Say It! Speak It!

Say It! Speak It!
Sunday Morning
Pastor Jim Lowe III
Sunday Morning, 9:30 am Stream
07/11/21
 

{All scriptures are NIV84 unless stated}

 

Last week was Independence Day.

We talked about historically it’s ideals of freedom.

We REALLY discussed the concept of freedom.

Not freedom as a country…

Freedom as believers.

We spent a little bit of time making affirmations of our freedom.

{Someone say:}

"I Have Been Made New!”

 “I Am Free!”

Why do we do that?

Why do people say, “Tell your neighbor?”

Why do people as you to read aloud?

Why do people ask you to repeat?

It’s something about words.

It’s important to realize how powerful our words are.

It can be said these are Positive Affirmations.

Affirmations:

  1. The action or process of affirming something.

affirm - to state as a fact.

  1. Emotional support or encouragement.

Usually when you hear affirmations…

you think of positive affirmations.

Positive Affirmations Are Positive and Uplifting Statements We Repeat To Describe What We Want

You hear these in all types of ways.

For example:

No One Controls My Life But Me; I Will Not Let Others Dictate My Day

This is a positive statement you’d say to not allow the emotions of others influence you.

Today I Will Let Go Of Distractive Habits And Pick Up Productive Ones

This one is working to encourage yourself to do something new.

We all have things we do that waste time.

Things we need to improve on.

So we speak to ourselves to “get better.”

Affirmations Are Proven To Be Good For You!

“Making Positive Statements” are proven to be good for you!

Studies have shown that this is effective!

Positivepsychology.com

It’s helpful in decreasing stress.

It’s helpful in increasing our behavior.

It’s helpful to let the small stuff roll off our backs.

But affirmations aren’t new!

Last week not only did we talk about being free.

We SPOKE it!

Why did we affirm it?

Affirmations are productive!

Declaring things are productive!

Affirmations that are positive are good for you!

Even the bible teaches us that Affirmations are biblical!

The Bible Teaches Us To Speak Things!

Here’s something about the bible:

It has the oldest recording of speak = results.

Let’s look at what the bible said God did.

Genesis 1:1-3

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

In the beginning God created.

At the start of it all…God created.

The earth was formless and empty.

Verse 3

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

God SAID “Let there be light!”

There was light!

God is the original creator.

In the VERY beginning we see the original Architect.

We see he created everything.

How did he do it?

He spoke it!

God’s Words Created Something From Nothing

God spoke light into existence!

He didn’t tell light how to be.

He said be.

Thousands of years later we’re still trying to understand light.

But God continued to speak!

All through Genesis 1:

 (Genesis 1)

When God Spoke:

        Light Formed (v.3)

        Water Separated On Earth (v.6)

        Dry Ground Appeared (v.9)

        Plants Appeared (v.11)

        Sun, Moon and Stars Appeared (v.14)

        Fish and Birds Appeared (v.20)

        Animals Appeared (v.24)

As God spoke something…it became.

There Is Power In The Words From God!

We see that God created so many things from just a word.

When God Speaks, Expect Change!

What does all this have to do with us?

Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God said that man would be made in 2 ways:

We Are Made:

  1. In God’s Image
  2. In God’s Likeness

Let’s talk about this passage.

We have different attributes from God!

  1. We Are Made In The Image Of God

An image is visible.

When you look at a picture…

That’s an image.

When you look at a movie…

That’s an image in motion.

Our eyes send the images we see to our brains that tell us what it is.

When we see a tree…{what are the characteristics of a tree?}

We learn it’s image…

That way when we see another…

We associate it as a tree.

Trees share similar images.

We learn animals based on their images.

So God said we are made in his image.

We are created in a way that “looks” like God.

Our form is in God’s image.

  1. We Are Made In The Likeness Of God

Have you ever given an impression of someone?

When we were younger, we’d make fun of our teachers.

When we get older, we impersonate our co-workers.

We impersonate others when describing a story.

We mimic their actions and maybe their words.

Comedians do it all the time.

Call it impersonate.

Call it mimic.

You can also call it “acting like.”

God has given us the ability to “act like” him in certain things.

God Has Made Our Words Powerful Also!

Proverbs 18:21

21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Our words have power!

Our words can change moods!

Question:

How Fast Can Some One Set You Off By Saying The Wrong Thing?

Someone’s words can kill your happiness!

Let someone say WORDS about you.

Let someone say WORDS about your mother. {fighting words}

Let someone say WORDS about your child.

This also goes the opposite.

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

There is something about our words!

Our Words Can Change More Than Moods!

This is where Positive Affirmations come in!

This is why we can speak positive things and they have an impact!

This is why psychologists say it’s effective!

We are created in the Likeness of God!

God Gave Our Words Power!

So…it’s good to say positive things over our life.

KNOWING THAT:

Statements like:

I Control My Day

and

Positivity Surrounds Me And My Family

are shown to be helpful.

But there is something better than positive affirmations.

What is better than Positive Affirmations?

Biblical Affirmations

Instead of speaking just positivity over your life…

Speak God’s word over your life!

Speak the promises of God over your life!

Why?

Positive Affirmations usually suggest something WE have to do.

That’s a lot of pressure on us to MAKE things happen.

WE have to control our mood.

WE have to control our thoughts.

WE have to make sure we’re always on alert.

But WE get weak!!

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

But it is in our weakness…that our God is strong.

Biblical Affirmations Speak What God Will Do For Us

Normal affirmations deal with us.

Biblical affirmations deal with God working FOR us.

For example:

Psalm 107:20

20 He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

He sent his WORDS.

What did the words do?

Heal.

God is willing to heal.

This fuels our affirmations.

Matthew 8:2-3

2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

A man spoke to Jesus.

“Jesus if you are willing, I know you can do this.”

The man spoke and acknowledged Jesus was able.

Jesus lays his hands on the man and then says “Be clean”

When Jesus SPOKE…the healing took place.

Jesus’ words have power.

But the words of the man set it up.

We Have Examples Of How To Make Biblical Affirmations!

This is how it works:

  1. We Know God Can Heal
  2. We Know God Is Willing To Heal
  3. We Know He Gave OUR Words Power

Because our words have power…

  1. We Can Speak Healing Over Our Lives!

Matthew 9:20-22

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.

She spoke her own healing!

Same thing with the Centurion in Matthew 8.

“Lord I believe you can stay where you are and speak…and he can be healed.”

There are benefits to speaking the word.

Ephesians 6:17

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The word is the sword of the Spirit.

The Word Of God Is A Weapon

The word of God is a weapon.

When You Speak Biblical Affirmations, You’re Using A Weapon!

These are the power of our words!

Speak Biblical Affirmations Over Yourself!

What are some Biblical Affirmations you can speak over yourself?

Biblical Affirmation:

  1. I Don’t Have To Be Afraid Of Anyone!

{Psalm 23}

I will fear no evil…for God is with me.

Biblical Affirmation:

  1. God Keeps Me Sane And Stable!

{Psalm 125:1}

God if I trust in you…I cannot be shaken.

Biblical Affirmation:

  1. I Am Chosen With A Purpose By God!

{Ephesians 1:4}

He chose us in him before all creation to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Biblical Affirmation:

  1. I Am Free!

{Romans 8:1-2}

 There is no condemnation…for Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death.

I am new in Christ and FREE!

Biblical Affirmation:

  1. God Is With Me

{Psalm 46:1; Joshua 1:9}

God is our refuge!

He will be with us wherever we go.

recap:

Your words have power.

God gave you the ability to SPEAK things.

Speak the word of God over your life!

Speak it daily!

Speak it over your family!

 

 

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