The Power of Our Words

Dear Beloved Harbinger Gospel Church Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray this letter finds you well

and growing in the knowledge and love of our Savior.

This week, I felt compelled to share with you a message that has been weighing heavily on

my heart since the inception of our humble church – the power of our words and how they

shape our community in Christ. It isn’t heavy on my heart because we’re failing or because

it is an area of needed growth, on the contrary, this is an area that we generally do quite

well. However, as your pastor, I believe it's crucial that we reflect on this together lest we

drift far away from it. We must stay low before the Lord, and we must be intentional,

carefully keeping each step, one after the other, on the narrow path of our Lord.

Our speech is a mirror of our hearts, and as followers of Jesus, we are called to use our

words to build up, encourage, and bring glory to God. King David's prayer in Psalm 19:14

beautifully captures this aspiration: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer." Not only can our deeds

please God, but so can our words and meditations.

In a world that often celebrates sharp wit and cutting remarks, we must be vigilant in

guarding our tongues and examining our hearts. The apostle Paul exhorts us in Ephesians

4:29: "No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building

up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear." The Greek word used here –

'sapros' – means "rotten" or "worthless," painting a vivid picture of how God views speech

that tears down rather than builds up.

I want to address a specific form of speech that can be particularly harmful – sarcasm.

Webster defines it as "a sharp and often satirical or ironic utterance designed to cut or give

pain." While it may seem harmless or clever, sarcasm can be a subtle poison in our

relationships. It's hostility disguised as humor, and at its core, it's a form of deception.

Proverbs 26:24-25 warns us: "A hateful person disguises himself with his speech and

harbors deceit within. When he speaks graciously, don't believe him, for there are seven

abominations in his heart." When sarcasm becomes a habit, it erodes trust and creates an

atmosphere of uncertainty.

1Instead, let's cultivate speech that honors God and builds up our brothers and sisters.

Philippians 4:8 provides excellent guidance: "Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is

commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—

dwell on these things." I know this is about our thinking, but from our hearts flow our

words; these principles can guide our speech as well.

1. Whatever is true: Speak with honesty and integrity, avoiding exaggeration or

distortion.

2. 3. Whatever is honorable: Use language that reflects respect for others and yourself.

Whatever is just: Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and promote

fairness.

4. Whatever is pure: Keep your speech free from profanity and focus on wholesome

5. 6. 7. 8. topics.

Whatever is lovely: Use words that bring beauty and harmony to relationships.

Whatever is commendable: Offer words of encouragement and affirmation.

Moral excellence: Let your speech reflect high ethical standards and Christ's

teachings.

Praiseworthy: Use your words to glorify God and offer genuine compliments to

others.

To help us put this into practice, I offer three practical steps:

1. Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit through prayer and meditation.

2. Be slow to speak, pausing to reflect before we talk.

3. Practice affirmation, making a conscious effort to encourage others daily.

Further, we must consider the importance of letting our yes be yes and our no be no. As

followers of Christ, we must be a people whose word can be trusted and counted upon.

When we speak, others should know that what we say is true.

Jesus himself emphasized this in Matthew 5:37: "Let your 'yes' mean 'yes,' and your 'no'

mean 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one." This teaching calls us to a level of

2integrity in our speech that goes beyond mere honesty – it demands consistency and

reliability.

Imagine if our Lord was sarcastic or loose with His words. When we walk through those

hard seasons of life, we might then rightly question, "Is it really finished? Are You really near

to the brokenhearted?" But praise God, the Lord is trustworthy! When He said "It is finished"

on the cross, it truly was done! There is no need to wonder or doubt. We really do have a

great high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

Dear family, let us commit to being a community where our words reflect the love and

grace of Christ. May we be known not for clever comebacks or biting wit, but for our

encouraging, uplifting, and truth-filled speech.

Let's strive to live in such a way, and use our speech in such a way, that when we tell

someone that Jesus is Lord, and that He loves them and desires for them to be saved, they

would believe us. Our consistent truthfulness in small matters builds credibility for the

greatest truth we can share – the gospel.

Let’s honor God and also create a community that truly reflects His kingdom – a place

where love, trust, and genuine fellowship can flourish.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy

Spirit be with you all.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Ryan Stanley

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