Words

Words are very important; once they are spoken they can never be taken back. You can try by saying … "I take that back, I didn't mean it." The problem is, even after you say, "I'm sorry," they still linger in the hearer's heart and mind.

God can and does forgive and "forget" all the sin, wrongs and words spoken … but man cannot. That's one attribute God has that we don't. You can forgive the person who spoke the words, and even if you do put those words way in the back of your mind somewhere … in time, someday it will be brought back up to you, I guarantee it.

How do I know? It's happened to me a few times. Have you ever heard of "the accuser of the brethren?" I'm speaking of the enemy of your soul, the one described in Revelation 12:9-10 as … "the great dragon, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world … the accuser of our brethren … which accused them before our God day and night."

You see, Satan delights in bringing misery to mankind in any way he can. He will take every opportunity to inflict pain and hurt on us even if it comes through our memories. He will bring up every hurtful word spoken to you from those you love and care about.

How does he do that? It's easy … all those words … all of them are still out there. Every word spoken in anger or frustration that entered your heart and mind are stored away somewhere. Some words spoken by others may have caused unintended wounds that the one speaking didn't even know were hurtful. But they were.

No one knows where spoken words go. I don't know if they go out into the air circulating around the world or perhaps deep in the recesses of your mind … but Satan has access to them. The proof of that is in how he brings them back up, reminding you of who said what … and he usually suggests the "real reason" as to why they were spoken. It will be a lie … but we listen and many times believe it.

I don't really know … this is just a thought … but words must go into a different dimension or realm. Perhaps a depository or a type of library; but instead of a collection of books, it's where all of our words must be stored because someday they will be played back for us in God's presence.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37 … "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."

Just before Jesus spoke about "every idle word," He was speaking to (as He put it) "a generation of vipers" when He said to them … "How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure (of the heart) bringeth forth evil things."

That should remind us that when we speak hurtful, unkind or judgmental words … we had better stop and take inventory of what's in our heart … "good treasure or evil treasure."

Where did the first lie come from? Wasn't it from the mouth of a viper, a snake that lied to Eve in the garden? Didn't he twist and change God's words about the tree of knowledge to the point where she accepted his lies? Can Satan still do that today with words spoken to us; especially someone's words that may have cut you deeply in the past? He will make sure there are some things you never forget. He won't let you; he keeps bringing them up.

I remember one Pastor speaking to a group of believers, started his remarks with … "I know exactly what I'm going to say, but I have no idea what you are going to hear." He said … "It's as if the words as they leave my lips are changed somehow before your ears hear them."

It's like they get snatched by Satan right out of the air and twisted in whatever "dimension and realm" spoken words are in, so that they are different by the time you hear them.

When Jesus said in Matthew 11:15 … "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear," He was implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken. "He that hath ears" … could mean not everyone had spiritual ears and understanding to hear and take in and seriously weigh and consider the importance that His words had to the hearer. You see, they were really God's words spoken through Him. If that was true then … it is also true today; we need spiritual ears to hear God's voice.

This was said about Jesus in John 7:46 … "Never a man spoke like this man."

Who is this Jesus that spoke like none before Him? The Apostle John's writings start with a statement that the Christian faith is based upon. He wrote … "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And then a couple of sentences later he says … "And the Word was made flesh …"

That's who Jesus is. The Word of God … wrapped in flesh. You could say it this way … "The spoken words of God were made flesh."

The words Jesus spoke are important because not only was He speaking for God … He was God speaking.

The only problem I now have is reconciling the exalted words of Jesus with the everyday reality around us. I'll give you one example …

Mark 11:23 … "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."

All I can think is … wow! Really? What do I do with that? Talk about exalted.

There must be something here to use. Let's see … say and saith are each used two times, while believe and doubt are each used only once. Okay, say and saith means words spoken … so am I supposed to understand that our words are important? Is that the main thought here?

Here's another verse in John 15:7 … "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

I think the key to these last two scriptures must have something to do with … faith … and that is a whole different subject not covered in this discourse.

I'm going to end this post, not with my words but with some of God's Word itself; words of instruction and perhaps a warning about what we say. Remember … "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

Psalms 19:14 … "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

Proverbs 6:2 … "Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth."

Proverbs 17:27 … "He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit."

Proverbs 29:20 … "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him."

Ecclesiastes 5:2 … "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few."

Ecclesiastes 10:12 … "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself."

Words … we might be better off if we just listen.



Comments welcome.