I don’t think we realize how powerful the spoken word is. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Every time we speak, we can bring life or death, blessings or curses. Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us that God set before us life and death, blessings and curses and then God tells us to choose life!

Quite frequently, people link their words with a sickness, disease, or a negative situation. I don’t think they even realize they are doing it. Often, they say: “I’m so tired.” “I don’t feel well.” “I’m never going to amount to anything.” “Why do these things always happen to me?” I’m sure there are other negative statements we’ve either said or heard others saying.

When we speak out negative statements or comments, we are speaking death and curses over our lives, someone else’s life, or possibly over the lives of our children and loved ones.  Our minds are constantly listening to and processing words spoken either from the past or the present.  Negative words seem to speak louder than positive words.

God spoke the world into existence through words. The entire chapter of Genesis 1 shows that God spoke. Here are several of those scriptures.

• Genesis 1:3 – Then God said, “Let there be light;” and there was light
• Genesis 1:6 – Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
• Genesis 1:9 – Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear;” and it was so

Jesus also demonstrated the power of words. He spoke to a fig tree, a fever, and storms, teaching His disciples the power of their words. Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He spoke to His disciples making them aware of the authority He was giving them and the power behind the words they would speak. God’s power and authority didn’t end during the disciples’ time on earth; it is still alive and available to believers today.

Mark 11:23-24  shows how important it is to speak words. This verse directs believers to speak directly to their mountains or situations instead of telling God their problems. God has given us the power and authority to speak. Notice in the verses below that God used the word “says” three times and “pray,” which is a form of speaking, once.

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

There is power in the words we speak. We need to pay attention to the words we speak as well as the words we hear. Are they Life or Death? For any given situation, we need to Speak, Pray, Believe, and then Receive.

~Donna Jones