When I read Hebrews 11:3, I am made aware of the tremendous power and creativity that is released when God speaks. It says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God.” God, the great creator, spoke that which was not seen and the worlds appeared in visible forms. Those who have the ability to speak eloquently know the importance and power of language. Samuel Johnson said, “Language is the dress of thought.” Another writer stated that speech is the mirror of the soul.
| “As a man speaks, so he is.” |
Emily Dickinson wrote a short simple poem in 1872 which reads:
| “A Word is dead, when it is said, some say, I say, it just begins to live that day.” |
These writers are saying that our words are not only a product of our thoughts and an indicator of our character, but they also have the potential of becoming alive when spoken.
Does the Bible agree with what these authors say about words? Yes, it does. In Matthew 12:34,Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh.” He knew that our words reveal our thought process. They convey our feelings, our cares, our desires, our beliefs and our attitudes. Most of the time we are able to control our feelings and our thoughts when everything is going well in our lives, but when trouble and worries assail us we may begin to feel the “stress” of life. This is usually the time when Satan will come against us and try to test our faith in God. This is the time when we must be careful what we say. Our character is being tested.
When Jesus returned from the wilderness after fasting forty days, he was weak and hungry. Satan chose that time to attack him. Satan had been successful in defeating the first Adam and perhaps thought the timing was right to defeat the second Adam (Jesus). Jesus’ character was revealed as he responded to the challenge. He used the most powerful weapon that God had placed at His disposal. He used words. When Satan tempted Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Satan attempted to deceive Him three times, but with each temptation Jesus responded with the words of God, “It is written…it is written..it is written…”and Satan left Him alone.
When Jesus began His ministry He told the people, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He could say this without reservation because He truly is the Living Word that came from Heaven. John 1:14 says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” In John 6:63, He told His disciples, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” Many of the people who heard Jesus speak believed that His words were life. The diseased and the crippled, the blind and the deaf, the depressed and tormented ones who followed after Him knew He possessed words of life. They knew this because they saw restoration and healing occur as He commanded them to be made whole.
As Christians, we can release the power of God’s Word by speaking it. When we pray we can pray the scriptures to use against Satan just as Jesus did. When we meditate and memorize God’s Word it will give us direction, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalms 119:105). It will provide understanding, “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” Psalms 119:130. It will bring life and health to us, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:20-23).
In our every day life, as followers of Christ, we must be careful in our speech. In James 3:2, the Christians are told, “…if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” In Matthew 12:36,
Jesus tells us that we will give an account on judgment day of every idle word that we speak. We will either be justified or condemned by them. So let us speak that which is right and good, and follow the advise of the apostle Paul (Colossians 3:16-17), “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him”.