The Power of Your Words - Pastor Kenneth Woolf

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New Life COTR Sunday May 27, 2007
THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS

John 16:12-15(NIV) Turn and Read
John 8:32- “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Some of you are about to discover that YOUR WORDS have kept you in prison for years. But from this series of sermons you’re going to learn how YOUR WORDS can set you free from that prison.
YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER; THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS.
There are no new truths, we are just going to discover or be reminded of “a truth” in the Word of God.
So lets not miss this core truth in the Bible-YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER!
If we ignore this truth we do it to our own peril. Words, written or spoken, are clearly powerful things to God.
In the scripture there is a wealth of wisdom and insight about the power of your words and together we are going to explore that.
You’re about to learn how to use the power of words to change your life!
Do you know that you really do mean what you say!
Matthew 12:34- “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
(NLT)- “for whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”
Many people don’t need the devil to destroy their lives; they do it with their own words!
So let’s take the truths of the Word of God and apply them to our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit so everything can begin to change for the better!
TRANSITION: I’m going to share some basic truths that will help form a foundation for everything else we’re going to explore.

WHY ARE WORDS SO POWERFUL?
Joseph Conrad- “Word’s have set whole nations in motion…..Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.”
Words are CONNECTORS. Words have the capacity to build bridges, span chasms and shorten long distances between you and others.
BUT WORDS NOT ONLY CONNECT YOU WITH PEOPLE THEY ALSO CONNECT YOU WITH GOD!
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS
John 4:24- tell us that God is a Spirit.
When God, who is a Spirit, created the heavens and the earth, or the natural, THE VEHICLE GOD USED IN THE SPIRIT REALM TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE NATURAL WAS WORDS!

In the opening lines of Genesis 1:3- we read “The God said, Let there be light, and there was light.”
Over and over in the first three chapters of Genesis as God is creating the universe we see these words “THEN GOD SAID...”
God didn’t wave His hand or swing a magic wand. He spoke the material world into existence.
In the first 25 verses of the book of Genesis God simply speaks, and things happen!
Then in the following verses we see God speaking once more.
Genesis 1:26,27- “Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness……So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him: male and female He created them.”
Because God has the creativity and the ability to create with His Words, so do we.
In the next verse we get even more detail about the miracle of mankind’s creation.
Genesis 2:7- “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Living being- the Hebrew root word is “speaking spirit.”
God created the man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him and man became a “SPEAKING SPIRIT.”
We’re not just dust from the ground or just physical beings; we have a spiritual component as well. “We are speaking spirits.”
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS

We’re the only living species on earth that can communicate our hearts, feelings, dreams, hopes and plans!
There’s something creative and powerful about our speaking. That’s why it’s so important we learn to control our tongues.
Your tongue is a loaded weapon that carries the very power of life and death to our relationships, our lives and our future.
Proverbs 18:21- “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it, will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 13:3- “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
Proverbs 18:8- “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
Proverbs 26:20- “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”
Proverbs 20:19- “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
Why would the Bible says things like this?
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL; THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS.
TRANSITION: When mankind was separated from God because of sin, when there was a chasm between us and God, how did God connect with us?

How did God connect with us?
John 1:1,14- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us….”
The Word became flesh, the spiritual became natural.
Psalm 107:20- “He sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.”
God came to us through His Word, his Son Jesus Christ.
God is constantly bridging the gap between us with His Word!
*******Thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that we are supposed to CONNECT WITH GOD THROUGH OUR WORDS!
Psalm 100:1-5- Turn and Read
All these actions are expressed through words and connect us with God!
The reason Satan doesn’t want you to be vocal in your praise to God is because he knows those kinds of words connect you to God in an awesome way!!
Here’s the simple truth: The only people who experience the full glory and joy of God’s presence are thankful people!
Satan will do everything he can to keep you from expressing words of gratitude and praise!
Frankly the devil wants you to be a grumbler! Why? Because grumbling is an expression of unbelief and ingratitude, two ways to short circuit God’s power in your life!

PRAISE ON THE OTHER HAND IS AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH AND GRATITUDE!
Not only does praise connect you to God but so does prayer!
Ephesians 6:18- “pray in the Spirit always.”
1Thessalonains 5:17- “Pray without ceasing.”
Why does God want you to pray and praise Him? BECAUSE IT KEEPS YOU CONNECTED TO HIM ALL DAY LONG!!!
I’m talking about a connection to Him that allows you to hear His voice, feel His promptings, have access to His power and be anchored by His peace-even in the midst of the wildest storms.
Do you want that kind of connection to God all day everyday?
YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER, THERE IS POWER IN YOR WORDS
Mark 11:22,23- “Have faith in God, Jesus answered. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.”
Romans 10:8-13- Turn and Read
These verses are the gateway to salvation for millions of people all over the world. How does a person connect with God for salvation? He believes and confesses with his mouth!
LET’S PRAY