For those of you who are from my generation or older, do you ever know a scripture in your heart, but when you do a “keyword search” for it in the NIV version (or other newer version) you can’t find it? I have done this numerous times! For instance, I know the following scripture below in the King James Version.
Job 22:28
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
This past Sunday our prayer coordinator was telling us how the original Hebrew text for this scripture meant if you decree a thing, IT SHALL BE CREATED! Ok, that really adds some extra fire to that scripture doesn’t it?
Wow, talk about the importance of our WORDS!
Words that come out of our mouths start as thoughts.
Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
This scripture certainly puts some thoughts into perspective! Have any “self-hatred” thoughts that you’ve seen come into fruition? I could even take this another direction. Do you believe you have authority in Christ? Do you believe that you are VICTORIOUS in the Name of Jesus? (For as he thinks in his heart, so is he ….)
Many of us know to guard our thoughts and some of us know to guard our words. But all of us should know both!
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
It takes effort to capture every thought! Sometimes you can be right in the middle of rehearsing some argument in your mind when you have to stop yourself and intentionally force your thoughts in another direction — making the conscious choice to bless someone instead.
Back to the original scripture I shared about creating things with our words — our decree.
Proverbs 18:20-21
From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to eat some of the fruit that has come out of MY mouth. I also don’t want some of my decrees to be created.
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland taught me so much about the words of my mouth. I am a stickler about my words “most” of the time, but sometimes I slip. My daughter made me laugh last night because she has actually heard me say this next phrase so much that she has memorized it.
I was getting her ready for her bath and she made some type of comment about her Daddy. I defended him by saying, “Poor Daddy” — “No, I mean RICH and HIGHLY FAVORED Daddy!” She said, “Why do you always say rich and highly favored Daddy?” Ha! Good girl. (Because Mommy doesn’t want to speak “poor” over him.) That southern word “poor” as in “bless your heart” got me in trouble at a Joan Hunter conference. She rebuked me in front of everyone as I said something about my husband (meaning it in a sympathetic way). So you better believe EVERY TIME it slips out, I correct myself!
Words are powerful. If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living within you. Words move out of our mouths and begin a work in the realm of the spirit.
If words weren’t dangerous, why would we see this in James?
James 3:6
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
Make an effort today to DECREE LIFE. Capture your thoughts and speak LIFE over yourself, situations, and others.
God bless you today!
It takes effort to capture every thought! Sometimes you can be right in the middle of rehearsing some argument in your mind when you have to stop yourself and intentionally force your thoughts in another direction — making the conscious choice to bless someone instead.
Very well said, Beth…THANKS!
No doubt life and death is in
the power of the tongue and I
choose life for my family and
myself.
Thanks for another good word.
Blessings,
Sandy
AMEN! This is sooo true. It's not what goes into man that defiles him, but rather what comes out!! Powerful post today.
I try and watch what I say out loud. Satan and his team listen as well. Even when I pray, I am cautious about repeating weaknesses out loud for this very reason. Blessings to you Beth.
Yep! I too believe words are powerful! There IS power in the spoken word….
So you would think we would be more cautious in what we say, huh?? And I'm just as guilty as the next person!!
Good post! Thank you!
~Beth
Amen! Even though I'm late reading this, with God, I'm always right on time. I needed this today.