The Power of Words

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SEVENTH EPISODE

Aloha Ladies! Welcome back!

I hope you will bear with me today. It’s been raining like crazy here and my sinuses are acting up- so my voice isn't what it should be!   But I’ll do my best.

This past week, I watched a YouTube video of this guy speaking about using discernment when listening to popular Christian worship songs to make sure they align with God's Word.   I agree with him completely that just because something is labeled “Christian” doesn’t mean we shouldn’t test it to be sure we aren’t deceived. However, he goes into a lengthy discussion about the song Champion by Bethel Music, and he criticizes explicitly these lyrics:

“When I lift my voice and shout, every wall comes crashing down, I have the authority Jesus has given me - When I open up my mouth miracles start breaking out.”

His criticism is that we can’t possibly believe that we can speak and miracles will happen. Just because we say something doesn't mean that God will do something. He sarcastically questions how anyone could believe we can open our mouths and speak a miracle into existence.  

This is where I disagree with him because I believe that the words we speak matter and can do miracles!   

I haven't come to this conclusion lightly, as it has taken me years to understand the power of words, not only from what the Bible has to say but also from what science has to say.

Today, I want to discuss the importance of our words, how they impact us when misused, and how they affect and influence the world around us.

So, Let’s get started. 

Do you remember the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me?"

I recall chanting this as a little girl. Oh, I was a naïve child because words are powerful weapons!   I’ll bet right now you can remember something that was said to you that hurt your feelings because hurtful words linger and can leave some nasty scars. Heck, I’m still sensitive about my ears… I can still hear the words of this mean little boy from elementary school taunting me about having “elf ears!”

We can all agree that words are powerful- they can build up or destroy, especially words we exchange with others. Just look at the impact of cyberbullying on our youth!   Suicide rates among our children are skyrocketing!

But what about the internal consequences of the words we speak? 

Ephesians 4:29 tells us, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."

We all struggle with our words in one way or another--maybe we don't all curse, but what about words that teardown, criticize, complain, or even use a negative tone of voice?

Have you ever considered how the words you speak might be harmful to you personally?

Here are a few examples of self-destructive language to consider.

1.    Misusing God’s Name  

I hear it repeatedly, in public, at the workplace, on television/movies; people using God's name like it was something from a comic book- commonplace, meaningless, and derogatory. It mindlessly slips so quickly through people's lips, especially when frustrated or angry. 

Yet, people need to appreciate the ramifications. 

Do you not realize that you are belittling the very creator of the universe- the being that gives you your very next breath? The Jewish people will not even speak God’s name aloud even when reading scripture because His name is sacred and holy, and yet, the world uses it like it is nothing. Used for cursing!

It’s shameful.  

I can only imagine how God must feel when we casually demean him. It hurts God and our relationship with Him and offends others who believe His name is sacred.  

But, most of all, the Bible tells us that misusing the Lord’s name has consequences….. 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished does.” –Exodus 20:7

Hello- punishment. No, thank you.

2.    The second self-destructive language is - Using Profanity

The Bible is very clear on this topic:

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”– James 1:26

 "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless Word they have spoken."- Matthew 12:35-36

How can we call ourselves Christians and reflect our beliefs if we allow profane language to gush from our mouths?

Bottom line: The words we speak reflect our hearts, character, and beliefs, and one day, we will be judged for them!

3.    The last area is Negative Speech

According to Dr. Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman, words can literally change our brains and impact our health. Their book Words Can Change Your Brain shows how negative words trigger stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters. These chemicals immediately interrupt the normal functioning of your brain, impairing logic, reason, language processing, and communication. They found that negative words increase stress and anxiety and can cause lasting damage to your memory, feelings, and emotions. They even argue that habitual use or exposure to negative words can disrupt your sleep, appetite, and ability to experience long-term happiness and satisfaction.

Interestingly, the Bible comes to the same conclusion-

“It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” –Matthew 15:11

We use our words so haphazardly and then foolishly believe they have no impact. We struggle with depression, insomnia, and anxiety and never stop to consider whether we are creating our situation because of our own words. 

The next time you feel like complaining, criticizing, condemning, worrying, gossiping, or speaking self-criticism or fear. Consider how it will impact your health.   To be healthy, we need to be mindful of the negative words we say, as they can have a lasting impact on our emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

Negative words can harm us, and positive words can strengthen us. You choose.

Now, how can words influence and shape the world around us?

This might blow your mind, so hold on….

Tony Robbins tells us:

“Throughout human history, our greatest leaders and thinkers have used the power of words to transform our emotions, to enlist us in their causes, and to shape the course of destiny. Words cannot only create emotions, they create actions. And from our actions flow the results of our lives.”

Words create. 

But this creation doesn’t stop at just emotions or even actions. 

Words can create REALITY.

We know this simply by looking at water and rice.  

Yep, water and rice can teach us some valuable lessons.

Let’s consider the work of Dr. Masaru Emoto; he conducted scientific experiments that used high-speed photography to capture the impact that words had on water.

His book "The Hidden Messages in Water" reveals the direct connection between words and reality. He discovered that crystals developed in frozen water in particular ways based on whether they were exposed to positive or negative words.   

For instance, when Dr. Emoto wrapped a bottle of water with a piece of paper with the words "love and gratitude" written on it – that water produced the most stunningly perfect crystals. The same happened with the word "thank you" even when written in different languages- each time, beautiful crystals formed that looked very similar.   However, when words like "You make me sick," "You fool," or "I will kill you" were exposed to the water, the results were drastically different, with mutated chaotic “angry” crystals being formed.

Dr. Emoto was able to replicate this experiment over and over again, rendering the same results.   He discovered whether the words were written or spoken over the water, and what was created within the water depended on what types of words were utilized. Beautiful crystals materialized when the water was exposed to positive words, and crazy, angry crystals formed when negative words were used.   

A Japanese family (after reading about Dr. Emoto’s experiments) experimented independently, except they used rice grains instead of water.   They put rice in two glass jars, and every day for a month, they said "thank you" to one jar and "you fool" to the other jar and tracked any changes.   They discovered that the rice exposed to the positive words of gratitude grew, and the rice exposed to the negative words rotted and turned black.    Dr. Emoto wrote about this family's experiment, which inspired another family to replicate it with one twist- they added a third jar of rice that was ignored. This family achieved the same results as the first, except the jar that was ignored rotted at a faster rate than the one exposed to negative words!    Revealing that being scorned wasn’t as damaging as being ignored.

These experiments teach us that we can create with our words. When we give our positive or negative attention to something, we are imparting energy that has the power to create or destroy. The most destructive behavior we can employ is withholding our attention altogether!

The Bible teaches a similar message:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit. ~Proverbs 18:21

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. ~Proverbs 16:24

By the Word of the Lord, the heavens were made,

And by the breath of His mouth all their host. ~ Psalm 33:6

When you consider that ALL OF CREATION was made by and through the Word of the Lord – that He spoke creation into existence should we find this concept so strange or outlandish if we believe that we were made in God's image?

If we believe that the Bible is true and creation exists because of God's Word, then maybe it isn't such a stretch to see how nature confirms our words' power.  

Words are a gift from the Lord, as we are the only creatures possessing them. 

It is remarkably profound to grasp the enormity of this gift of -the gift of words that have the power to create, not just over our health and bodies, but over the physical realm.  

When we fully appreciate that words indeed create- we should change the way we speak! 

All those careless words spoken in haste, frustration, anger, or loathing take on a whole new dimension;  even the words we say in jest should be re-evaluated.  

The truth is words spoken over your children impact their growth and potential.

Words that are spoken over your plants and animals impact their wellbeing.

Words spoken over your marriage and spouse impact the health of your relationship.

Words spoken over ourselves impact our health and emotional wellbeing.

Words carry the potential of life and death!

We should use our words wisely and carefully consider the words we speak. Our goal should be to say words that bring life, love, kindness, encouragement, praise, and truth. 

To do otherwise is reckless, and the world suffers from it.

So today, let’s turn over our words to God.   Give Him all the negative words we have ever spoken and seek His forgiveness.  And then give Him any hurtful words that we may have received- forgiving those that have uttered them.  When we surrender it to Him, He is faithful to turn it all around for our good. He is the only one that can redeem, forgive, and replace them with His powerful words that create truth within us.   

Just remember, ladies, choose your words carefully- they have the power to create, and when combined with the Lord and what His word has says- they can even create miracles!