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Saturday, April 7, 2012

Words Carry Power

Don't believe me?  Look to Genesis.  God spoke "Let there be light."  (See Gen. 1:3.) Why?  He was alone.  God didn't create mankind until the sixth day.  He is one with His Holy Spirit and with Jesus.  They are called the Triad, yet they are called One.  If "one" in the physical sense, then who was He speaking to when He called forth light?

I believe he was speaking to the raw elements that combine to illuminate the world.

So can we.

As an alternative view, He could have been speaking to His Holy Spirit who then carries out His Word.  As the Bible tell us, the Holy Spirit leads and guides [Rom. 8:14 (Holy Spirit guides us); Luke 12:12 (in that hour, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words)].

There is also a Bible verse that states to decide based upon the statements of two or three witnesses (2 Cor. 13:1).  So within the Church (I'm speaking of the Body of Believers here, not a building), it is proper to find at least two verses to support our stance.  Also we are directed to find peace before going forth (Phil. 4:7).

Therefore, as my witnesses, here are three more verses to support my theory "words carry power."

Matthew 8:15 speaks of dealing, in private, with your brother who has sinned against you.  Not only is this verbalizing your words, but it deals directly with the true source of the problem.  Whether a mean-spirited brother or a miscommunication to be sorted through. 

We all need to remember this approach, instead of talking about our problem with multitudes of people in lieu of the sole individual we should be dealing with in secret.

Matthew 5:23-24 speaks of dealing, again in private, with your brother who YOU have sinned against.  Same procedure as above.

James 5:16 talks of "confessing your sins to one another" and I'll be the person to step up and state that I rarely do that.  First, pride.  Second, lack of trust in others. 

But the other day I did so--with my father, who is one of a very limited few I trust implicitly--and things discussed started turning around within a couple days.  Talk about seeing the power of spoken words in action!

We still need to be selective when we go this route.  As we all know, there are "Christians" who are not Christian in action or word.  Like the popular saying:  Sitting in church doesn't make you a Christian any more than sitting in a garage makes you a car. 

So true.

Besides, we as people look more to the word and deed, whereas God looks at the heart.  I've addressed that in an earlier post about the Why? of our own actions but specifically about our fictional characters.

Remember too that God spoke of calling forth rocks as being His witnesses.  See 1 Sam. 6:18.  Genesis 31:52 ("heap" and "pillar").  Joshua 24:27 ("stone").

So maybe we can confess freely to nature.  But above all, we need to know the power of our words.

It can be as profoundly simple as to stop the negative self-talk.  The Bible cautions us to watch our thoughts (Phil. 4:8, think on these things . . .).  Don't say something to yourself you would not lovingly dish out to your children.

For other great verses on minding our thoughts, visit this wonderful website:  http://www.openbible.info/topics/thoughts_and_the_mind.

The power of our words shows up throughout the Bible.  See Mark 11:23 (speak to the mountain, or in our layman's terms, speak to your problem, out loud), Mark 4:35-40 (Jesus calms the storm on the sea).  Plus there were many healed just by asking Jesus, or touching his robes with enough faith to believe in the power emanating from His body.  See Mark 5:30 where Jesus felt His power leaving Him when someone touched His robe.

Matthew 8:5-13 is the story of healing the Roman Centurian's servant.  I love this one.  First, a Roman leader, a higher-up, worried enough about his servant to find Jesus.  That is a caring boss.  He didn't send a servant to do his bidding on this one, either.  So he's humble, yet responsible.  No power-mad dictator.  Second, he tells Jesus that, like him, Jesus can give the order and the deed will be done.  No need to travel to his house and visit the ill servant.

And, you know what?  It worked.

Now THAT is the power of the spoken word.

But, you may say, Jesus spoke that word.  He had the power.  Maybe you think you don't?

I beg to differ.

And here's my argument:
"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover," (Mark 16:17-18).
 
"And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness:  and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  So God created man in His own image . . ." (Gen. 1:26-27).
Isn't it funny that watching GCB (a new ABC TV series that pokes fun at Texans and Christians--and I am both) has me studying the Bible more?

God works in mysterious ways . . . and has a sense of humor.  See Psalm 37:13 (ASV): The Lord will laugh at him; For he seeth that his day is coming.

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