Do you have any idea how powerful your words actually are?
As Jesus told the hardened religious leaders of His day:
“Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.” (Matthew 12:36–37 MSG)
Prone to false accusations and hypocrisy, those religious leaders’ words had brought them dangerously close to a line from which, once crossed, there could be no turning back.
We see throughout the Bible the incredible impact words can have, whether for good or bad. Today, I’d like to share four ways you can make your words a force for good and a blessing.
W – WORSHIP
Whenever we take time to consciously thank and acknowledge God—yes, for the amazing things He does, but more for who He is—we honor Him. We give Him the credit due His name.
Hebrews 13:15b says, “Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
A certain window dresser was hired to paint shop windows come holiday time. In fact, there was so much work that he had to hire an apprentice. That apprentice turned out to be extremely gifted and was soon doing all the painting himself.
The beautiful window displays began to draw large crowds; but instead of giving honor where it was due, the window dresser took all the credit for himself.
May we never take credit for what God does or enables; rather, let’s be sure our words are filled with praise so He gets the honor due His name.
O – OVERCOME
When heart and lips come together in alignment with God’s Word, supernatural power is released.
Near the start of His public ministry, Jesus entered the wilderness for 40 days where He was sorely tempted by the devil. We read that the temptation kept switching forms: first, it was to make bread from rocks; then to put God to the test by leaping from the temple; and, finally, to worship Satan in exchange for worldly power.
Yet at every temptation, Jesus responded by proclaiming God’s Word, saying, “It is written….” If the Son of God spoke Scriptures to resist and overcome the enemy, how much more should we?
R – RIGHT WORDS
Proverbs 16:13 (MSG) says, “Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.”
It is important that we speak the truth, but it’s equally important that we insulate that truth with love. Truth was never meant to be a club used to hit someone over the head. Rather, it is meant to liberate and set free.
D – DEATH AND LIFE
Proverbs 18:20–21 tells us, “A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; from the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
This passage is not instructing us to fearfully scrutinize every little thing we say under an electron microscope. Rather, it is the things we say as a habit of life that are connected to our heart.
Whether for death or life, our words will bring about that which we habitually speak. In fact, the greatest miracle in life is the new birth that happens when heart and lips come together: You believe in your heart God raised Jesus from the dead, and you confess Him with your mouth as Lord (Romans 10:9).
So why should we think it strange that bringing heart and lips together also affects our health, relationships, opportunities, and all other aspects of our lives?
Remember, your words can determine your destiny. So I encourage you: starting today, practice speaking words that honor God and release His astonishing power in your life.
