How important is it to speak the word? Speaking the word gives permission for God to be a part of our everyday affairs. God desires to manifest Himself on our behalf; but we must give Him access to our lives. The way God is allowed into our lives is by speaking His word. If we are going to speak the word, we first must believe the word.
Let’s look at the story of the Centurion and how he compassionately requested of Jesus for the healing of his servant.
Matthew 8:5-10 (KJV)
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6. And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
The Centurion understood the power of words, him being a man of authority. He knew that once Jesus gave the command for his servant to be healed that power would be released to access healing for his servant. What we see in the Centurion is the compassion that drove him to request healing for his servant.
Anything that is asked of God usually comes from a burning desire. This desire will lead you to utilize your faith for what you desire. But, you need the word in order to access by faith what God has already provided for you. Faith and the word work hand in hand. If we are going to receive anything from God, we must make the decision to believe that God has already provided what we need in life.
The Centurion stated to Jesus that He did not need to go to his servant to heal him, but to speak the word only, and his servant would be healed.
Jesus called this “great faith”. Knowing that the word has the final say in our lives is very important to our success in life. If we are going to receive from God, then we must have the right mindset about our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father desires for us to walk in health and wealth in every area of our lives. But, if we think contrary to this, we will not receive from God.
The enemy wants to get us off track from what God has promised us as Gods Covenant people. If he can get us to start imagining in our minds lack, sickness and disease, then he will control our confession. What we say will direct our actions, and actions produce results. We have a responsibility for our words. Everything we say will cause faith or fear to be developed. Faith and fear, both are fed by the same method, by hearing. Hearing what? Hearing words.
Faith comes by hearing Gods word, and fear comes by hearing the Devils word. Anything that is fear driven is from the Devil. Whenever fear is present, faith is not. You are responsible for what you allow yourself to listen to.
Jesus said in Mark 4:24 (KJV)
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
And Luke 8:18 (KJV)
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
Jesus wants us to be aware of what and how we hear things or words. Words carry the power to produce whatever we say. What and how you hear something is going to create an image or imagination in your mind that will generate desire, and desire an action. This is why it is so important to choose what you allow your mind to entertain.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
The word “communication” is not just talking, it means companionship, intercourse. Now I am not trying to be coarse here; it is its actual meaning from the Greek. Now, taking this understanding of the word, it goes a little deeper than just hearing someone talk. It means that whatever you listen to, you give it your full attention. In other words, nothing will distract you from the relationship you have with that thing or person.
What you give your attention to will mold your decision making.
For example, I have gone shopping with my wife on many occasions, and I give her the best of my attention while she determines if she would want a top or shoes, etc. Of late, she has not requested my presence for this type of support. I don’t know why? Just kidding, I obviously know why, I tend to fail at given her my full attention while she shops, so it just works out better for her.
Now, if you put me in a knife shop, gun shop or Harley Davidson store, you will see how focused I am; giving my full attention to what I set my mind on at that time.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with my wife, but shopping for clothes may not be my highest point of interest.
My point is that you make decisions based on what you choose to give your attention to. When something is presented to you that you know is ungodly, you are the only one that can stop that thing from becoming a source of emotional comfort.
Communication emotionally attaches to your soul or mind, creating a basis for what you do in life.
If we are to experience the goodness of God, we must make the decision to allow for the word of God to be the main ingredient for what we do in life.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (KJV)
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6. And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
The one thing that Satan is after is your imagination. Today we have many vehicles by which our imaginations are stimulated. Social media has become a very powerful tool on how the mind of a person is impacted, both good and bad.
What we see in these verses is that our greatest means of productivity is the way we think. If we think the right kind of thoughts, we will generate the right kind of desires and actions. But, by the same token, if we think the wrong kind of thoughts, it will generate the wrong kind of desires and actions.
Thoughts are generated from words. Words develop the foundation to what we do in life. If we think on right words, we will do the right thing.
These verses further indicate to us that there is going to be a battle between right and wrong thinking. This is nothing to be concerned about because Gods word is greater than the words of the enemy.
1 John 4:4 (KJV)
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Once we establish a hunger in our souls for the word of God, this will override the attacks on our mind.
The mind is the battle ground; it is where we win or lose in life. Make it a point to establish a love relationship with our Heavenly Father and His word, which is the Bible, so that you can withstand the onslaught of the enemy.
Ephesians 6:13 (KJV)
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Withstand means to stand against. It is up to you to stand against what the enemy intends for evil.
Knowing that God is on your side assures your heart that no matter what you face in life, you win!
I want to close this with Psalm 91:1-16 (KJV)
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
This is God's word to His Covenant people, and now us being Covenant sons and daughters, we have even greater promises to us from our Heavenly Father. So, just speak the word, and speak the word only, and you will see the salvation of the Lord.