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Weighty Words
by Ron M. Horner
The Holy Spirit has been dealing strongly with believers in recent days about dealing with the words of our mouth. The problem is that we often cause ourselves or others to stumble with the words of our mouth. Our tongue can dig some very deep pits. Are you using your tongue to speak judgments over others? Are you using your tongue to criticize and condemn others? Are you using your tongue to tear down ministers, ministries, or fellow believers…even unbelievers? Is your speech condemning, or life giving? As believers our responsibility is to be speaking life over ourselves, our families, our friendships, our associations, our jobs or businesses, our church, our cities, etc. Death should not be the predominant sound coming from our lips.
Another aspect of this misuse of the tongue is when we make false declarations. We determine that a thing is going to be a certain way and we have not consulted the LORD or His Word about it, nor have we sought godly counsel, but we begin declaring things anyway. We intentionally (or even unintentionally) begin to speak over people's lives that "they'll never learn…", or "they are always like that…" and when we do, we are making false declarations. What is a false declaration? To make a statement as fact that is not fact. If the Word of God has something different to say about their situation and we are making a declaration contrary to that Word, then it is a false declaration. Let's review a few more examples of false declarations and what they are implying. "He'll never learn" or, "he'll never make it doing that…" You are saying that you know what he can or cannot do. The Word of God says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…." Philippians 4:13 "He's got to learn the hard way." – You are saying he can learn no other way. You are playing God in his life by a determination such as that. Again, the Word of God says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…." Philippians 4:13 "He'll never have enough money", or "He'll always be in debt" – You have set yourself as Lord over their finances. The Word says, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 "He'll never get over that!" – You're saying God can't set them free. However, the Word says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:36 "He never can seem to get well." – Are you saying God can't heal them? The Word says, "Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24 and "I am the God that healeth thee…." Exodus 15:26 "He'll never amount to anything." – You're saying God can't fix him and you may be setting yourself up as lord over his life. But, the Word says, "Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase." Job 8:7 "He isn't smart enough to do that." – You are determining something that can change with the right input. Remember, the Word says, "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Corinthians 2:16
Some of these declarations are simply that, however most cross another line. They become judgments. To judge is "to pass judgment or to make a determination of a sentence." We must realize that judgments are limiters, BUT the Word of God frees! Judgments put boundaries around people's lives and if the person speaking them is a person of influence in someone's life (i.e. parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor, boss, older sibling), then your words carry far more weight than the average bystander. It is essential that we not speak limiting words over the lives of people. Known truth sets people free! (See John 8:32) What does the Word say about judgments? Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 7:1 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Luke 6:37 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. Romans 14:13 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. James 4:11 The Word of God is to be the final authority over peoples' lives, not our declarations or the declarations of others that are not in line with that Word. Recently, I was called upon to help minister deliverance to a woman in her mid-fifties. This woman had been subject to years of verbal abuse by her husband and apparently her father as well. She had been told that she was stupid, that she was worthless, etc. All of the bondages induced by those declarations and judgments piled up and she began to suffer a breakdown. Demons were tormenting her mercilessly. Even in ministering to her, she declared, "I want to be free, but I don't know how to be free. I don't know what it's like!" How many people are just like her? This woman was not "trailer trash" as some might suppose. Rather, she lived with her husband (a physician) in a beautiful home in an affluent neighborhood. Bondage, however, knows no socio-economic limits. We need to be willing to ask ourselves, "Have I done this?" "Have I done this to my children, to my spouse, to my siblings, to my parents, to my friends, to my co-workers, to strangers? As believers, such declarations need not be part of our lives. Ask yourself, "What have you declared that is limiting someone's life? You may have even said things over your own life that are limiting you. What has been said over your own life that is limiting you? Once we recognize that we have made false declarations such as the ones illustrated previously (and most of us have), we need to take corrective actions, but first let's explore another reason why they need not be part of our lives. The fact that our words have tremendous power.
Samuel, the prophet has this memorial to his life penned in 1 Samuel 3:19-20: So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD. (emphasis mine) King Saul knew that Samuel's words carried weight and when Samuel came to rebuke King Saul for his disobedience, Saul demonstrated his response: Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, and was dreadfully afraid because of the words of Samuel. 1 Samuel 28:20 (emphasis mine) Ask yourself, "Do your words carry weight?" Samuel's did. The power of what we speak is diluted when we speak frivolously, coarsely, or we misuse our words through judgements, false declarations, and gossip. None of these things belong in our lives. The write of the book of James pointed out that the tongue was an unruly member and that it was a paradox that the same tongue should usher forth sweet words and bitter words. (James 3:2-13) Do your words carry weight? Do kings tremble? Do demons tremble? Do people know you for your word? Death and life is in the power of the tongue…they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21) (emphasis mine) You either love life or love death! Did you realize that declarations and judgments are terms that have meaning in the legal arena? Declarations can be entered into evidence in court settings. Judges also issue judgments and declarations that tell the parties involved what they will have to do to satisfy the judgment or declaration.
In the Old Testament, we are told how false declarations have consequences. If someone accused another of a certain thing and a false witness rose up to testify against someone. If the judges determined the witness to be false and the accusations to be false, then the judgment that would have been pronounced on the accused (had he been guilty) is then transferred to the false witness. (See Deuteronomy 19:15-19) Are you positioning yourself for things you don't want because you have pronounced false things upon another? As New Testament believers we don't want to think that could happen, but certain things are set down in the Old Testament as principles that hold up for every generation. When you make a statement about someone it needs to be able to pass a test such as the following: § Is it really true? § Is it provable? § Is it accurate? § Or, is it just your opinion? Some other examples of false declarations that need to be explored are these: § Nothing is sure but death and taxes. § All preachers want is your money, or all preachers are greedy! § You can't trust lawyers! § Or, You can't trust politicians!
Isaiah 40:8 says, "The Word of the Lord shall stand forever."
1 Corinthians 9:14 says, "Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel..." and Luke 10:7 declares, "…for the laborer is worthy of
his hire." Or as Galatians 6:6 says, "Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things." "All lawyers are crooks or liars!" How do you know? Do you know all of them? Just because some are, does not mean ALL are. Don't slander the good ones because of the bad. Remember the Golden Rule (Matt 7:12) "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
Statements that are assumed or presented as fact that really aren't and cannot be proven as fact are lies. It is either truth or a lie. To agree with the statement that is not true is to put yourself in agreement with a lie. To put yourself in agreement with at lie is to put yourself in agreement with the father of lies – satan. (John 8:44) When you do that, you are giving him legal access in the earth to work what has been spoken against those to whom it was spoken. We must realize that lies are not truth and if it is not truth, then it is a lie. We cannot afford to come into agreement with satan over anything. The only way he has legal access to the earth is through people who set themselves in agreement with him. He has to have people through which to have legal access on this planet. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. False statements are against his nature and design. They are contrary to him and need not be partaken of. The Consequences: When you set yourself in agreement with a false statement you set yourself in agreement with a lie. When you set your self in agreement with a lie, you set yourself in disagreement with the Spirit of Truth.
We must also recognize that the more important the person making the statement is to you, the more powerful the impact of the statement on you. You generally assume that if they said it, it must be true. Persons of influence may try to dictate what you think and do If you have spoken falsely in these manners, you have come into agreement with lies and innuendos that have no truth in them. Because of that agreement, satan has had access into your life that was not essential. That access can be reversed and those doors closed by acknowledging the things you have agreed with that didn't agree with me and making corrections to those things. The good side of that principle is that you can live prophetically by the right declarations you make and have come forth out of your mouth. Here are some instructions to live by that Holy Spirit recently gave me:
Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit (fraud, deceitfully, falsehood, treachery) Psalm 34:13
Recognize what you are saying. Once you recognize you have made a judgment or false declaration, you need to do the following: § Repent Here is the problem. When you spoke falsely you invited the enemy to accomplish things in the earth he should not be able to. You gave him access by your agreement with him, so repent.
Speak Accceptable Words Order Your Conversation Zip Your Lips! For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 1 Peter 3:10 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. Psalm 39:1 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23
Use knowledge rightly! Don't open the door to the devil with your tongue!
The Steps Recognize Repent Rescind Replace
Prayer Concerning Judgments Father, I come in the name of Jesus and I repent of placing judgments on people. I ask you to forgive me for doing so. I pray a release of the punishment of those judgments I've placed on people by the words of my mouth. I choose to speak truth. I choose to align myself to You and Your Word. I choose to yield my tongue to You and Your spirit. Amen.
Father, I come in the name of Jesus and I repent for making false declarations. I ask you to forgive me for doing so. I pray a release of the impact of those false declarations. I've placed on people by the words of my mouth. I break every assignment attached to those false declarations. I choose to speak truth. I choose to align myself to You and Your Word. I choose to yield my tongue to You and Your spirit.
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Weighty Words by Ron M. Horner
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