SPEAK UP
In the beginning, God spoke, and everything came into existence. In fact, it states that “God said” 10 times in Genesis 1 alone, and by the end of the chapter, all of the universe was formed. His words held deterministic power, aligning creation with His divine will. As we explore Genesis and other passages, we discover that among all of creation, God has bestowed upon humanity the unique ability and authority to speak.
This week, Resonate Church was blessed by guest Pastor Jonny Strutt, who helped us unpack the significance of our words and the transformative impact they can have on our lives and the world around us through a powerful messaged titled, “Speak Up.”
Genesis 2:7 describes the process of God creating man, calling man “a living being (NIV).” However, in the original Hebrew, this man (Adam) is actually called, “a speaking spirit.” Humans were set apart from the rest of creation as the only ones endowed with the power of speech – to speak as God does. After granting Adam this power, God rested, giving Adam the ability and authority to speak over creation, as he names the different animals in the Garden of Eden.
Likewise, God has also given us the ability to speak over His creation. Our words have tremendous power, and are capable of shaping our reality and influencing the course of events. We have been entrusted with the responsibility to speak and use our words wisely.
Throughout history, God has chosen many individuals to speak on His behalf, conveying His message to the world. We’ve typically called those people prophets, or saints. As we discussed in our “Saints” series at Resonate, God has called all His believers into sainthood. That means that we have the privilege of speaking words on Earth that align with things already happening in heaven!
Our words are not empty utterances – they carry substance and potential to impact the world. The Bible tells us to speak the truth in love, because truth without love can be cruel, and love without truth is meaningless. All of our words carry weight. Reckless words are incredibly damaging, which is why it’s so important to speak life-giving words.
Proverbs 18:21 highlights the incredible gift and responsibility we have been given concerning our words. With this authority also comes consequence. We possess the ability to bring God into our situations through the words we speak. By aligning our speech with God’s Word, we invite His supernatural power to partner with us. When faced with challenges, we have a choice – to speak defeat, or to speak God’s truth, knowing that faith plays a crucial role in shaping the outcome.
That’s not to deny the gravity of your situation. Whatever you’re going through – sickness, brokenness, addiction – it’s not easy. But by speaking faith-filled words into those situations, you can admit the toughness while acknowledging that God reigns about it all. Just as God spoke over the dark and formless Earth, bringing light and order, He can speak into our dark and empty lives. Our words have the potential to usher in God’s transformative presence and supernatural intervention.
As “speaking spirits,” we have the ability to shape our reality, influence others, and invite God’s presence into every situation. This week, let’s choose our words wisely, speaking life, truth, and love to ourselves and those around us. By partnering with God through our speech, we can experience His supernatural power working in and through us. Just as God spoke, let us boldly speak up and see the world transformed.
Make sure to check out the full message below!
