Treasures New and Old

Christian Convictions: Words – A Word of Faith

“As a disciple, I want to master the Bible so that the Master of the Bible can become my Master”

-Author unknown

Haven’t we all heard the child saying, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!”? Yet they do hurt. Words spoken cannot be taken back. An old lawyer’s tricks is to ask a question or make a statement to a witness that is inappropriate to plant a seed in the mind of the jury. The opposing side will object on various grounds, and the judge will sustain the objection and ask that that question or statement be stricken from the record, which it will, but it can’t be stricken from the jury’s minds once spoken.

We take testimony by asking questions and gathering the responses in words. We take depositions from those who can’t be in court and use them as if they were. These depositions are recorded from the words the witness speaks. We demand a written confession of words signed by the accused, but it is generally presented before the court.

Why are words so powerful?

The Power of Spoken Words

We read in Genesis 1:3 the very first recorded occurrence of the spoken word: “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” “And God said . . .” also occurs in verses 6, 9, 11, 20, 24, 26, 28, and 29. In every case, what He said (spoke aloud is understood in this Hebrew word – amar (Wordsearch’s Strong’s H559)) was followed by the universe obeying, and that which He spoke happened as He commanded.

Also, this first chapter of the Bible is full of phrases like “God blessed” and that which He “called” something is what it is called today.

So the very first occurrence of the use of the spoken word was from God Himself, and the power of His words created all that was created. Impressive, isn’t it?

Verses Prove the Importance of the Spoken Word

Without listing all the verses, Jesus commanded wicked spirits to leave or be banished verbally.

I have compiled just a few verses that directly or indirectly imply the importance and power of the spoken word for good or for evil:

• Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Paul reminds us that speaking God’s Word aloud can cause the hearer to believe.
  

• Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”
  

• Proverbs 6:2: “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.”
  

• Proverbs 10:19: “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
  

• Proverbs 12:18: “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.”
  

• Proverbs 13:2: “A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth, but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.”
  

• Proverbs 15:23: “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”
  

• Proverbs 16:24: “Pleasant words are as a honeycombs, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
  

• Proverbs 18:7: “A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.”
  

• Proverbs 18:21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
  

• Isaiah 50:4: “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”
  

• Jeremiah 5:14: “Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.”
  

• Matthew 10:19: “But when they deliver you up, take no thought now or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.”
  

• Matthew 12:37: “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
  

• Luke 21:15: “For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”
  

• John 6:63: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
  

• James 3:6: “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”
  

Looking up the occurrences of just a few words that relate to speaking out loud we get (Wordsearch):

• Voice: 505
• Cry: 181
• Cried: 199
• Cried Out (subset of cried): 121
• Heard: 641
• Speak: 513

As I read many of the Psalms, I discover that King David did a lot of crying out to the Lord (verbal praying) and declaring that God heard his voice and answered him. Here are a few:

• Psalm 6:8-9: “Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.”
  

• Ecclesiastes 8:4: “Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”
  

• Psalm 3:4: “I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.”
  

• Psalm 18:6: “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”
  

• Psalm 22:24: “For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.”
  

• Psalm 30:2: “O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”
  

• Psalm 30:8: “I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.”
  

• Psalm 31:22: “For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.”
  

• Psalm 77:1: “. . . I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”
  

• Psalm 120:1: “. . . In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.”
  

• Psalm 138:3: “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”
  

• Psalm 142:1: “. . . I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.”
  

Power of the Spoken Word

Ok, so speaking a thing out loud is important and powerful. Can’t I “think” my prayers? Yes. Does God hear them? Yes. But, for whatever the reason, spoken words are much more powerful than thoughts.

• Spoken words are heard by both this world we are in, as well as the spiritual world.
  
• Spoken words are like a commitment; they can’t be erased.
• Spoken words can curse or bless others (more on that next month).
• Spoken words can provide clarity to those around you; we can’t read your mind.
• Spoken words can heal hurts, provide encouragement to the discouraged, inspire those in need of motivation, etc.
• Jesus healed many sick with just a word.
• Jesus cast out demons with His words.
• Jesus created the universe with His words.
• Jesus showed us the Father with His words.
• Jesus taught His disciples with His words.
• Jesus rebuked the wicked leaders with His words.

Warning about the “Word of Faith” Movement

There is a world-wide movement that has been around now for quite a while that goes by the name “Word of Faith”. It is also called the “name it and claim it” movement, and the “prosperity gospel” movement. The Word of Faith movement is a loose collection of preachers and teachers who put great emphasis on worldly success and the power of a Christian to control their own future through positive acts. A core claim of the Word of Faith/prosperity movement is that God’s desire is for all Christians to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. These teacher often claim that God allows a person to “speak” their desires into reality, as though they had a creative power similar to that of God.

This article is not about that movement or concept. We cannot “create” prosperity, solution, or healing by some words we spoke out loud just because we wish it. Notice the number of verses where God said that He put words in the psalmist’s, prophets’, and disciples’ mouths before they spoke them. Remember the warning that we should be careful for what we ask for because we ask it upon our own lusts. Every declaration by the spoken word must be in total submission to the Holy Spirit and not just because we want it.

What Is a “Word of Faith” Then?

Although there are a lot of verses that have “faith” and “word” in them, and although I have made an argument that we need to pray out loud as did David, and speak truth to those around us as so many verses imply, and remembering that by our words shall we be justified, and by our words we shall be condemned, there is only one verse in the Bible that actually says “word of faith”. Let’s take a look:

Romans 10:8-11: “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

The context is clearly related to salvation. The word here is rhema or spoken utterances (Strong’s G4487). Faith is pistis which means faith, belief, moral conviction or persuasion (Strong’s G4102).

The central point is belief in the gospel that was heard (three times) and then confession (twice). In verse 8, we see two things that make up the essence of a “word of faith”, and that is: (1) The word is in thy mouth (that is, about to be spoken), and (2) and in thy heart (that is firmly believed) – then you have a word of faith. But notice what the word of faith is all about: belief that Jesus is raised from the dead as Savior, and the confession that follows leads to salvation. Notice what Paul is relating the word of faith to: “which we preached.” Paul is relating the word of faith to this preaching of the gospel and not to name it and claim it heresy.

Another important example to consider:

1 John 1:8-10 (emphasis added): “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Confess is the Greek compound word homologeo (Strong’s G3670) where homou means the same as (Strong’s G3674) and logos means something said, words, a topic discussed, speech (Strong’s G3056). Basically it means to agree with God out loud that you have sinned and are asking forgiveness.

Why the emphasis by God on saying and confessing with speech if speaking out loud is not important? Why can’t I “think my confession?” Obviously you can, but there is something that seems to happen in the spiritual realm that demands speaking truth.

Last Thought about Words Out Loud . . .

Matthew 18:18-20: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

It just seems to me that if two or three are agreeing about something, then it needs to be “recorded” somewhere. Contracts are ultimately signed by the agreeing partners. Verdicts are handed down by juries as spoken to the court. In a church setting, in prayer, we can agree by verbally agreeing with an “Amen”, or “I agree”, or “Yes, Lord” which gets recorded in the heavens. Don’t think so? Consider this verse:

Malachi 3:16 (emphasis added): “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”

Summary

• The “word of faith” mentioned by Paul is not the prosperity gospel!
  
• A word of faith must first come from God’s Word.
• Crying out to God does not obligate God but has been established as being heard and acted on by God (not always the answer we may want!)
• Faith comes by hearing God’s Word and has led to many being saved.
• Confession in the New Testament is spoken and is an agreement with God that you have sinned and need forgiveness.
• One day our words will be examined, and by them we will either be condemned or justified.
• Words spoken aloud can bless or curse, so be careful what and how you say things.

What shall the book of remembrance record for you?

Maranatha!

May God bless you all!

Bro. Joe

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Strong, J. Strong’s Talking Greek_Hebrew Dictionary. Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890).

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Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890)

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