The question popped up in my heart lately, and I would like to share the potency of words.
This illustration came up in my mind as I pondered on the subject:
When we eat food, we understand certain enzymes react with our food to nourish our bodies. There is a chemical reaction going on from the mouth down to the stomach. The body absorbs all essential nutrients and excretes the waste product. With food, it is practically logical—there is a sequence. Also, your body reacts to some food badly—what we call allergies. These allergies trigger signs and symptoms of what is called an allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling, itching, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, etc.
Food is physical, and we understand the way it works in the body.
However, words are not physical—but have you taken a moment to think of why words trigger you? Why does it affect your emotion? Words are spiritual in the sense that we do not see them, but we see effect.
I understand how food works in the body, but what amazes me with words is spirit affecting the physical organ, leading to a corresponding reaction. I had a misunderstanding with someone, and that triggered some unpleasant words. These words led to reactions; the more I thought about those words, the more angry I became. So why?
Words stimulate the brain by activating neural pathways and releasing neurotransmitters that then affect our emotions, mood, behavior, and decision. When a word is spoken or read, Wernicke’s region of the brain helps with comprehending what we read or what was spoken. Words cannot be seen, are not physical, yet trigger reactions in the brain.
I regard this as powerful. Let’s go through the Bible:
Hebrews 4:12 KJV
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
If someone’s word can affect us and produce the result it was intended for—either it makes us happy or sad—then I can relate with what the Bible says here about God’s word.
Firstly, the writer of Hebrews describes the word of God as quick (alive) and powerful. As creations of God, we share similar attributes with Him. Our words are powerful. Do you know that the way to get God’s word to quicken your life is by using your own month to speak his words.
Proverbs 4:22
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Also, the writer was talking to his son to pay attention to his words and keep them in his heart because they are life and health.
The power of wordssssss….
What do you say to yourself?
In the name of being trendy, sometimes we speak words which have the power to produce a negative response in our lives. Keep in mind that the father in Proverbs 4 said his words are life and health, that would likewise mean there are words of death and sickness.
Power of words
The writer of Hebrews says God’s word is alive and powerful. Do you agree with me that we, as humans—whether saved or unsaved—share some attributes of God? Our words are powerful, and they have the power to produce corresponding results.
Your words can give behavior to an inanimate thing.
Mark 11:23 (KJV)
For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, ‘Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea,’ and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Your words can give power to any inanimate object, and suddenly the object or situation will become smart enough to do what you have said.
Imagine someone’s word affecting you and those words delivered for which purpose it was sent; either to make you angry, sad, or to make you joyous—how much more your own words or God’s word to you.
What do you say to yourself? Whatever you continually say to yourself will happen; it’s a principle. Jesus told his disciples that their words are powerful enough to change the position of a mountain. You might want to ask, “but Jesus told them if they have faith.” What I say to myself is without faith i.e I do not believe it, I am only saying it for fun.
Words are so powerful that they not only change situations, they can also grow you in faith or grow your faith. How?
Do you know why motivational speakers say stuff like “stay in front of a mirror and say words to yourself?”
This is because words in itself can train you to believe.
E.g. The first time you tell yourself “I am blessed,” it will sound off to you, but you can say it to yourself till the point those words sound like your name.
Your words trained you to believe.
Imagine all you say to yourself are curses:
- The curses will train your heart to believe in those curses for you.
- Those curse words will produce corresponding results.
God appeared to Ezekiel and told him to prophesy to dry bones; inanimate. God told him to speak, and he did as God instructed him. What happened afterwards? The bones lived.
The words that came out of Elijah’s mouth began to react with the bone, similarly with the way food reacts with enzymes in the body.
There is a spiritual chemical reaction that chemistry professors cannot write an equation for. Lolss
Your words can make dead stuff in your life come alive again. Your words can lift up depression and replace it with joy.
From Ezekiel, we can see that when your words align with the word of God, it produces life.
What you say to yourself produces either death or life, but if you align your words with God’s word, it can only produce life.
Reverend Peter Ayo-Alabi will always say, “your words are the highest authority of your own life.”
Your word annuls people’s curse, and even annuls the word of God in your life.
This subject will come out as a book in the future, and I will break all this concept down more from God’s written word.
Imagine!!! Someone is sick in the body and the person speaks the word of God so strongly to themselves. Let me tell you what will happen. Those words will start reacting with your organs to produce corresponding result, it might take time similar to physical drug and it might be immediate. Remember, the father in Proverbs 4 says his words are healing to the flesh.
You might want to change the kind of words you speak to yourself, that depression persist maybe because of the kind of words you speak to yourself or the words others speak to you that you accept. You might want to go off any media that speak negative words to you and focus on the word of God only in this session.
So… What Will You Say to Yourself Now?
As for me:
I am blessed
I am a child of God and I live in the reality of my sonship
Things work for me and I overcome every challenges that comes my way
I am strengthened by God to work through life, I am the head and not the tail
God will speak to many through my voice and writings all over the world both when I am here and when I am gone in full old age
Death will not come near my dwelling nor the dwelling of my beloved.
Your Turn:
What are the words you will start saying to yourself from today? Drop it in the comments or write it down as your daily affirmation.