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In Matthew Chapter 7:24-27 Jesus tells the story of two people who heard the Word, but only one person trusted it enough to act upon it and obey it. The person who did not act upon it was ruined when the floods of life came, but the one who acted upon what he had heard overcame and was victorious when the storms came. Notice both people had to "hear." Strongs Concordance gives one definition of the word "hear" as, "to perceive by the ear what is announced in one's presence."
We know from this story that we must hear God speak in His presence in order to overcome the storms of life.
In Luke Chapter 4, during the time of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered the devil’s first two temptations with "it is written" referring to the Scriptures and the Word or logos. However after the final temptation Jesus answered, "it is said."
My opinion is that Jesus was making a difference between the logos which is the Scriptures in general, and the rhema, which is the Word spoken out of the mouth of God directly to you. When Jesus quoted what God the Father had spoken directly to Him (probably quite recently) the devil departed (Luke 4:1-13).
It is valuable to search and pray the Scriptures, but there must come a time when we hear God speak personally to us (His rhema). When we quote the rhema to the devil he must depart for that season.
Larry Chkoreff
March, 2000