The Power of Speech

by Joyce Sykes
Published August 26, 2006

“Fatty, Fatty, 2 x 4, can’t get through the bathroom door.”

“Four Eyes, Johnny’s got four eyes.” Childish taunts by children.

“You are so stupid! You moron, can’t you get anything right?”

“You’ll never amount to anything. You are good for nothing!” Sarcastic words lashed out in anger or frustration by a parent.

“I wish I had never married you. This marriage is the worst deal of my life!” Venom spewed deliberately to inflict pain of the very one that you promised to love and cherish. Words spoken in the heat of a disagreement; one spouse trying to get the upper hand.

These words of criticism fill the atmosphere just briefly before other sounds take their place. However, in reality these words affect the heart of the receiver forever. Like a skilled physician with a new surgical technique, each individual word quickly slices through the eardrum, turns upward slightly to the brain. In a split second, the natural function of the brain both records the message for later assaults and then sends it to a tender and vulnerable spot called the heart. These critical expressions are sharper than any scalpel on earth. Quickly and effectively, it performs the task of slicing and dicing without regard for the emotional welfare of the receiver.

Scripture is clear that our words have the power of life and death. This applies not only in the spirit realm but also in the natural realm. I have asked numerous people if there is one memory of their childhood that still stings. Every single person had a flashback of a comment made either by classroom peers or by a parent.

A formal pastor once shared in parenting class years ago of an event that years later still affected him. His father who was working on a vehicle asked for a certain tool. As a young boy, he didn’t know which one was it. After standing at the toolbox for a moment, he finally picked one up and preceded to hand it to his father. Irate, his father climbed out from underneath the vehicle and began a brutal tongue-lashing. “You will never be able to work with any tools as stupid as you are!” That one statement remained burned in his heart and mind years later. He had long since forgiven his father, but even as an adult he never desired to attempt any mechanical work. However, he showed great skill in remodeling his home, but never attempted mechanic work on vehicles.

The Lord ministered deeply to me years ago the depth that our miss-spoken words hit in others. One powerful verse in Proverbs deals with words spoken in jest or anger is Proverbs 12:18 (Amp.) “There are those who speak rashly, like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Almost every person at sometime has held that sword in their hand wielding it against another without regard to the consequences. However, at the same time, every living soul has had the sword of deadly words jab deep within their spirit.

Thankfully, the power of healing for both the giver and receiver are within reach. It is through the blood of Jesus. He is our source of hope, and acceptance. No matter what kind of death has been spoken into our life and hearts, He has the ability to speak life back into those areas. The One we serve, Who caused the blind to see and the deaf to hear is capable of restoring life to wounded spirits. Jesus had the authority to speak life to Lazarus who had been three days in the grave. Speaking restoration into injured hearts is not impossible to the Savior we serve. I pray today, that each one in need of His healing touch will feel it flow like a warm ointment upon their heart.

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