It was late Saturday night, my ten-year-old granddaughter was spending the weekend with me. This child is full of energy and never stops talking. She had taken her bath for the night and was preparing for bedtime. As I watched her run giggling down the hallway, this thought came to mind.
“This child is full of confidence and security in who she is and how she looks.”
As that thought ran through my mind, the Lord spoke to me. He said, “No one has ever told her any different.”
I began to think about the many negative things that are spoken over children, by their parents and others. I began to imagine a world where a child or an adult never had anything contrary to the Word of God spoken over them. They would be like Brailee, happy, secure and confident in who they are, mentally, emotionally and physically. They would be free and happy.
Unfortunately, that is not the life most of us have lived.
The Bible says life and death is in the power of the tongue. Each time our mouth opens, one of two things come out – either life or death.
Those words are constantly building up or tearing down. Pause and think deeply about that for a moment.
As I pondered this, the Lord brought a scripture to mind. It is found in Isaiah 54:17.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
The word condemn means to show to be in the wrong. It is up to us to cast down every negative word and declare what God says about us.
The Amplified Bible says it like this; But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.
It’s our blood bought right to take every negative word ever spoken over us, cast them down, put them under the blood of Jesus and prove them wrong. If words spoken about us are not what God says about us, they are wrong. But again, it is up to us to condemn them.
God led me to another familiar verse. In Genesis 3, when God came to fellowship with Adam and Eve, their shame kept them from God. To which He said, “Who told you that?”
I believe God is again asking, “Who told you that? Who spoke that over you?”
Many of you reading this have had negative things spoken over you from your parents and grandparents. Perhaps you are still having negative things spoken over you today but someone you love. If that is you, it’s time to arise and condemn those words. Replace them with what God says about you and ONLY what God says about you.
God never intended us to use words to tear down, but to build up. Especially as parents. Please watch what you speak over your children, grandchildren and loved ones. Speak life and life only!
It is my prayer for you this week that you take hold of the scripture in Isaiah. That you remember, no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Much of those weapons are through words – may you condemn every negative word that has been spoken against you and replace them with the word of God. It is your right because you belong to God. As you do, may you be like Brailee, free and confident in who you are in God and who He is in you.
Meditate on this!
And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! James 3:10
