The power of the spoken word

Sunday sermon by Pastor Phil – 11/02/2024

Summary by Chrisme Visagie

God’s Word has power

Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (and the rest of Genesis 1)

Ps 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

The whole world and everything in it was spoken into being by God! He creates by speaking things into being.

1 Peter 1:25a But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

John 6:63 – It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

In Matthew 8 we read the story of the centurion who’s servant was ill. When Jesus told the centurion he will go with him to heal his servant, the centurion responded:

Mat 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

This man understood the power of God’s spoken word!

Isaiah 55:11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Man’s words has power

We were created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) and given dominion over the earth. Therefore, our words also have power!

Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

This is so powerful! What we speak can bring life or bring death. Watch this interesting video about the power of speech on nature: Bullying a plant,

James compares the tongue to a fire – a little member that can set on fire the course of nature,

James 3:5-6 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

On the other hand, a soft word can “break up bones”

Prov 25:15 (AMP) By long forbearance and calmness of spirit a judge or ruler is persuaded, and soft speech breaks down the most bonelike resistance.

A good example of this is the story of Abigail, Nabal and David in 1 Sam 25. Read it for yourself!

Prov 25:11-12 A word fitly spoken Is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Our response

Jer 23:28a The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

1 Peter 3:10 For he that will love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile

Prov 15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: But the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

Think before you answer!

Let’s think with our mouths closed. Not all thoughts have to be spoken.

May this prayer of David, become our prayer as well:

Psalm 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth;Keep the door of my lips.

One of the most powerful things we can do with our words is to speak our way into salvation!

Rom 10:9-10 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

A change of heart

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 

Luke 6:43-45 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

We need a change of heart, so that our mouths will bring forth good fruit! And God promises that He will do just that:

Ezek 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.