How to Change Your Life through the Power of Words

Who hasn’t spoken jokingly or playfully at some time or another? We’ve all done it. How differently would people speak, though, if they truly believed in their words? Statements like, “That makes me sick.” or “This is what kills me.” would quickly disappear from our lips. New statements like, “I am a millionaire!” and “I am out of debt!” would be spoken with conviction and heard for miles around!
However, one saying remains true, whether people choose to believe it or not, and that is: “Words have power.” For the origin of such power, let’s begin with the source, God.
We’ve heard the stories of Genesis. Throughout its pages, runs a central and constant theme: God spoke and a corresponding action or manifestation occurred. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3.) Ultimately, the elements of everything we can see, and also those things that we cannot see, like oxygen and electricity, originate from the voice of God—even you and I!
Mankind was made in God’s image and in the image of the Word of God, who was present with God when creation occurred. “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature” (Genesis 1:26, MSG). More importantly, we don’t just look like God, we are like God! “Jesus said, ‘I’m only quoting your inspired Scriptures, where God said, ‘I tell you—you are gods’ ” (John 10:34, MSG). That means we possess within us God-like qualities, such as the ability to love and even the ability to create through the power of speech. Examples of such life-changing occurrences are throughout the Bible. Here are a few:

• “Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose” (Proverbs 18:21, MSG).
•  “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23).
• “Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked” (Mark 5:41, 42).
• “So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them” (Isaiah 55:11, MSG).

Any one of these is powerful enough to change your circumstances or your life! The Bible contains numerous instances of Word power. It is a book of seeds—Word seeds. You can take your pick!
Because God’s creative force is within us all, it is so important that we consciously choose the words we speak. Words have consequences. Through what you say, you have the ability to bring to pass either good or bad. In addition, words are spiritual containers that can produce physical things. All they need in order to reproduce is the fertile ground of a believing heart. This works either purposely or not on purpose.
As a Christian, there is authority available to you through the words you speak in the name of Jesus. We call forth His name when we pray, and He backs what we say, when it agrees with what God has said.
Know that the Word of God is alive and effective! As a result, you can speak it with confidence over your finances, or more particularly, concerning a light bill. You can declare it for a body to be healed! You can call into existence a job, a spouse, well-behaved children—whatever you need! With the Word of God consistently on your tongue and in your heart, along with the dynamic power of the name of Jesus, you can rearrange your life. Change will come. Expect it to eventually show up!

Unveiling the True Purpose of Jesus' Mission: From the Law of Moses to Eternal Salvation

Jesus’ objective on the earth was to initially save His people from their sins. His people were the Jews, who were trying to obey the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was the Ten Commandments, which later included 613 laws that derived from the original ten.

Although it sounds like an oxymoron, when God gave the Ten Commandments, it wasn’t intended to make the people good. The Law’s ultimate objective was to show people their sins, and demonstrate their need for a Savior (Romans 3:20, Galatians 3:19, AMP).  In doing so, it brought sin to the forefront, amplifying the sinfulness of the people. The Law illustrated a glaring separation between God—Who is perfect—and human beings, who are not (2 Corinthians 3:7, 8). The Law was impossible to obey.  For instance, if a person broke just one of the laws, he was guilty of breaking them all (James 2:10). And when he did, curses, death, guilt, condemnation, and various punishments followed (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). The Jewish people sacrificed animals as sin offerings, which temporarily atoned for sin, but it did not permanently bridge the gap between God and mankind (Hebrews 9:11-29).  

The Law is good, perfect, and just because it came from God, Who is good, perfect, and just (Romans 7:7-14). However, the problem with the Law is that it cannot make people good. It constantly shows people their weaknesses, sins, and flaws. Thank God for Jesus being our Savior! “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”(Galatians 4:4-5).
Jesus laid down His life as the final and eternal sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:13-14). He took upon His body all the wrath and judgment due to mankind. In other words, He traded places with us. Now, we are eternally loved and forgiven because of Jesus. He serves as the bridge between a perfect God and us. Jesus walked the earth as the personification of grace and truth. When He was born, sin and death reigned upon the earth, but now because of His sacrificial death, grace and truth reigns!

Does this truth give us liberty to continue in sin with no consequences? (Romans 6:1-2, AMP). Of course not! Sin brings upon us all kinds of natural consequences, and causes us to lose confidence in our relationship with God. Sin makes us feel guilty and condemned. It causes us to want to hide from Jesus. However, His grace is sufficient. It gives us the strength to not sin. Ultimately, God’s love and grace turns us away from sin. 
Another powerful benefit of the eternal sacrifice of Jesus is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Once we are saved, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). He is our Guide, and when we yield to His leadership, we will no longer have the desire to sin (2 Corinthians 3:18). 

Jesus’ eternal sacrifice freed us from the Law forever! And whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Navigating Singleness: Finding the Right Spouse through Trusting in God

If you’re a single person, you need to understand something. The word “single” does not mean that you’re not whole; it means separate, unique, and whole. You’re whole and complete in Christ. “So you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ” (Colossians 2:10, TLB). You are not a “half” looking for your other “half.” You don’t want some needy, single person who thinks his or her life is going to be better just because he or she is with you. It takes two “whole” people to make a ‘whole’ marriage.

Now, if you’re single and desire to be married one day, there’s a definite criteria that you should be looking for in a mate. Back in the day, the Church used to preach that God has the perfect mate for you. I don’t believe that, and now I know that’s not true. Joshua 24:15 says, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

If you have a choice about whom you’re going to serve, you definitely have a choice about whom you’re going to marry! I don’t believe there’s a perfect choice (meaning the only choice you can make) but I do believe there’s a good choice.

The first criteria set by the Bible is that the person be born-again. If you’re a Believer, you should marry another Believer in order to avoid being unequally yoked. “Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 10:6, GW).

Secondly, don’t look for somebody you can live with; look for somebody you don’t want to live without. My wife was somebody I didn’t want to live without. To this day, I tell her, “Baby, you know you all I got!”
A lot of men pray for somebody pretty. “She got to be fine!” But “pretty” and “fine” might turn out to be “ugly” on the inside! The Bible says a man should be asking God for a prudent (wise and understanding), intelligent, wife (Proverbs 19:14, AMP), a woman who can benefit you because of her intuition. Men reason a lot, but women are built with a lot of intuition. There are some things she knows without having to go through the reasoning process. You don’t need a “yes” woman; you need a woman who can talk to you about you! What are you going to do with a woman whose only thing going for her is a weave and makeup? How is that going to help you? That’s going to frustrate you one day.

If you’re a single woman, you need to pray for a husband who is merciful, gracious, and kind. Don’t ask God for a light-skinned or fine man! Even if he’s not all that good looking, he’ll begin to look good to you when he’s merciful, gracious, and kind. A lot of women are single right now because they’re looking for what “looks good” instead of what they need. You want to marry “tall, dark, and handsome,” and when you do, he turns out to be the same way in his spirit—dark!

You can’t go wrong when you put Jesus in the center of everything you do. You’re under the covenant of grace, which is your assurance that the Holy Spirit guides you in all of the affairs of your life—He knows everything about you. He’s your Helper (John 14:26, AMP). When you place your total trust and reliance on Him, He’ll lead you to make a good choice when choosing a marriage partner for life.
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart” (Psalm 37:4, AMP)

Unlocking the Power of Praise: How Giving Thanks to God Can Transform Your Life

As Christians, we should make praise a central part of our lives. Why is this important? Praise is one of the ways we thank God for His unfailing love and mercy, and it helps us focus on His goodness rather than negative circumstances. Praise also builds our faith, defeats the enemy, and brings us into God's presence.

There is always something to worry about, but there is also always something to praise God for. Even small things like waking up in the morning or having a roof over our heads are worth praising Him for. God loves to be praised and appreciated, no matter how big or small the thing we are praising Him for is.

Praise is also a powerful weapon against the devil's attacks on our joy. The devil wants us to focus on problems instead of solutions and to live in fear instead of faith. But when we give God praise in spite of our circumstances, we defeat the enemy's tactics and cultivate a deeper relationship with God.

One example of this is found in the story of King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah in the Old Testament. When a great multitude rose up against Jehoshaphat, he was afraid and sought God's help. He proclaimed a fast throughout Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1-25) and the Lord's reply came through one of the prophets, "Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15, AMP). After receiving this message, the situation improved for Jehoshaphat and the people he governed. He appointed singers to praise the Lord and "when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah: and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:21, 22). Their enemies were defeated while they were praising God, and they spent three days gathering the spoils!

Praise and worship served as weapons on the frontline of battle, in the same way, when we focus on the goodness of God instead of worrying in the midst of trouble, we will find that praise and thanksgiving expands our capacity to receive from Him. Our praise has many dynamic effects, that's why it should be established as part of our everyday lives. Praise is also one of the ways we acknowledge God’s grace. When we praise God and allow Him to do what we cannot do, we experience His complete and perfect work in our lives.