“The tongue has the power of life and death..” ( Proverbs 18:21)
The spoken word is one of the most powerful tool the Lord left to his disciples, and clearly of benefit to us even in the present dispensation. It is a gift neither of us should slacken at using. After he was called to go out and liberate the Israelites, while he hesitated, “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you” ( Exodus 3:14).
After getting to the tomb of Lazurus, having prayed, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face” ( John 11: 43-44). Once Peter and John met a beggar at the temple courts who asked for money, but Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” ( Acts 3:6).
Almost similar, once Paul and Silas were going up for prayers when they were accosted by a female girl who kept badgering them, “Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her” ( Acts 16:18).
The point of interest for us here is the power of the spoken word. The Almighty God sends out his servant Moses with his word, even rebuking Moses where he hesitates, “And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward” ( Exodus 14: 15). When he came across a fig tree that bore no fruit, Jesus, “ said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it” ( Mark 11:14).
All here is to point out we should never ignore the power of the spoken word. The spoken word has the power of life and death. Creation, after all, starts with the spoken word: “And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light” ( Genesis 1:3).
In our lives we have this gift of using the spoken word to speak to any situation. The spoken word has power of “life and death!” Why not therefore use it when you encounter whatever situation threatening you. For the words we speak do not just go out in a void, but with them is the power, even to bring the dead back to life, shrivel any tormenting spirit, curse any object and bless us mightily!
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, you have given us the power of the spoken word, which today I use to address any situation, to decree and declare the abundant life I have in you, in the mighty name of Jesus, I pray!
