WAR OF WORDS

Tuesday 24 September

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. 1 Timothy 1:18-20 (ESV)

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

Whenever you hear the term ‘war of words’ it’s oftentimes an argument between two parties that has been exacerbated to the point of extreme animosity and hostility. In this case however, it means nothing of the sort.

Instead of using negative words to fight against people, Apostle Paul encourages his spiritual son Timothy to wage ‘a good warfare’ with the positive words of prophecy he received. He was urging Timothy to use his words wisely.

We need to quickly point out that prophecy here can refer to what was prophesied to Timothy personally or what the scriptures reveal about prophecies contained within the scriptures pertaining to Timothy. Both would need to be consistent with Christ and not open for private interpretation.

Our second scripture talks about the ‘good fight of faith’ and it concludes the verse with the idea that it all started with making a good confession. Can you see the connection between both? Words. Waging a good warfare starts with the right words. Fighting a good fight starts with the right words. Make no mistake about it.

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘you talked yourself into it’? Some people just seem to have the knack of talking themselves into favourable or unfavourable situations with their mouths. Remember your life always goes in the direction of your words. At some point, you will reap the consequences of your words whether detrimental or beneficial.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. Proverbs 18:21 AMPC

It says death first, because if you don’t speak life then death will be the result. You have to intentionally speak life over circumstances and situations if you want a positive outcome to occur. Jesus Himself said that ‘you shall have whatever you say’.

So, there is a clear cut choice to be made. You can talk yourself into things that produce death by speaking death or you can talk yourself into things that produce life by speaking life. Choose words of blessing and not cursing. Choose life!

APPLICATION

Speak words of health and not sickness, abundance and not poverty, hope and not hopelessness. Talk yourself into the things that you want and stop talking the things you don’t want.