The Power of Words

Words are often seen as small, but Scripture shows they carry real weight.

In this episode of 5 Minutes & Coffee, we reflect on the blessing given in Numbers 6 and how God chose words as the means to bless His people with peace, protection, and favor. From creation itself—when God spoke the world into existence—to the words we use every day, the Bible reveals that speech has the power to build up or tear down.

Are our words bringing life, encouragement, and peace—or something else?

If God uses words to create and to bless, then we should be intentional in how we use ours.

🎧 The Power of Words — available now on 5 Minutes & Coffee

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Hello everybody, welcome to another episode of 5 Minutes and Coffee. My name is Jerry, and I'm glad to be back sharing God's word with you. This morning I had a conversation with my son, and he told me he was reading the book of Numbers, and he found it interesting how Aaron was supposed to bless the people. And he shared his words with me. And in Numbers chapter 6, verses 24 through 26, Aaron says, The Lord bless you and protect you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. From that we begin to discuss the power of words. In this sense, silence would have been withholding a blessing to God's people. In another sense, words have power and words matter. If you grew up during the era I grew up in, it was sticks and stones, may break my bones. But for some reason, this popular saying of words will never hurt me was just accepted as gospel. Hopefully, now we've all realized that no, words are deeply hurtful and they are deeply damaging. I think of some of the words that have completely changed the foundation of existence. Let there be light. Imagine if the Lord never said those words, what would life be like? We'd be in total darkness. We wouldn't be able to see anything but the words that have power, let there be light. When we begin to consider our words and how we will give an account for each and every one of them, we want to make sure that our words are aligned with the authority of God and his promises. It's interesting, as much as words can both uplift someone, as much as they can depress someone, as much as they can correct someone, we must be careful how we choose to use our words each and every day. Because both blessings and curses can flow from the same mouth if we are not wise enough to control our words. When you're going about your day, are you known as the kind person? Are you known as the person who speaks love and gives encouragement? Or are you known as that I need to stay away from that person because they're gonna cut me down? Think about what we repeat to our children, think about what we repeat to our spouse, think about what we repeat to others. We can literally shape our relationships with everyone based on how we choose to speak with them. If I tell my child every day I love you, you are special, and I want to see you do great things, what is the expectation for that child? However, if I tell my child I do not love you, I do not see any value in you, and you are not worthy of any love, what is my expectation for that child? The same way it goes with how I choose to speak with my wife and how my wife chooses to speak with me. We shape our identity, we shape our relationships based on the words that we choose to carry. Although that is a caution about making sure we choose the correct words, we must also be careful that we choose to use our words and not simply remain in silence because someone out there could use some encouragement, someone out there can use some reassurance. Do not withhold your blessings of kind words, supportive words, encouraging words, and corrective words if you are able to do so. It doesn't cost you anything. Use those words to encourage others. One thing that I find interesting is the words people choose to say to me. For instance, people who make backhanded comments and backhanded jokes in a way to seem friendly, but are really being condescending. Those words reveal the condition of their heart. When we speak to other people, we must realize that we are also demonstrating where our heart is and the condition of it, whether it is loving or whether it is not. And let us not think that we are so smart that we can just fake our way through this life with phony words, empty gratitude, and a life that doesn't really reflect your heart. I know that there's also this connotation that I just need to tell everybody what they want to hear, and I just need to say what everybody wants me to say, but that in itself is also not love if it lacks truth. When you use your words, let's make sure that we are using them correctly and truthfully. Speaking life into others is not something that just happens. You have to be intentional. You have to see those individuals who are down and choose to uplift them. You have to see those individuals who are trying to bear their load and give them words and just to let them know that they can do it. God simply spoke and it changed reality. Your words have the ability to change someone else's perspective, their reality, the condition of their heart, and the direction of their life. My challenge for you this week is to choose your words wisely and be a blessing. Give life to others through your words in a very intentional way. If you felt like this episode was beneficial to you, I'm only asking you for one thing. Just share it with one person that you know needs to hear it. This is Jerry with 5 Minutes and Coffee.