Pt 1 - The Power of Words: The Coolest Force in the Universe

Gemini 2.5 flash

In France, in the senior year of high school, all students are required to learn philosophy. So does my daughter. The funny thing is that even with a 30-year distance, the curriculum didn’t really change since my time.

Recently, they were studying this question: What sets humans apart from animals?

Classic topic.

The correct answer is our ability to speak. To pronounce words. Although animals can develop communication languages of their own, they can’t speak (cf. Aristotle: man is a political animal).

Where does our ability to speak originate from?

Our philosophy classes in the French public school system won’t even mention it, but in a Christian worldview, speaking is constantly presented from Genesis first chapter onwards as one of the abilities of our Creator:

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” Hebrews 11:3

And guess what?

That ability was shared with us, humans. We were also enabled to speak.

Then why is speaking such a mystery?

In the case of our Creator, word and creation are intimately intertwined (speaking = creating): “And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light” (Genesis 1:3).

As human beings, we don’t have the full knowledge of how far our words are impacting reality (= “creating”), although there are clear signs in the Bible that indeed our words (=immaterial) could impact our physical realm.

However, for a different set of (good) reasons, Christians who want to give of themselves a consolidated image usually downplay the creative powers of words.

Good reasons are: we do not want to be associated with any kind of belief system that could be seen as esoteric or New Age-style wishful thinking (= magics).

Nor do we want to identify ourselves with (the excesses of the) so-called Word of Faith movement, a modern Christian movement born in the XXth century based on speaking out prosperity, health, success in our life by “declaring” specific biblical truths (=magics) -.

I personally have been witnessing firsthand the disastrous consequences of that kind of theology. It all starts with good intentions since biblical truths are wonderful to proclaim, but ends with the strong belief that we can influence reality by our words (so that we’ll get what we ask for in prayer — healing, money,… and guess what: political power).

However, living in self-denial about the potential creative power of words, even for all the above-mentioned good reasons, doesn’t mean this creative power doesn’t exist and could play a role in shaping our destiny.

However, the Bible makes it clear on many instances that many of our words are no more than empty chatter (2 Timothy 2:16) — of course, not everything we say should be considered as impactful (part of this creative power).

Are words truly shaping our destiny?

The creative power of our words is as real as the law of gravity and will impact us, for good or bad, whether we are aware of it or “believe in it.”

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” Proverbs 18:21

Our tongue here means the words we speak and is also compared to the small rudder by which a pilot is steering a ship and making it go “where ever the pilot wants to go” James 3:3–6

But how could words unleash a creative power able to shape our destiny?

Our words are setting in motion spiritual content: in Jesus’ own words: „A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” And what is “stored up in him” originates from our heart, which is connecting us to the spiritual realms (either good or evil).

Also in Jesus’ own words: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” -Matthew 12:34

By the way, no esoterism, no wishful thinking, no New Age, only mere Christianity. 😊 Get over it.

Of course, many factors are shaping our destiny, but recurring patterns in someone’s life could be potentially the result of that power unleashed by our words. And recurring patterns could shape destiny. Recurring patterns are methodologically classified in Deuteronomy 28 in a lengthy catalogue as either belonging to “benedictions” or to “maledictions.”

Both are connected to our obedience to God, aka whether you keep His commandments or not. Not specifically mentioned in Deuteronomy 28, but our words, connected to our hearts, demonstrate whether we do obey God’s commandments or not.

Aligned with our actions, our words are therefore key to either unleashing the power of life or the power of death in our lives: “I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life…” Deuteronomy 30:19

Do we choose Life?

“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4

All authors of the Bible are constantly witnessing the positive impacts of blessing words: from God blessing Abraham, Jacob blessing his children, to Jesus inspiring his followers to bless their enemies.

All, absolutely all, Christian denominations practice blessings (saying blessings to each other, either spontaneously or as part of a liturgy). So we’re supposedly quite good at it?

Provided we’ve got our words aligned to our heart, and our heart is aligned to the will of God (as per Jesus’s prayer, let Thy will be done…).

Do we understand that being able to bless others through our words is truly unique? Even angels can’t do it; you need to be created in the image of God to be able to.

It is definitely the coolest thing in the universe.

But what about the flip side?

It is way more controversial.

Follow for Part 2!

© Caliméro77