THE POWER OF WORDS
29th Jul 2026
Our lives are shaped by the words we receive and the words we speak. It is important to guard ourselves from receiving negative, undermining words, and we need to be aware that what we say can affect those we speak with, which also impacts our own lives.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Our regular reading of God’s Word gives us direction and focus for our lives each day.
If we are unsure where life is going, God can put us back on track. At a time when things were changing in my work and ministry, people were asking what I was going to do, which shook my confidence and threatened to rob me of peace. A few days later, in my daily Bible reading, I came to Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” This settled me; God has prepared the way. My focus returned, and I saw God open up new ways and opportunities that guided the next period of my life.
What about the words we speak? Jesus said to His disciples in John 6:63, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit, and they are life.” Can that be said of our speech? What effect do we have on others as we speak?
I had agreed to spend some time with a friend who was a Church leader. As I was driving to meet with him, I sensed God asking me a question. “What are you expecting to be the outcome of your time together?” I pondered this for a moment and then said, “I want to leave him better than I find him; I want to encourage and build faith.”
Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Our minds can be a battleground, inducing fear and stirring all kinds of emotions. As we listen to God day by day and are careful to guard our speech, we can live with peace and purpose.
by Charles Sibthorpe
