The Power of Words

Words. We use them every day when we speak when we write, and we see them as we read. Often, we forget the privilege it is to be able to communicate with words until one day, we wake up with a sore throat and suddenly remember what a gift it is to be able to speak, write and read. And there are many who can’t do some of those, so for those who can, it truly is a gift—a gift with power.

Power to cause pain and to ease it.

Power to spread love and to poison with hate.

Power to share truth and to manipulate with lies.

Power to change everything or do nothing.

So what does the Bible say about words, about language? Let’s find out…

What the Bible says

When we open up the Bible as we do with any book, we typically start in the beginning, and from that first page in Genesis, the power of words, of God’s Word is immediately revealed to us. In the first three verses, God speaks. He creates light (Genesis 1:3), and that is only the beginning of the creation story. God made the ground beneath our feet and the stars in the sky; He made mountains, and He made waterfalls. Every tiny detail that makes us who we are was designed by God.

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”
Hebrews 11:3

From all of this, the stars, the animals, the people, how can we say words have no power? We can’t. We just forget. And we are made in God’s image, our words have power, not as much God obviously because we can’t create reality, but our words do have an impact on our lives and the lives of others whether we speak them or write them for someone to read.

The words we speak are the overflow of our hearts (Matthew 12:34-35), so good speaks good and evil spouts evil. What we say reveals who we really are, even if we think we’re someone different.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 18:21

Words have the power to encourage and destroy (Proverbs 12:6). A single word can cause enormous pain or immense gratitude. The language we use not only affects emotions but also perception. When we are in pain, the wrong words can make that pain even worse, even if the pain is physical.

Words can be twisted for manipulation, chosen carefully to attack and targeted to oppress. Yet they can also be a beacon of positivity, a source of love, and a thing of beauty. Is there anything more poetic and wonderful than the words of someone telling you how much you mean to them? How much they love you?

I would say that words have a greater capacity to do good than they have of doing evil. As Christians, we should choose our words carefully because our lives reflect God, and for some people, the only way they know God is through our actions, our words, and the way we live. Our words should demonstrate the power of God’s grace and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.

If words are the only way to distinguish us in this world, ought we not to speak words that are pure and wholesome as we are told to in Ephesians? Romans 3:14 tells us that the words of sinners are full of cursing and bitterness, but we are freed from the chains of sin as Christians, so our language should indicate this change, too.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.”
Ephesians 4:29

Crude jokes and vulgar words should not pass our lips according to these words. Our words should be helpful and kind, promoting the values and commands God has given us. Our words and, ultimately, our actions should be wise and knowledgeable, as indicated in Proverbs.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:6

Although I have not seen it said explicitly in the Bible, and I would not add to the scriptures, when I read these verses on how we should speak and consider our words carefully, I see that it promotes positive words and not speaking down on ourselves or others. For those of us who do so and those of us who complain a lot, it feels a lot like doing those things gives power to the devil. It feels like in those moments when we are complaining or feeling insecure; it is not God who is with us in those moments. However, He most certainly wants us to reach out to Him for comfort and assurance of the truth, but in those moments personally, I feel like the devil is beside me, absorbing that negative energy and growing in power, and I don’t like it. I don’t like the thought that our words could be giving a being so evil more power, and it certainly makes me want to stop complaining and open my Bible and speak the truth out loud.

“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:16

So words have power we’ve got that figured out, we’ve also discovered what the Bible says about how we should use our words and which ones we should be letting out of our mouths. But there’s one more thing that the Bible tells us about words, which is very important.

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:36-37

An idle word is a word that does nothing, it doesn’t teach or provide grace. It could also be called a careless word because it unintentionally slips out of your mouth. Whether it is idle or careless or anything else, we should be careful about our words because they reflect our hearts, which is why we will be judged by our words.

Remember that saying you were told as a child to always think before you speak? Perhaps it’s time to bring it back into practice.

The 7 Powers of God’s Word

Now, we know the power of words from our perspective and what the Bible says, but what about God’s Word? God’s Word has the power to do seven things, which I will now tell you.

To Reveal

God’s Word has the power to reveal, as we see in Genesis. No one was there when the world was created, but God reveals how He made it to us. He reveals why we are the way we are – because of sin. He also uses the Bible to reveal His true nature and to reveal to us what will happen when we die.

To Refute

“All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17

Refute means to prove wrong, to reject. If God’s Word says no, we shouldn’t be doing it or even considering it. If the Bible says it’s wrong, there is nothing that will make it right. God’s Word is the standard we use for comparison, many laws are based on His Word.

To Reproduce

“The seed is the word of God.”
Luke 8:11

In Luke, we read the Parable of the Sower where the one planting seeds spread some on the path where it was trampled on and devoured, some fell on the rock where it withered because of no moisture, and some fell among thorns which choked it. Yet some seeds fell on good ground and produced a good crop.

The point of this tale is that the seed represents the word of God. Some people hear it and end up walking away from God; some are taken in by the devil, but some hear the word and hold on to it, changing their lives to follow it.

God’s Word has the power to create life and to take a life and transform it from an existence of nothing to a fulfilling life.

To Re-Direct

“For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
1 Peter 2:25

Just as God has the power to create life, He also has the power to redirect it and make it do a complete U-turn, for example, the most outspoken atheist becoming a Christian.

To Revive

“If I walk into the thick of danger, you will preserve my life from the anger of my enemies. You will extend your hand; your right hand will save me.”
Psalm 138:7

God’s Word has the power to heal, I’m convinced it’s cured me of headaches before, and if He can cure something so minor, just imagine the possibilities. He has the power to do miraculous things. God’s Word also brings comfort and hope in times of distress, strength, and encouragement.

To Reward

“Now without faith, it is impossible to please God since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6

God rewards those who seek Him and read His Word. He does so by revealing His true nature to us and helping us to understand His plan and purpose. In the end, we will be rewarded with the cleansing of sin and reaching Heaven, where we can be with Him.

To Prepare Us

“You also be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Luke 12:40

Lastly, God’s Word has the power to prepare us. Whatever challenges we face in life, we do so for a reason; He makes a way even out of the pits we dig ourselves into and uses them for good. We all want to reach Heaven regardless of our motives; God’s Word is the only way to prepare ourselves for that. It is by reading God’s Word and the faith, the belief that we have in God, that causes us to be transformed.

I hope that this post has been a reminder to you of the power that words can have. Maybe you learned something new, or perhaps it’s all old news. Whatever the case, I hope you enjoyed reading. Let me know what you thought about it in the comments below.

References

Lovering, C. (2022) Do Words Have the Power to Change Your Brain? Available at: Can Words Change the Brain? I Psych Central [Accessed 6 November 2023]

Exploring your mind. (2016) The Power of Words. Available at: The Power of Words – Exploring your mind [Accessed 6 November 2023]

Got Questions. (2022) What does the Bible say about the power of words? Available at: What does the Bible say about the power of words? | GotQuestions.org [Accessed 6 November 2023]

Mazzalongo, M. (2013) The 7 Powers of God’s Word. Available at: The 7 Powers of God’s Word | BibleTalk.tv [Accessed 6 November 2023]

The Power of Words

What the Bible says