THE POTENCY OF FAITH-FILLED WORDS

Words have power more than we realize, yet we often speak them as though they are harmless and ordinary.

The words of Eliphaz easily comes to mind, after the sorrowful and pitiable lamentations of his friend Job concerning the afflictions that have befallen him. He says, “When someone stumbled, weak and tired, your words encouraged him to stand” (Job 4:4). Simply, Eliphaz was reminding Job, his friend, that his words have stood men on their feet. Therefore, he should not undo the potency of his words due to what he is going through at the time.

The Message Translation narrates Job 4:1-6 this way. “Then Eliphaz from Teman spoke up: “Would you mind if I said something to you? Under the circumstances it’s hard to keep quiet. You yourself have done this plenty of times, spoken words that clarify, encouraged those who were about to quit. Your words have put stumbling people on their feet, put fresh hope in people about to collapse. But now you’re the one in trouble— you’re hurting! You’ve been hit hard and you’re reeling from the blow. But shouldn’t your devout life give you confidence now? Shouldn’t your exemplary life give you hope?”

We must make it a habit to speak not just words but the Word of God at every instance. Joshua 1:8 says “This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth…” We must consciously meditate on the Word of God and speak it into every situation we encounter and believe God for the expected favourable results.

In this discourse, let’s look at some few aspects of the potency of faith-filled words:

i. Pay attention to your words: It is not just the words of others that matter but what you speak yourself. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) says “The tongue has the power of life and death”. Your words have power, either for life or death. They can be used to build others up or tear them down. A fire that is not dealt with will double in size every minute. Therefore, we must frugally, choose our words in every circumstance of life.

Job 4:4 (NLT) says “Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees.” Always speak faith-filled words. 1 Peter 1:23 admonishes that the word of God lives and abides forever. What you say comes from the abundance of the heart. Luke 6:45 says “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out

ii. Faith-filled words have creative abilities: You can create or kill by your words. Matthew 12:36-37 says, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Idle words are non-productive words that you speak but don’t really mean or believe. For example, you might say, “I’m sick and tired of this situation ....” You really don’t mean you’re sick, but you say it anyway to describe your condition. Andrew Womack says that, “every time you say things that you don’t really mean, it begins to numb your heart. Unconsciously, each idle word is making it just a little bit harder to believe what you say will actually come to pass when you mean it and it really counts”. In Romans 1:17 the apostle Paul makes the following statement, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” Let’s quickly look at what was said concerning Paul and Barnabas in Lystra while they were preaching the Word of God. “... they were preaching the gospel there. And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.” (Acts 14:7–10).

There is power in words and greater power in words filled with faith . Words can knock you down , put you down or put you on your feet

The man had faith to be healed through hearing Paul speak. Paul said, “Stand up straight on your feet” and there was a miracle. Let’s always speak words of faith and afflictions are bound to disappear.

iii. Faith-filled words change the natural world: Yehuda Berg said that “words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble”. Andrea Gardner’s book ‘Change Your Words, Change Your World” brings to the fore the fact that an individual can harness the power of words to grow his or her human endeavour. God created everything by words. Genesis 1:3 says “Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.” Simply, there is a transformation power attached to words.

If we want to start seeing the power of God manifest in our lives, we just must be conscious with our words. Jesus certainly understood the power of words, and He used them to change the natural things around him. Mark 11:13-14 and 20-24 we read about how He came across a fig tree and seeing no fruit on it, he cursed the tree and said, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” and to Peter’s surprise he later pointed out to Jesus that the fig tree had indeed withered. Peter may have been surprised at the fate of the fig tree, but Jesus too was amazed at Peter’s surprise because He expected Peter to have more faith. Jesus went on to explain that faith filled Words can even move a mountain! Hallelujah!

iv. Faith-filled words creates miracles: The word of God has unlimited power. Hebrews 1:3 says, “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Words are the parent force for miracles. Words have authority. As earlier stated, everything we see will respond to faith-filled words.

In Mathew 8:8, the centurion in responding to Jesus Christ said, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed." He knew the power of faith-filled words. The Bible records that "When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! ... 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.” Matthew 8:10-13 (NKJV).

v. Faith-filled words pleases God: Hebrews 11:6 says “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” You may ask, how does faith come? First, God has given to every believer a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). In addition, Romans 10:17 says, “... faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (NKJV). The same way faith for salvation comes by hearing and believing God’s Word, so comes faith for healing.

We can see this in the case of the woman with the issue of blood that said if only she can touch the hem of the garment of the Lord she will be healed (Luke 8:43-48). Another was the Syrophoenician woman that said, even dogs can eat from the crumbs of the Master (Mark 7:24-37). By this act of faith, she also received her testimony. In the Old Testament, we have the case of the Shunammite Woman. After being blessed with a child through the Man of God Elisha, the child died. She decided to go and meet the Man of God so that he could pray for her son to come back to life. Her husband and the servant of Elisha interrupted her on the way but all she said was ‘it is well’ and she received what she said (2 Kings 4:8-37).

Know that there is power in faith-filled words. Speak it and see situations change for good. A miracle awaits you!

Shalom.

Akpo Onduku

Pastor, Chapel of Grace Bradford. Twitter: @AkpoOnduku