Words are powerful. Proverbs 18:21 says: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Your words can either speak life, or your words can speak death. Our words can build up, or they can tear down. Your words have the power to make someone or break someone. Your words are powerful.
Words really matter! We have to take responsible for the Words we say! In Matthew 12:36, Jesus says: I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. Some translations say “idle words.” You are going to be accountable for every careless words? Ephesians 5:4 says, Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.
WHY do we want to be careful what we say, we are the gates - Psalm 24:7. We are the gateway how the presence of God enters our world. Our responsibility is huge, and we definitely don’t want our words and things we say to hinder God’s presence in our lives!
If no human being can take the tongue, are we just fighting a losing battle? The reason you can’t tame your tongue, is because what comes out of your mouth, flows from your heart! In order to have a change in your words, you first have to have a change of heart.
Matthew 15:18-19 says: But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart.
Luke 6:45 tells us: The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Psalm 19:14 Lord, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
God’s Word is a weapon. In Ephesians, when Paul tells us to put on the Armor of God, all of the pieces of the armor are defensive pieces, except the sword, he says to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The sword, the Word of God, is the only offensive weapon we are commanded to use. Hebrews 4:12 says For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
In Matthew 4, three times the devil tempted Jesus, and all 3 times his response was the same, It is written! So, what should our response be when the enemy comes against us, It is written! Jesus’ response every time was to quote the Word.
John 6:63, Jesus says, the words that I spoken to you - they are full of Spirit and life.
Whatever you are facing, quote the Word!
If you are stressed, you quote the Word; I have the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Philippians 4:6
If you are in fear, Isaiah 41:10, Do not fear for I am with you, I will strengthen you and help you and uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Being tempted, I Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man, God is faithful and he will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear and he will also provide a way of escape.
If you can’t stop rehearsing things you’ve done wrong in your past, Romans 8:1: there is now no more condemnation those in Christ Jesus.
If you are sick, Isaiah 53:6 By his stripes, I am healed. Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me O Lord and I will be healed.
If you are praying for healing for someone else, you can insert their name in the verses: By his stripes, Lexi is healed. (Isaiah 53:5) Heal Lexi O Lord and she will be healed! (Jeremiah 17:14)
Going on a trip, The Lord will command his angels concerning me to guard me in all my ways. Psalms 91:11
You have an interview that day; I’m declaring the divine favor of God. Proverbs 8:35
Studying for a test, Proverbs 10:7, The memory of the righteous is blessed.
Worried about your future and decisions you are making, Jeremiah 29:11, for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for good and not for evil, plans to give you a future and a hope.
Needing finances, Philippians 4:19, My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory.
Can’t sleep, Proverbs 3:24, when you lie down, your sleep will be sleep.
Feeling tired, Let the weak SAY, I am strong. Joel 3:10
Let’s immerse our lives in the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
Talk about God’s Word - all day long! “Impress them on your children.” How often are you talking at the dinner table with your children about the Word and what God has been impressing on you as you read his Word and in your prayer time?
Joshua 1:8 says, Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
You want to have good success and be prosperous, meditate on the Word!
You can bless others with the Word. John 6:63, Jesus says, the words that I spoken to you - they are full of Spirit and life. Your words have power. Your words can give someone life! In Genesis 12, God told Abraham, I will bless you and you will be a blessing, all the people of the earth will be blessed through you.
Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
Proverbs 16:24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Teresa
Paul was really good at speaking blessings in all of the books he wrote in the New Testament:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:5-6, 13
May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:11-12
Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
GP2RL: Send a note or text message this week to share words of blessing over someone.
SPIRITUAL WELLNESS: WORDS MATTER
DISCUSSION GUIDE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
When the sons and daughters of God possess a healthy perspective fruitfulness results and the world becomes a better place.
The spirit of Ishmael (heart of an orphan) wars against the spirit of Isaac (heart of a son). This seems to be the dominating spiritual battle on the earth.
John 14:18-21 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live…The one who loves me will be loved by my Father...” NIV
Jesus didn’t die on the cross so God could be your Master. Jesus died on the cross so God could be your Father.
God’s plan is for us to hear his voice together as a family. This is why we start each group with the first question:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
2. Do you have a favorite “Mother figure” from film or media? Why is she your favorite?
Has anybody in the group ever literally had their mouth washed out with soap for saying something they shouldn’t? Is this a real thing?
Saying things we shouldn’t certainly is a real thing.
The tongue is such a little part of our bodies. It is made up of eight muscles. It is possible to use it all day long without it ever becoming fatigued. Even though our tongues are small, they get us into lots of trouble!
In Matthew 12:36, Jesus says: I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.
We must be careful not to say things carelessly and without concern for their impact on others. We assume that the flippant things we say are just minor, but Jesus was fully aware of the devastating nature of our words and how difficult it is to control the words that so quickly and easily roll off of our tongues.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. Can you think of a time when you were growing up and somebody’s words had a tremendous impact on you (positive or negative)? Please share this situation.
James 3:7-10 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. NIV
Verse 8 is pretty conclusive. No human being can tame the tongue. Clearly it is not possible to tame the tongue.
Words flow from our hearts. The Bible is clear about this. Luke 6:45 tells us it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks. In other words it is impossible to control the tongue because what’s flowing from the tongue is what’s rooted in the heart. What exists in the heart must be dealt with in order to control what comes out of our mouths. In order to have a change in your words, you must first have a change of heart.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Take a note card with the blessing verses from Numbers 6 and use it this week to share words of blessing over someone.