The Power of the Spoken Word

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

Do my words have more power when I say them out loud?

Growing up, my mom would consistently drill this into my head, “You have what you say.” Should I wake up grumpy and claim the day to be downright rotten, my mom might respond with, “Laurie, you are going to have a wonderful day!” She would then remind me, “You have what you say.”

Ok, I promise, I am not about to preach a prosperity message. There will be no “Name it and claim it” reels played out in this article. I want to unravel what the Word of God says about the spoken word and the power it has in our lives.

Words Are Important

James compares our tongues to the rudder of a ship in James 3:4-5. Although the boat is large, it is controlled by a very small rudder. Likewise, although the tongue is small, it also can control the direction of our lives.

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.  Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.

James 3:4-5

The tongue is mentioned over 100 times in the Bible. What we speak out loud carries a heavy responsibility. What we say to and about others and what we confess about ourselves makes a difference.

Every time we open our mouths, we make a choice. We choose life or death, health or harm. James 3:6 tells us the tongue’s wickedness comes from hell. Some questions to ask ourselves before we speak might include: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind? This goes for what we say about ourselves too.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 3:6

Can we sabotage our lives by speaking negative words? Can others affect the course of our lives by the words they say to or about us?

Negative Words Build Cages

Have you ever been called a bad name? Perhaps you have experienced a lifetime of shame and hurt because of a label someone put on you? A childhood nickname that unfortunately stuck? Do things spoken over you from years ago still play in your head? Or perhaps you have spoken negative words about yourself?

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Proverbs 21:23

Negative words build cages. It is harder to get free once we are locked in the cage of wicked words and labels. Even when we do find freedom, often the scars remain.

The good news is, we are not fighting in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will help us control our tongue, and God will work tirelessly to heal and beautify our brokenness.

There is beauty in brokenness. We have a healer, a fixer of brokenness, a God who mends us back together better and stronger. He works tirelessly on our behalf, behind the scenes, as He orchestrates His grace to play beautifully with our brokenness, creating the masterpiece of us–The Beautifully Broken.

Laurie Hampton

You have what you say.

So, do I have what I say? Does the power of my spoken word over my life and others make a difference?

Jesus tells us this in the following illustration from Mark 11:23, He says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.”

Speaking truths OUT LOUD makes a difference. No, the spoken words do not carry a type of mystical power. But I do find a sort of psychological strength in speaking things aloud. I have a lot of internal chatter going on in my head all day long. But I find when I stop and say (sometimes shout) the words aloud, it quiets the negative clatter in my head.

For example, if I am feeling anxious and have worrisome thoughts running like rabid squirrels in my mind, I might stop and say OUT LOUD, “I do not have a spirit of fear.” Or, “I am safe.”

If I feel pessimistic about a situation, saying things to myself, like, “I can’t do this.” Or “I will never be any good at this.” I might stop and say OUT LOUD, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Or, “I am learning to do new things.”

Positive words, spoken OUT LOUD, help me to stop worrying, stressing, or feeling frustrated. It is a practice I have used for years. I am not a trained professional in any of this, but a long-time student of life. When I recalled how many years I have used this practice, I recognized the power it has had in my life, and I want to share it with you.

Speak the truth

One of my biggest struggles with the “You have what you say” or the “Name it and claim it” movement is rooted in the integrity of truth. I am not OK with saying, “I have a million dollars,” when I clearly have no such thing, and my motivation for saying it is selfish.

What I am using are positive affirmations and encouraging statements based on Biblical truths.

• I trust in the Lord with all my heart; and lean not unto my own understanding.  In all my ways I acknowledge Him, and He shall direct my paths (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• The Joy of the Lord is my strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

• I wait upon the Lord, and He renews my strength; I mount up with wings as eagles, I run, and am not weary; I walk, and am not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
• I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

My Powerful Word Box

There are many ways to incorporate these powerful affirmations into your day. You could write a few on notecards and place them around your house, in your purse, and in your car. Or you can do what I do. I keep a box of them printed up and each week I grab a few that are meaningful for what’s going on in my life. Then, I keep them where I will see them frequently.

I believe in the power of using these positive affirmations so much that I want to provide you with a starter kit for your own powerful word box. So, at the end of this post, you will find a free printable of powerful affirmations and Bible verses you can claim over your life.

Speak Up!

So, do my words have more power when I say them out loud? This is the question we set out to answer today. My conclusion is an OUT LOUD YES! God spoke the world into existence. He did not mumble or ponder it in His thoughts. He said the words to create everything we can see, touch, smell, taste, and feel.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:3

From my personal experience, when I say my affirmations out loud, I am more likely to believe them. This makes a difference in how I feel and think. In our Bible verse from Mark 11:23, we find the key to having what we say, belief. If hearing is believing, then we must speak OUT LOUD our truths.

Heavenly Father, today I proclaim your truths over my life. As I speak out loud, I hear, as I hear, I believe. I praise you with my mouth! In Jesus’ name. Amen.