Words of Life | MISQUOTED

Intro: Last few weeks

A. Misquoted

· To thy own self be true… A thought from Polonius in Hamlet. Has become a spiritual idea.

· The feel good God… “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism” That God is what you use to make your life better. And how God uses suffering to make you like him,

B. Last week “How good is good enough

· This idea that our world thinks that getting into heaven is about being a good person

· That they idea “all have sinned and fallen short…” has morphed into “I have sinned but not as bad as him…”

· We all need Jesus

>>> You can catch up on these past teachings by going to our website afreshwind.org or fresh wind central myfw.church. Today we are again, going to talk about something that seems right, feels right and sounds right but slips outside the bounds of Christian doctrine. The Power of positive thinking and speaking.

I. Where does it come from

I. Where does it come from

I. Where does it come from

A. A wave of (pop–New Age spirituality ) has washed over the US.

· Such as in books and films like The Secret

· One of the most attractive ideas is positive thinking and speaking as a means to creating positive life circumstances.

· Every generation in the past century has had a breakout self-help book that sells a million copies and Makes its way through a few million Christian wallets.

· Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich did it first in 1936. Then it was Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking about 20 years later. Then Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Giant Within came along in the ’80s. This last go-round, it’s been Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, that describes the (in)famous ‘Law of Attraction. Which might actually work in a way that’s not a Secret but a horror show. More on that later.

· Law of Attraction, in a nutshell. I can think and speak the things that I want if my life into my life.

>>> This has made its way into many Christians’ understanding of their spiritual lives because Scripture really emphasizes the power of words. However, this growing movement (in its Christian form) misquotes Scripture consistently.

B. The Christian form of this comes from the bibles emphasis on how powerful words are

· We talk about it here at A Fresh Wind all the time. You can’t take your words back.

Proverbs 18:21 NLT

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

· We love the first part and ignore the second. We want power over life. The word of God says right here we have it.

· We love the first part and ignore the second. We want power over life. The word of God says right here we have it.

· In the New Testament the first five verses in reinforce the great power that is in our words.

James 3:1–12 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

· The Bible clearly teaches that words are more powerful than you think. From the first page of the Bible, words play a massive role. God spoke the world into existence by the power of his word.

John 1:1–3 NLT

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

· The Bible clearly teaches that words are more powerful than you think. From the first page of the Bible, words play a massive role. God spoke the world into existence by the power of his word.

· Jesus is the Logos the word. Jesus spoke the world into existence. He is the living word of God.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

· Jesus is the Logos the word. Jesus spoke the world into existence. He is the living word of God.

>>> That is powerful.

C. This is where many get off track.

· They rightly see in Scripture that God creates realities with his words and that we are created in the image of God, but they fail to make the distinction between the word of God and the word of humans.

· J. R. R. Tolkien famously called humans “sub-creators.” What he meant was that only God can create something out of nothing, but humans have an incredible knack for taking the substance that God creates and building things with it. And this is a good gift of God.

· Here’s the catch: human words do have the power to create.

· What they create (in their sub-creation way) is sub-realities.

ILLUS: Where does a child’s self-image come from? It comes from an accumulation of words spoken about the child over her lifetime. Another way words create sub-realities is through truth telling vs. lying. If you lie to your friend and tell him you did not say hurtful words about him behind his back, you have created a reality (albeit, a false reality!) that he now lives in—at least until the truth comes out.

· James’s emphasis on our the power of words comes into focus when we hear Paul’s admonishment in

Ephesians 4:14–15 NLT

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

· to speak “the truth in love.” This is the true power of words.

· to speak “the truth in love.” This is the true power of words.

>>> The scripture makes no bones about it words are powerful. That web of lies we live in. The sub realities that we spin. The way your words can shape the realities of people around you. Sticks and stones may brake my bones but your words can eventually shape me. We realize the power of words.

II. Does it work

A. There is a measurable difference in healing of the body

· A positive mindset when sick, does help the body heal.

· Speaking positive words in this situation helps the mind rest and then the body is better able to rest and heal.

B. Focus…

· When you are trying to bring about change in your life focusing on what you want helps navigate you there.

· When you have focus you keep your eyes on your goal and avoid things that will not help you get there.

C. Recognition…

· One of the reasons it feels like it works is because of Recognition. I realize what I said I really wanted and spoke that for my life and I received it. Those things happen all the time but we miss them. That’s why a prayer journal is so important. If helps us recognize answered prayer.

D. The horror story..

· We have an adversary who hears us speak. If it is bad for us they want to make it true for us.

· Your worry and anxiety spoken aloud without pushback from the truth of God’s word will be used against the believer.

· Negative is always true. It depends on your motivation. Law of attraction… what are you attracting? demons

· Hitler’s words about who Germany was made them into monsters. He had help…

E. what about the scripture.

(KJV) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

Context: Misquoted

(KJV) Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

· More modern translation

Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies. 7 They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.

· This was me when my sons cousins and friends came over

· What about name it, claim it or speak it into existence… You mean

Speak those things that are not as though the are…

Context: Misquoted

(KJV) Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

(NLT) So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[d] This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing. 18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”[e] 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb. 20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.

· So, as uncomfortable this is with him being as “good as dead” Pauls way of referring to E.D. and Sarah’s womb being dead, we can see that this was a description of God that Abraham put his faith in. Not the other way around.

· See how easy it is to take scripture out of context to spiritualize something that feels right?

>>> If we buy into the thought process we believe that if we are joint Heirs with Christ and he has been given all authority that means that we have all authority and if we state it it is so… What we do is switch our roles and God becomes the servant and we become the boss.

III. What do we want to do.

A. We know that Christ purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life.

John 10:10 NLT

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

· We can ask God for anything, but we can’t leverage His love for us or our position in Christ to make him give us what we want.

· He wants to give us good things and he does as long as they lead you to a rich and satisfying life.

· A life that is sanctifying you. Making you like Him.

>>> You can ask God for a new car. A specific car. It is Okay. Trust Him to know when it is appropriate for you. Ask! We have so little because we never ask! Just ask don’t be embarrassed. He is trust worthy not to give you anything that will not lead you away from Him. What about the power of words?

B. Words have power Use them wisely

· Encourage. Words of affirmation. What can the people you love become with the help of your encouragement??

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

· Grace: Grace is to give what isn’t deserved. It doesn’t matter how they speak to you because you have the word of life to break through to true reality. It is what you speak back.

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

· Comfort: We are called to comfort. God leads us through things so we can comfort others. To share how God was faithful to us.

The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

· Communion with God. Pray= asking, praising, questioning… We are made to communicate with Him.

Let praise flow from my lips, for you have taught me your decrees. 172 Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right. 173 Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow your commandments.

C. Words of life

· God has given us the words of life

· Jesus, the very Word of God (Logos), is the Word by which God created all reality in the beginning (; ), and that selfsame Word came in the flesh to recreate reality.

· How? On the cross both God’s truth and God’s love were upheld. The truth: humanity is sinful and is deserving of death. Love: God so loved humanity that he was willing to send his Son, the Word made flesh, to be sacrificed for our atonement. This is the gospel. This is the healing of our words.

· These are words of life.

· Mouth should be filled with words of life. That breakdown the false realities and show the true reality if Jesus.

ILLUS: Greg thought he had a Raccoon eating all the barn cat’s food. He borrowed my trap. The reality was different.

· Illus: the power of the words of life is to break through all the sub realities and into the reality of god. What we feel…..

· God’s words are powerful they show us the true reality.

Summary: Jack Black had a movie where he got hit in the head and he saw the beauty on the inside of the person into beauty on the outside. There are 2 sides. He realizes the beauty within is real beauty Yay! The truth is much deeper. Deeper is not a good word. Let’s say more complex. We want a beautiful woman so people can see us with and adored by a beautiful woman. A lot of our wanting speaking things into existence have a more complex motive. Motives that only God can judge. And we need to trust Him in what’s best for us. He has given us the words of life, His son, and His word so that we can live in reality.

Illustration: Flying over Lake Erie, instruments, faith and then seeing.

His words are powerful. Application Point: The gospel offers us hope that our words can become vehicles for reconciliation rather than destruction. We must see the truth and the love of God’s Word become flesh for us. Hide them in your heart so they will show you the true reality of Him.