They're More Than Words

by Jan Ord

 

How important is what we say? Does it have any effect on how we live?

 

Have you ever sat and talked with another person, and found afterwards that the conversation helped you clarify your thinking and thereby solved your problem? You were helped by putting things into words.

 

Jesus once said that a person will be either justified or condemned by his words. Negative words will produce a condemned life. We see this in everyday human life. If you continually tell a child that he is a failure - that he can't do this and can't do that - the end product will be an adult who is completely lacking in self-confidence and who is unable to make a positive worthwhile contribution in the world.

 

On the other hand, a child who is raised in an atmosphere of encouragement, love and accomplishment - and who is praised and encouraged every time he achieves something - will likely turn out to be an adult from whom one can draw greater and greater resources.

 

As Christians, we have died with Christ and been raised with Him to new life. We have been born all over again into the kingdom of God. "All things are become new." Therefore, we are saints! Sin no longer indwells our hearts; we have been made the pure in heart, in fact we have been given totally new hearts.

 

Now, what do we confess? Do we confess that we are sons and daughters of God? That our Father is the ruler of the universe, and therefore in charge of all that happens to us, no matter how seemingly adverse at the moment? That we are victorious because we are joined as one spirit with Christ, who is victor­ Mr. Victory?

 

Or do we confess a negative confession, still adhering to the old thing of failure and sin But all of these old things have passed away: how can we cling to them and confess them in our lives? So, whenever any doubts come into mind, I can say: "I am the beloved of the Father; I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." There are no "buts."

 

In the beginning, the Word spoke and the creation came into being. Paul tells us that this same powerful Word is "near, even in your mouth and in your heart" (Rom. 10:8). The all-powerful Christ who spoke creation into existence now indwells us and speaks His words in our hearts. As He speaks within, we should speak out those works with our mouths. Feelings and outer appearances do not enter into it. We speak not only what seems to be externally, but what is, in our hearts, where we are one with God through Christ.

 

Once we recognize who we are - that we are one with Christ, and therefore sons and daughters of the great God - we don't accept negative thoughts. (The thought isn't sin, but to accept it and act out of it is.) We know we have passed from death to life, and that there is no further room for any condemnation. "Who is he that condemns?" No one can charge anything to God's elect! (And we shouldn't let anyone do so!) We are His respon­sibility, and it is up to Him to bring the outer manifestation of the new heart into appearance. Our part is to simply recognize the glorious fact of the new creation and confess it as truth. He then delivers the fruit in our daily experience.

 

So instead of accepting negative thoughts, we accept positive ones. This is not trying to "think positive" and pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. It is simply confessing what is true, though not yet seen. "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything wor­thy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." These become our confession.

 

Words are powerful, much more so than we can imagine. We have the Word dwelling in us, and as we continually recognize and acknowledge that fact our lives will overflow with power. From out of our innermost being - out of the heart, where we are one with Christ - will "flow rivers of living water," so that the desert will begin to turn into a fruitful field. And as our lives touch others, we will be used to transmit the love and life of God to them also.

 

We are saints, not sinners, even though the outer flesh still commits sins. But let us "see through" the outer flesh and acknowledge the fact, not the appearance. Let us guard our con­fession, watching what we say - for when we confess that we are saints instead of sinners we speak the truth, and so it will come about in visible experience.