Your spiritual exercises are underway. In the last post, you completed your warm-up exercises. Now it’s time to pick up some weights and get to work!
The key to the Kingdom of God that you will learn about this week is a heavy, very powerful truth that can transform every aspect of your life if you pick it up, take action, and work out with it every day. This key alone can pump your spiritual muscles and catapult you to maturity in Christ Jesus.
What is this powerful key?
There is power in every spoken word.
You will have a major breakthrough in Christian maturity once you learn this truth and put it to practice every day.
Do you remember the old ditty your mother would tell you when the kids at school teased you?
Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never harm you.
I challenge that old cliche, because I have seen more damage done in the lives of people by words than stones could ever do. Bumps and bruises heal within days or weeks. Injuries incurred by words may still be raw decades after being spoken.
I would venture to say that most people don’t think about words very often. The mouth opens and out flows every thought from your brain with no consideration of them being dangerous projectiles more damaging than flying stones. Some injuries from a spoken word never heal over an entire lifetime.
Power in Words
The power of the spoken word is revealed in scripture:
…the universe was created by the word of God.
Hebrews 11:3
By the word of the Lord the heavens were made…
Psalms 33:6
…for he commanded and they were created.
Psalms 148:5
(a command is given by speaking)
Everything God created was done so by a spoken word. That is a tremendous amount of power!
In Andrew Pudewa’s audio teaching set The Profound Effects of Music on Life, he recaps several scientific studies starting in the 1970’s and 1980’s about how music and speech effect any natural element even to the molecular level. These studies revealed that the molecular structure would alter based on exposure to sounds. They experimented with:
- voice intonations such as yelling vs soft speech
- music styles, such as rock and roll, classical, jazz
- These were the studies that led to hospitals giving out Mozart cd’s to new mothers so they could play intelligence-building sounds to their babies
- languages
The outcome of these many studies was that a spoken word has great power. As I researched the studies further, I found the most interesting studies (for our purposes) is the portion pertaining to languages. The studies isolated specific languages, and the nature of words within those languages. The most beautiful molecular arrangements were obtained by blessings spoken in the Hebrew language. The most powerful structuring of the neurons of the brain came with words of blessing. Interesting.
(If you are interested in Andrew Pudewa’s 2 cd set Profound Effects of Music on Life, they can be obtained here )
Spoken Word as a Weapon
The spoken word created the universe and everything in it. A spoken word can alter molecular structure. Spoken words injure more severely than sticks and stones. Clearly, we have control of a weapon of great magnitude – our tongue releasing a spoken word.
Words are weapons. Like any weapon, they can be utilized for protection of the innocent or destruction of your adversary. Like any weapon, they must be handled with utmost care.
Your Weapon is Pointing at Others
You think you are just telling how you feel. You simply react to a frustrating child or an unfair boss. Little did you know that you were pointing a weapon at their heart and shooting lethal ammunition.
Now, consider what Jesus said:
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak
Matthew 12:36
Just like any soldier, you will account for every time you fired your weapon.
Your Weapon is Pointing at Yourself
The words you speak have just as much power over yourself as they do over others. How often does the enemy take your weapon and try to get you to commit spiritual suicide? Consider what words you speak about yourself, to yourself, that damage your walk with Christ.
- I’m not good enough
- I’m sick and tired of dealing with this problem
- I can’t do that (even thought the Word says to, such as love your enemy)
Even in jest, the words can still have power over your circumstances. For instance, something I used to say frequently for a giggle:
- that chocolate cake is to die for
No! It is not! But I was having health issues and never considered that perhaps I was speaking death over myself!
Lets apply this now to last week’s key, Natural vs Supernatural. Every time you speak, your spoken word aligns with the world or with God’s Word. Every time you speak, you shoot missiles of destruction launched by Satan for his purposes, or you launch attacks against Satan to stop his evil works, all determined by the source of your spoken words.
Your assignment
It will take you some time to work these spiritual muscles. All the more, I still workout with these weights continually. Here is a few items for you to begin with.
1) Notice the nature of how you speak to others. Are you blessing with your words (words that build a person up) or do you curse them (words that tear down)?
2) Notice what words come automatically flying out when you experience a strong emotion. Stop them! Take them captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ! Now, change your words to line up with God. Bless your enemy. Do good to those who mistreat you. This will take practice, so do not despise the small steps. Continually ask God to show you and help you.
3) Read the following scriptures and ask God to reveal new meaning to you concerning speech:
- II Corinthians 10:5
- Matthew 12:26
- Mark 1:34
- Ephesians 5:12
- James 3:6
Ready for the next key? Let’s go!
Go to the beginning of the series
Sharing is Caring!
