By Sonia Ugwoha
A word is a part of speech that allows for communication, it can be written or spoken. As simple as words are, they have the power to build you up or tear you down. It is essential that we utilise words rightly. For instance, Genesis 1: 3(NLT) says“Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light”. In the beginning, God spoke and things came to being in the same way by our words we make things happen. It is up to us to create things with our words.
The spoken word refers to the words uttered, whether it is within you or by others. In today’s world on every platform, words influence our minds. Therefore, we have to filter the words we allow to reside in us, as what we think on is what we do. To illustrate, in Mathew 13: 34-35(NLT) says “You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart”. It is our duty as believers to surround ourselves with words spoken by God and to heed to it.
What does God say concerning the power of words?
Let us now look at what the scriptures has to say about words. In Colossians 4:6(EASY) “When you speak to people, always speak kind words. Say things that will help them. Then, when someone asks you a question, you will know how to reply” from here we are to use kind words and words that will make people better.
Proverbs 15: 4 (NLT) “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” and Proverbs 18: 4 (EASY) “The words that you speak are like the deep water of the sea. If they are wise words, they are like a cool stream”. These scriptures further explain how a believer should communicate with themselves and others, which is that the words uttered should be life-given words that is to say words that come from a place of love.
The scriptures above are examples of the type of things we should say to ourselves first and then to others. If you do not use the right kind of words on yourself, how then do you expect to encourage someone rightly? You can tell someone beautiful words and use harsher words on yourself, which is foolishness. Endeavor to use faith-filled words such as in 1 Peter 2: 9-10(NLT)” But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” We should be declaring these words concerning ourselves.
Negative and Positive effects of words
The two major categories of words are negative and positive words. Negative words induce self-disbelief and bondage, while positive words give meaning to life. We are creatures of habit, if you are used to negative words spoken over you and you accept those words, they become your reality as it is in your acceptance of those words that they have gained power over you. On the other hand, if you decide to counter those negative words with God’s word, you will become whom God has called you to be. We are the ones that decide whether God’s word or the words of others will have authority in our life. Refrain from calling yourself what God has not called you.
The power lies in our tongue to declare what we want to see manifest in us. Earlier I mentioned that we create things with our words, it is important that we birth life into others and ourselves too. To do this we must constantly yield to the spirit of God to find expression in us by reading, studying and meditating of the word of God.
Overall, we can see that every word spoken has an effect, it is wise to declare God’s word in every opportunity we have. It is in the repetition of what we read or say that manifests in us and through us. Be intentional with the way you use words, no word is powerless.
REFERENCES
- Britannica Dictionary
- New living Translation(Genesis 1:3, Mathew 13: 34-35, Proverbs 15:4 and 1 Peter 2:9-10)
- Easy Bible Translation( 1 Corinthians 4:6 and Proverbs 18: 4)
