Scripture and living in flow?

Additional Resources

  1. Living from Rhema, a Sub-category of Logos
  2. Logos vs. Rhema and Hearing God’s Voice
  3. Distinguishing Logos from Rhema (Communication from Speech)
  4. All Uses of “Rhema” in the New Testament
  5. Promises that are specifically linked to rhema
  6. Jesus Sets the Pattern for Living Out of Divine Initiative
  7. Speaking Your Journaling Back to the Lord as Your Personal, Present-Tense Reality
  8. Western Study vs. Biblical Meditation
  9. How to Meditate on Scripture & Receive Life-Transforming Revelation
  10. Hebrew and Greek Definitions of Meditation
  11. Biblical Meditation Involves Imagination!
  12. By Your Stripes I AM Healed and Symptoms Are Disappearing
  13. Heart Prayers: Seven Elements which Compose the Language of Our Hearts
  14. Alignment allows for the fullest release of Christ's wisdom and healing power
  15. Miracles Occur When COMPLETELY Aligned with Rhema and Vision from God
  16. How Is Perfect Peace Achieved?
  17. Training on How to Hear God’s Voice and See Vision

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