Saturday, July 2, 2005

Words of Destiny

The Hebrew word for “word” is dabar. It is also translated in the verb form as “speak,” which certainly makes sense, for what is a word except that which is spoken. That is how dabar is translated. What it means is to arrange or subdue, which is what we are actually doing when we speak words.

We are created in the image of God, and when God speaks, He is arranging and subduing things. That’s how the whole universe came into existence. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God” (Hebrews 11:3). God spoke, and there it was. When darkness was upon the face of the earth and God spoke the words, “Light, be!” He was subduing the darkness and arranging the light to be. And so it was.

God created us to have dominion. “What is man that You are mindful of him … You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:6).

Since the works of God’s hands were actually created by the words of His mouth, it only makes sense that man, being created in the image of God and given authority over those same works by God, would exercise that dominion by the words of his mouth. That is why Adam’s first assignment was to call the animals. The call was a name, a word which established the nature and character of the animals. God did not tell Adam what to call the animals. Rather, He imparted the authority to speak the word of destiny over the animals — to exercise dominion over them — and then simply stood back and observed what Adam would do with that authority, what he would call them. How delighted God must have been to see His son, Adam, operating in the family business!

So it should not seem strange or unusual for Jesus to say, as He did to His disciples,
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:23)
In fact, in this command, Jesus is taking us back to the original mandate God gave man. He is teaching us how to use our words properly — which is what dabar is all about. This calls for discipleship, training our mouth and heart to operate in the authority God originally intended. For not only do words mean things, they actually cause things. That is why Jesus said that we will have to give account for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36).

Let not your words be idle. Realize that every word you speak is a word of destiny. Let the words you speak be in agreement with the Word of God, by which the heavens and the earth were created. Let your heart and your mouth be filled with the promises of God — His Words are never spoken in vain (Isaiah 55:11). Then open up your mouth and begin arranging and subduing the world, bringing it into line with His will.

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