How do you spend most of your time? Engaged in optimistic conversation or coming up with all sorts of justifications for why your life can never turn out the way you want it to? Your answer to that question has a greater bearing on your life than you might realise.
Countless authors have written about the power of our words since time immemorial. There is a huge body of literature that suggests people have long recognised that what we speak influences what transpires in our lives. So don’t waste your time describing ‘reality’ unless it is exactly as you would like it to be. Start talking about your ideal life and expect good things to flow to you.
We are told in the Bible, Proverbs 18:21, that: “death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
Whether we prosper or perish is within our control – our words are literally a life-giving force.
When something happens to us that we don’t like, usually, our immediate reaction is to call someone up and tell them all about it. This is a very bad idea. In speaking about what we don’t want, we only add more fuel to the fire; we give more power to the unwanted situations in our lives.
We are reminded in Matthew 12:37 that, “…by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” So think and speak only in terms of ideal scenarios; it will have a profound, positive impact on your life.
Consider the pioneering research carried out by Dr. Masaru Emoto, concerning the effect of words on water. As part of his work, Dr. Emoto typed out different words on a piece of paper and pasted them onto a bottle; and then monitored how the water inside reacted to them.
The water which had words such as ‘love’ and ‘thank you’ pasted on the bottle went on to form beautiful crystals; but the water with words such as ‘you fool’ or ‘ugly’ did not form crystals at all, only chaotic, fragmented structures.
This was regardless of the language used.
Given that our bodies are around eighty per cent water, can you imagine the effect our words have on us?
Throughout the day, we carry out a running dialogue with ourselves. We spend most of our time thinking, or talking to ourselves. Do you tell yourself how incredibly successful and impressive you are; and how far you’ve come in the space of a few short years; or do you condemn yourself for not being more accomplished, or having a more beautiful physique?
Whether you realise it or not, during those moments, you’re programming your mind with empowering or disempowering messages, which will affect the actions that you take and ultimately the reality that plays out in your life.
The positive words we tell ourselves, particularly when accompanied by positive feelings, are of great benefit to us. Conversely, our negative words not only hamper our enjoyment of life, they adversely affect us, physically and emotionally.
Do you know people who always talk about how sick, or how persecuted, they are? In reality, they enjoy very little good health or consistent good fortune, not because they are less worthy, but because they continually speak illness and misfortune into their lives. “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity,” (Proverbs 21:23).
On the other hand, consider this example of Lady Gaga, one of the most recognizable and ostensibly one of the most successful musical artists today.
Explaining how she got to the place of 100 billion world-wide internet views in a recent interview, she said that she started by telling herself what began as a lie: “I have a number one record.” She said it over and over again knowing it was a lie but one day, she believed it, and then it came true. Since the release of her album, The Fame, Lady Gaga has had six number one singles, and counting.
This same principle is undoubtedly what prompted the great prophet, Isaiah, to say that: “my word shall not return to me void, but shall accomplish that where it is sent.”
What are you telling yourself? Make sure your words support your life.
When people ask you how you’re doing, even if you feel truly lousy, look for a more balanced, if not more positive, response.
Use uplifting words as “terrific” or “fantastic,” to describe your mood. This will help you bring the equivalent circumstances into your life, for our words have a vibratory power that attracts what we speak of into our lives.
The Bible says, “…love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you.”
This is not because ‘it’s a nice thing to do;’ it’s because speaking ill can only beget more ill, while blessing those who persecute us lessens the resistance in our lives, allowing more blessings to flow our way.
Not speaking ill, or blessing those who persecute us, can be exceedingly difficult, after all, we don’t exist in a bubble.
We are surrounded by people who constantly push our buttons; and others who have become so used to seeing and talking about situations in a certain way that trying to change the types of conversations we have with them can seem futile. But try we must.
This is because we are powerful beyond measure. We have the ability to create wonderful or painful life experiences, according to how we speak. “Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee,” (Job 22:28).
From now on, determine to decree only outrageous abundance in your life.
Speak only of great health and a career with which you are immensely satisfied. Recognise and speak of the blessings that flow to you ÔÇô this will amplify them ÔÇô and you will never again have to wonder whether man really was made in the image of God.
