The Power of Words

Transcript

The Power of Words
January 26th, 2016
Sheila Abresch

The most intellectual feat a person accomplishes in their entire lifetime happens in the first 2-5 years of their life. The learning of language; the learning of words; learning how to use those words to form sentences in order to communicate.

Eve ~ used her words to talk Adam into eating the forbidden fruit, which caused the fall of the entire human race. (Genesis 3:6)

Sarah ~ used her words to encourage Abraham to go into her maid servant so she could have children. Abraham listened to the voice of his wife which has resulted in wars and conflicts down to this very day. (Genesis 16:1-4ff)

Rebekah ~ used her words to persuade her son, Jacob, to lie to his father and steal the birthright of his brother, Esau.(Genesis 27)

Delilah ~ used her words to trick Samson into telling her from where his strength came. (Judges 16)

Abigail ~ her wisdom and the power of her words turned away David’s anger against her husband and saved not only her husband’s life but the lives of all the men in his household. (1 Samuel 25)

Esther ~ used her words to persuade the king to save the Jews. (Esther 7)

Job’s wife ~ used her words to TRY and get him to “Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9)

Contentious woman of Proverbs ~ caused her husband to make his man-cave in the corner of the attic! (Proverbs 21:9)

The virtuous woman of Proverbs had the teaching of kindness on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26)

Solomon’s Shulammite bride used her words to turn away his sexual advances.
(SS 5:3)

Mary, mother of Jesus used her words to exalt and magnify the Lord. (Luke 1:46)

Sapphira lied to Peter about the price of the land she and her husband sold. (Acts 5:8)

Euodia and Syntyche didn’t know how to get along and so quarreled with one another. (Philippians 4:2)


According to Proverbs, our speech can be:

deceitful and devious 4:24,
perverse 6:12,
full of lies 6:17,
excessive to point of sin 10:19,

A smart person knows what to say; a wise person knows whether or not to say it

Our lips can spread knowledge (15:7) or spread gossip (18:8),
Our words can be gentle or harsh (15:1),
pleasant, pure and thoughtful (1526b),
pour forth evil (15:28),
delightful, sweet (16:13)
scorching fire (16:27)
Our words have the power to separate intimate friends (16:28),
destructive (17:4),
ruinous (18:7), kill and destroy or give life (18:21),
gracious (22:11)
soft tongue (25:15)
backbiting (25:23)

James 3:1-12 ~ My brethren, these things ought not to be this way

Matthew 12:34-35 ~ For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart

No one can tame the tongue, BUT Jesus can change the heart!

1 Peter 2:1-2

Colossians 3:16

Ephesians 4:29

1) Good for edification (Romans 15:2)

2) According to the need of the moment (Proverbs 25:11)

3) Gives grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:15)