**“Every day a war rages throughout the world. The first volleys were fired nearly six thousand years ago when man was still in paradise, and the war has continued unbroken by a cease-fire from that time. There are no prospects of an armistice until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to set things right. The casualty list is absolutely appalling. The destructive weapons used in this war have either injured or caused the death of every man, woman, and child who has ever lived.
Every day each one of us must take our place on the battlefield. In fact, we never really leave the battlefield, for the battles are waged in our minds. The mighty weapons arrayed against us are words, and our weapons to strike back are also words. The critical issue in each battle is over which words we will believe—the words of the enemy or the words of God. Failure or success, defeat or victory, death or life will be determined by words.”
“How will we respond to them?”
“We are constantly being influenced by words. Advertisers spend billions of dollars annually utilizing television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and billboards to carry words that will persuade consumers to buy their product or service. Politicians also spend huge sums of money to entice voters to put or keep them in office. In a courtroom trial, words spoken to a jury and judge will determine whether the accused will spend years of his life in prison or be set free.”
“Of far greater importance than the products we buy, the people who will govern our nation or community, or even whether we spend years in prison or not is our eternal life and our fellowship with God. Yet even this vital aspect of our lives is determined by the words that we believe.”
“A jury trial may include a prosecuting attorney, a defense attorney, eyewitnesses, and expert witnesses. The verdict will be determined by their words, and yet they are all men. The promises we hear from both sides in political contests are made by men. In advertising, all the claims of the superiority of one product or service are also set forward by men. But in the battle of greater importance than all others, it is not the words of one man pitted against those of another. It is rather the words of God set against the words of men.” **As Deep Waters, Ken Petty. pg 76
E.W. Bullinger defines the word trust as: “to be persuaded or convinced, to be assured of something. It means to persuade or TO BE won by WORDS!! He goes on to define the same Greek word translated persuade in this way: “to win by words, influence, to speak with winning words. Also to suffer (or allow) oneself to be convinced in favor of anyone and to yield assent to, trust him or obey him.” A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament by E.W. Bullinger pg 823,583.
As we allow the words of God to persuade us willingly, then we become more fully convinced of the truth and that the realities of His words are vital to our spiritual health and overall well-being.
“Every day each one of us must take our place on the battlefield. In fact, we never really leave the battlefield, for the battles are waged in our minds. The mighty weapons arrayed against us are words, and our weapons to strike back are also words. The critical issue in each battle is over which words we will believe—the words of the enemy or the words of God. Failure or success, defeat or victory, death or life will be determined by words.”
How will YOU respond to them?
Chosen Gems 