Does it Matter What We Say?

Not too long ago, I started reading a book that explained the importance of verbally confessing and professing the Word of God.  The book used many pertinent Scriptures.  But since the book was about confessing the Word, rather than just silently reading the Scriptures suggested, the author encourages readers to start reading them out loud.  So I did.  Following reading the book, I started verbalizing Scripture much more often than I had done previously.  I often quoted verses I had memorized as a child.  At first, it seemed strange, but then after awhile, I began to notice a marked difference in my prayer life, and in my spiritual life in general.  I noticed that my prayers (especially for others), were more filled with faith than they had been before because I had quoted Scripture in the prayers themselves.  

Just how important does the Word place on us to share verbally and declare the Word of God?  Let's see what the Bible says.    

We choose life or death by the words we speak: 

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

Jesus said we ourselves will determine whether or not we are justified or condemned by what comes out of our mouth: 

Mat 12:34    O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Mat 12:35    A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Mat 12:36    But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Mat 12:37    For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 

Our salvation has everything to do with a "hearing of the Word": 

Joh 5:24    Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 

If we are just giving mental assent to the Word (silently reading and agreeing with it), our testimony and the Word of God will not be heard.  It must be verbally expressed.  People's eternal lives are at stake, so we cannot shrink back and be afraid to clearly state what the Word of God says. 

In Romans 10, we have a treasure trove of verses having to do with the importance of hearing the Word, and also verbally confessing it.  Look at these verses: 

Rom 10:8    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; Rom 10:9    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.

Rom 10:10    For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

In verse 8, it is "the word of faith," which we preach.  This is not our own words; this is the Word of God.

In verse 9, we are saved by the confession of our mouth, and the belief that God raised Christ from the dead.

In verse 10 we see the importance of the confession of our salvation. 

We need to ask ourselves, When was the last time I made a confession of my salvation (my personal testimony), to someone who is lost, without Christ?  When was the last time I shared an answer to prayer to testify to someone of the mighty works of God?  The more we confess what God has done and is doing for us and through us, the more assured we become of the power and truth of God's Word. 

Later in that same passage in Romans, we learn that faith comes by hearing: 

Rom 10:17    So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

Hearing means that we physically "hear" it.  When my husband commuted to work each day, he listened to Bible tapes.  This is how he learned much of the Bible.  He was driving, and so he couldn't stop and read and take notes.  He simply "listened" to the Word of God. Years later, when he was writing as a commenter online, that same Scripture that he had listened to while driving, came to mind, and he was able to exhort, rebuke and teach the Word that he had heard. 

While it is important to attend church to "hear" the Word of God, we must be personally disciplined to hear it every day of the week and not just on Sunday morning!   

Another reason why it is important to express verbally the Word of God and the testimony of our salvation is because this is what gives us the ultimate victory over Satan's daily attacks, the enemy of our souls.  Take a close look at the following verses: 

Rev 12:10    And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 

They [we] overcame [overcome] him by "the word of their [our] testimony."   

We are to be fully clothed in spiritual battle dress to counter-attack the enemy: 

Eph 6:16    Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Eph 6:17    And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

In verse 16, it is the "shield of faith" that stops Satan in his tracks.  What is the shield of faith, but the "word of faith" spoken of earlier in Romans 10:8.  If we read the many accounts of Jesus ministry on earth, we notice that He did two things – He spoke the Word of God (what was already written), and then what the Father was giving Him currently to say. 

Luk 24:27    And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 

Joh 12:49    For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

Joh 12:50    And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. 

Also, it is important to speak the Word of God because it is "living and active."  When it is spoken, things happen supernaturally.  We get saved, but we also continue to be sanctified, as the Word reveals to us what is of the flesh and what is of the Spirit: 

Heb 4:12    For the word of God is quick [living], and powerful [active], and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

So when we boldly proclaim the Word, there will be a reaction.  We will change, and our thoughts will change (see Romans 12:2).  It is powerful, and it will not return to God void (more on this in another blog).  

There is so much more on this topic, and as I said, I would like to continue this important topic in another blog.  For now, I would like to challenge every Bible-believing Christian to start repeating, out loud, the Word of God, both as you daily read Scripture in your devotional time, and also consider quoting Scripture when you pray.  This will put you in agreement with God's Word (I'll share more about the importance of agreement in the next blog).   

A few final verses: 

Psa 145:5    I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

Psa 145:6    And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

Psa 145:7    They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. 

May God Bless you as you boldly proclaim His mighty Words and works! HE is worthy ... AMEN!