The Power of Words

“You are what you eat." When you think about it, it's almost a scary thought. If this were literally accurate, some of us would be walking around, looking like a ballpark hotdog. Others of us would be a large order of french fries. Some of us would be a vegetable garden. Personally, I probably would look like a chocolate chip cookie on certain days.

Yet, there indeed is some truth to this old adage. If we eat healthy, the odds are that we will be healthier. If we eat junk food and don't take care of ourselves, most likely, we will not be physically as healthy as we could be.

Jeremiah combined the elements of the power of right eating and the power of words. Today, I would like for us to consider the following idea:

We need to immerse ourselves in God’s Word for good spiritual health.

When We’re Not In God’s Word, We Experience a Horrible Plight. - 15.1-14

Sometimes our words have no power. There sometimes comes a point in time that it doesn't matter what is said, the words are meaningless. Even if others plead on our behalf, their words have no impact either. It might be as a result of what we have done, said, or not done.

This is what the situation was like for the nation of Judah. The Lord lets Jeremiah know that even if two of the greatest intercessors in Israel's history, Moses and Samuel, came before God, the Lord would not change and stop the upcoming judgment.

The people must have been absolutely horrible in their defiance and disobedience to God and to His Holy Word. We think back to when God was about to destroy the Israel population as they made their exodus out of Egypt, enroute to the promised land, Moses stepped forward. He pleaded with God to change his mind. And the Bible says, in Exodus 32.14, that the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people. Of course, we know that God does not change His mind. He knew the course He would take, but the language is used so that Moses and we would see the incredible contrast between God’s anger and His intent to spare the people. In Judah’s situation, Jeremiah knew that the nation was beyond help. As a result, they would have to pay the penalty in death.

Many today have been spared judgment due to someone interceding on their behalf. Many others have played the game of saying the right words at the appropriate times, yet refusing to live in obedience to the Lord.

Eventually, the words of those living in sin will be absolutely meaningless to others and to God. How will a person know when they have reached the point of no return? How will they know when the Lord tires of the meaninglessness of empty, deceiving words.

In addition, when does a person arrive at the point, when it doesn't matter who is praying, that God regards them as going beyond the point of no return?

What a fearful situation! How terrifying to the very core of our being; to know that even though words are powerful and can cause dramatic turns of events, they are powerless against God’s final word.

When We Discover God’s Word, We Take Delight. - 15.15-18

Just like Jeremiah, we might be shouting out in our hearts, "just a second, Lord. I'm not one of them!"

Jeremiah knew quite well that God knew him and what he represented. Jeremiah knew that God recognized his willingness to be identified completely with the holy God. Listen to Jeremiah 15:15 “You who know, O Lord, Remember me, take notice of me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that for Your sake I endure reproach.”

Just as Jeremiah knew that God would have to punish those who had reached that point of no return, he also recognized that God's Word was absolutely true and faithful. He knew that God would protect those who walked uprightly.

How did Jeremiah come to that point in his life when he chose to follow God and not follow the pattern of the wicked population? We can find the answer in Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.”

Jeremiah made God's word a part of himself. The language which follows is poetic in nature. It seems that when Jeremiah discovered for himself, God's Word, he devoured it. He didn't just scarf it down, getting no taste or real benefit. He chewed; he tasted; he swallowed it for himself; thoroughly worked through it. He allowed his system to work so that God's Word was digested and dispersed throughout his entire being. God's Word began to do its work, supplying everything that Jeremiah needed.

In addition, it wasn't simply good for him. Neither was it something which tasted horribly. It was full of benefit. Consider when you may have gone to Dairy Queen, ordered a peanut buster parfait, then savored every bite. However, with Jeremiah and God's word, there was no cholesterol, no fat, 100% nutrition to his soul. Jeremiah enjoyed and relished the time in God's Word. Jeremiah might have been the one talked about in the story of the mosquito. He was so full of the Word, that when the mosquito bit him, it flew away singing, There is power in the blood. You might say he bled Scripture.

Can you and I paint that sort of picture in our lives? Would we rush to enjoy God's Word as quickly as we might rush to enjoy some ice cream? Do we look forward to spending time with God and His Word as much as we might look forward to a banquet meal, or even the greatest concert or sporting event?

There is an interesting phenomenon that occurs when we are people of God's Word. We tend to avoid the type of wickedness that is all around us. We will be able to remain pure and upright, even when all those around us are falling. We also might find that we will have to endure actual suffering and persecution because of our stand for Jesus Christ.

But we must take hope. God will reward those who trust in his powerful word.

When We Live By God’s Word, We Live Right. - 15.19-21

Jeremiah 15:19–21 (NASB95)

Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them. “Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the Lord. “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent.”

God desires genuine repentance. When there is genuine repentance, there will be restoration. This is exactly the position of our church. Not because it is constitutional or fits in the bylaws, but because it is biblical.

Notice the impact of the words. If the words are worthless, there will be no value. If Jeremiah spoke worthless words, he would more than likely have gone the way of the people in their wickedness. But, since Jeremiah spoke worthy words, words from God and His Holy Word, then Jeremiah was God's spokesperson. If Jeremiah spoke worthy words, then the people had the opportunity to turn to Jeremiah, who would point them to the Lord once again.

That is the same picture for us today. If we speak God's Words and abide by God's Holy standards, others will come to us, or at least have the opportunity to do so. If we simply mouth God's Words, while choosing to live like the world, then God will not allow us to be of any benefit to those around us who are perishing.

Even when there are those attacking us for use of the most powerful words, we can claim with Jeremiah the promise found in the last question: “”"I am with you to save you and deliver you,” declares the Lord. “So I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and I will redeem you from the grasp of the violent."”

Conclusion

If you were dying from a fatal disease or because of your choice of a particular lifestyle, you most likely would be quite open to doing whatever it took to prolong your life. If your doctor told you to cut out certain foods, to develop and maintain a certain exercise program, most people would readily follow the instructions.

Yet, when it comes to the most important issue in our lives, our spiritual well-being; our relationship to Jesus Christ; many just ignore what is necessary to make things right. They choose to simply go along the course leading to destruction.

If you feel like things are not right with your relationship with Jesus Christ, maybe it's because you are not in God's word. Maybe you're merely going through the motions, yet you are unwilling to be obedient to it.

Then you need to rediscover God's Word. You need to let God's Word get into you. Be like Jeremiah and discover the thrill and ecstasy that is yours as you expectantly open up the Bible and allow the Spirit of God to teach you as you digest every morsel of it.

Then you will have the desire to live by God's Word. You will want to do more than just study it for knowledge. You will want to apply it to your everyday life. And when you do, you will have the marvelous opportunity of being a spokesperson for Jesus Christ. You will be willing to do whatever the Lord wants, no matter what the outer circumstances. You know that when you immerse yourself in God's Word, you will experience spiritual health.