Words. Words spoken in haste or anger can produce lasting, detrimental effects. The wounds from some words can last a lifetime. Words spoken in love can produce lasting, positive effects. Sometimes those same words are passed down from generation to generation, passing the love and encouragement on. These are the natural consequences to words people speak. There can be much stronger, much more powerful consequences if the person speaking the words is filled with the Holy Spirit of God. The words of believers have such power to change lives and bring healing to the broken because the Holy Spirit dwells within. Yet I wonder how many of us actually consider what we say and how we say it?

The natural realm that we live in has a spiritual side and when we are spiritually receptive we can see how what is happening in the natural is being mirrored in the spiritual. I am sometimes amazed at Pastors in churches who ‘spiritualize’ the Word of God and do not give heed to the fact that the Word of God is true just as it is written. Yes it has a spiritual side, or context, if you will, and it is ALSO true in the natural. When the Word of God says He spoke through the mouth of an ass, that actually occurred. (And yes, He still uses jackasses today!  🙂   )

Quite often our words, spoken in haste or anger, bring pain to someone who isn’t even present. Gossips often stab someone in the back when they are not around, not understanding that their words are carrying arrows to the victim. We step all over people, metaphorically speaking, and those same people can suffer spiritually and physically.

The words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts have the power to direct our path and the paths of others.  Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Death and life – cursing and blessing — exist in the mouth of believers and it is up to each person to decide how they intend to use their mouths – whether for good or for evil.

I believe that only someone who has suffered the ravages of verbal and physical abuse can truly comprehend the life-giving power of words of love, acceptance, and encouragement. Sometimes all a victim needs in order to give them the strength to fight to gain back stolen ground is to know that someone is listening: that someone hears and cares about what they are saying and acknowledges that what happened was not right, nor was it their fault. In order to lift a person from victim to victor we must enter into their arena with them, standing back-to-back, standing in the battle with them, and through empathy and compassion teaching them how to become the victor, leading them to higher ground with words. Words of life. Words of love. Words of encouragement. Words of compassion. Words of constructive advice. Words of hope.

Our words have the ability to give life, to restore health to mind and body, or to destroy. We get to choose. I confess that there have been times when my words did not bring honor to the Father nor did they give life or hope to the hearer. I am determined that will not be the case again.

Choose this day whom you will serve…..as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Sometimes I’m certain that I will never be whole until I meet Jesus. So this week, in a moment of needing to connect in the middle of the night, I went in search of a PTSD support group. Let’s face it – I’m basically a selfish person and I wanted someone to validate me at 3:00 a.m.! But I didn’t want to burden (again) those who so selflessly have given of themselves for so long to keep me going. So I went online. After all, you can find anything on the internet. What I found is breaking my heart.

I joined an online support group after looking at several. Most of the groups looked like bashing sites and I’m not into that so I kept searching until I ran across one that really is about supporting one another and making positive steps forward. I submitted a request to join the group and, after being accepted I have spent some time reading and re-reading some of the stories and looking at the faces. And I cry out to Jesus for these people.

In an instant my woes became as dust as I looked into these sad, lifeless eyes and read the horrible truths of their daily survival. More than anything I want to see them all healed. I want to see life in those eyes and smiles on those faces. I want to read about victories and picnics and vacations and happy lives. I want the Lord to give them their lives back and I cry out for mercy for them.

After reading some of the stories I no longer felt the need for validation – I felt the need for war! I perceive the broken lives I am looking at are the result of the work of demons – and I want revenge for their lives! I guess you could say I’m on the warpath. LOOK OUT DEVIL!

Some of the stories inspired me to speak directly with the authors and offer words of encouragement and to even share a bit of my victories. Just little things that might help them over a rough patch but with each message I left behind a little piece of my heart.

And now I am angry – angry at the devil and even more angry at the church! Where are you church people who claim to believe in Jesus Christ? Where are you and why aren’t you in here pitching with these people to get them set free from the bondage within which they are trapped? Why aren’t you coming alongside one of these and setting them free? Why are these people so lonely? WHERE IS THE CHURCH???

I wouldn’t presume to speak for Christ but I can tell you that if I were in HIS shoes I’d be fighting mad. A full one third of the earth’s population belongs to Jesus Christ, and if we belong to Christ then we are supposed to have His love and compassion operating in us. If that were so then there wouldn’t be a need for these kinds of web-sites. We’d be in the trenches with people that are hurting and they would have a person to go to who would stand with them and help them through their trials. But they don’t. They have PAID PROFESSIONALS who give them drugs for anxiety and depression and sleeping pills and offer no hope for healing. NO HOPE! How well I know that feeling.

Maybe these people, like me, simply didn’t want to burden those they know, but I don’t think so. What I was reading was desperation from people whose friends and family have told them to just get over it. Get over it. Well, they would if they knew how but there is no one helping them find a way out. So I am jumping into the fray and offering a way of escape through the Great Physician. I pray at least one will find hope and healing. If we would each reach just one . . . .

(Thank you, Sue, for reaching me!)