You might have heard the following phrase: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but word will never hurt me.”
Although this saying may have been meant as a defense against verbal bullying, when you look at the Word of God, it really is not true.
Words are very powerful and do have the power to hurt you, especially your own words.
Proverbs 18:21 | ERV (21) The tongue can speak words that bring life or death. Those who love to talk must be ready to accept what it brings.
Your life is filled with what your lips are producing.
There are five types of confession taught in the Scriptures:
- Confession of sins under the Old Covenant
- Confession of our faith in the Lord Jesus
- Confession of our sins after the New Birth
- Confession of God’s Word UNTO faith
Hebrews 4:14 NKJV (4) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Confession – (Greek: homologia) – to say the same thing
We are called to speak the same thing that our High Priest is saying over us.
When you are speaking God’s Word, you are building your capacity to believe God’s Word.
Joshua 1:8 | NKJV (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Philemon 1:6 | KJV (6) That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
“Effectual” – (Greek: energeo – energized or activated) Paul’s words could be rendered, “That … your faith may become energized and activated.”
Let me give you an example to help you understand what this word energeo means in the context of this verse. An automobile may be filled with enough fuel to drive a long distance, but it won’t go anywhere until someone puts the key into the ignition and then turns the key. The moment that key is turned, the spark plugs are sparked, which fires up the engine. Once the engine has been activated, the potential in that car is ready to be unleashed.
The car always has the capability of moving, but if it is never activated, it sits silently in the driveway. No matter how much fuel is in the tank or how much horsepower that car possesses, its power and potential will never be realized until someone turns the key in the ignition.
“Acknowledging” – (Greek: epignosis – a well-instructed, intensive, deep knowledge of the facts, more than a surface knowledge)
The word epignosis pictures a person who knows his facts like a professional. This is a person so sure of his information that when he speaks, he does so with confidence and boldness. He has no reason to be ashamed or to fear that others may accuse him of being incorrect because he is well instructed and has an intensive, deep knowledge of the facts.
Paul is letting you know that it is essential for you to possess:
- a knowledge of exactly who you are in Jesus Christ.
- a knowledge of what Jesus has purchased in your redemption.
- a knowledge of every good thing that God has placed in you by Jesus Christ.
But how did he obtain such knowledge of the facts? No one becomes this knowledgeable accidentally.
Because the word (acknowledging) epignosis depicts a well-instructed, intensive, deep knowledge of the facts, Paul is letting you know that it is essential for you to possess a knowledge of the facts.
John 8:31-32 | NKJV (31) Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (32) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
To make these truths real in your life, you must put the key in the ignition switch.
- The key is the Word of God.
- The ignition is your mouth.
- The key is turned in the ignition when you open your mouth and start to speak the truth.
- The good things in you are activated the moment you start confessing the truth.
The way to make these blessings real in your life is to:
- thoroughly know them through diligent study
- put these truths into your heart
- speak them out loud!
That is how you turn the key in your ignition and energize these truths until they begin to manifest in you!
So quit talking negatively about yourself and begin to bring the words of your mouth into agreement with the facts of what God has deposited in your life.
You turn the key in the ignition by getting your mouth in agreement with God’s Word. And as you start speaking what God says about you, all your potential will start becoming a manifested reality!