The Transformative Power of Words and Identity

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Your God-Given Identity

Our identities are often shaped by the names and labels we accept. Like Jacob, who was known as a deceiver, we can carry negative identities that impact our actions. However, God offers us a new identity in Him, one that is rooted in truth and purpose. Embrace the identity God gives you, not the one the world or negative voices impose on you. Jacob's transformation from a deceiver to Israel, a name signifying a new identity and purpose, underscores the importance of the names and identities we accept and live by. Reflect on the names and labels you have accepted in your life and consider how they have shaped your actions and self-perception. [24:11]

Genesis 32:28 (ESV): "Then he said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.'"

Reflection: What negative labels or identities have you accepted in your life? How can you begin to embrace the new identity that God offers you?

Day 2: The Power of Words

Proverbs 18:21 teaches that our words have the power to bring life or death. This means our words can either build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. Be intentional with your words, ensuring they are life-giving and affirming, especially towards your children and loved ones. Our words can have a profound impact on the lives of those around us, and it is crucial to speak life and blessings over others. Reflect on the words you use daily and consider how they can be more life-giving and affirming. [29:34]

Proverbs 12:18 (ESV): "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

Reflection: Think about the words you have spoken to your loved ones recently. Were they life-giving and affirming? How can you be more intentional with your words today?

Day 3: Replacing Lies with Truth

Combat negative self-talk by replacing lies with God's truth. Identify the negative voices and counter them with scripture-based affirmations. This practice helps to rewire our minds and align our thoughts with God's perspective. Negative self-talk can weigh heavily on us, but by using scripture-based affirmations, we can combat these lies and replace them with God's truth. Reflect on the negative voices in your mind and consider how you can counter them with God's truth. [46:38]

2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV): "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."

Reflection: What negative voices or lies have been plaguing your mind? Find a scripture-based affirmation that counters these lies and meditate on it today.

Day 4: The Challenge of Taming the Tongue

James 3 highlights the difficulty of taming the tongue, describing it as a restless evil full of deadly poison. This underscores the importance of self-control and wisdom in our speech. Speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, and avoid unwholesome talk. Taming the tongue requires wisdom, self-control, and a heart aligned with God's truth. Reflect on your speech and consider how you can be more mindful and intentional with your words. [42:33]

James 3:8-10 (ESV): "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent conversation where you struggled to control your tongue. How can you practice more self-control and wisdom in your speech moving forward?

Day 5: Blessing Others

The high priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 reminds us of God's desire to bless and keep us. Use your words to bless others, reminding them of God's love and truth. Practical tools like scripture-based wristbands and keychains can serve as constant reminders of God's blessings. Blessing others with our words can have a profound impact on their lives, and it is important to be intentional in doing so. Reflect on how you can use your words to bless others and remind them of God's love and truth. [50:05]

Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV): "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who needs encouragement. How can you use your words to bless and uplift them today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, church. Today, we delved into the power of words and their profound impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. We began by reflecting on personal struggles and the negative voices that often plague our minds, labeling us with identities that are not from God. I shared a personal story about a difficult season in my life where I felt like a quitter, and how that negative self-talk weighed heavily on me. This led us to explore the story of Jacob and Esau from the book of Genesis, highlighting how names and identities can shape our actions and self-perception.

Jacob, whose name means "the one who trips up another," lived up to his name by deceiving his brother Esau and others around him. However, God intervened and gave Jacob a new name, Israel, signifying a new identity and purpose. This transformation underscores the importance of the names and identities we accept and live by.

We then examined the power of our words, as described in Proverbs 18:21, which states that the tongue has the power of life and death. Our words can either build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. This is why it is crucial to speak life and blessings over others, especially our children. We discussed the concept of Velcro and Teflon in relation to our brains, where negative experiences stick like Velcro, while positive ones slide off like Teflon. This makes it even more important to be intentional with our words, ensuring they are life-giving and affirming.

We also touched on the difficulty of taming the tongue, as described in James 3, and the importance of speaking only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. This requires wisdom, self-control, and a heart aligned with God's truth. I shared practical steps for replacing negative self-talk with God's truth, using a tool my wife created for our children to combat lies with scripture-based affirmations.

Finally, we looked at the high priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26, emphasizing God's desire to bless and keep us, making His face shine upon us and giving us peace. We provided practical tools like wristbands, keychains, and backpack tags with scripture verses to help remind us and our loved ones of God's blessings and truth.

###

Key Takeaways

1. giving and affirming, especially towards your children and loved ones. [29:34]
3. Replacing Lies with Truth: Combat negative self-talk by replacing lies with God's truth. Identify the negative voices and counter them with scripture-based affirmations. This practice helps to rewire our minds and align our thoughts with God's perspective.

4. The Challenge of Taming the Tongue: James 3 highlights the difficulty of taming the tongue, describing it as a restless evil full of deadly poison. This underscores the importance of self-control and wisdom in our speech. Speak only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, and avoid unwholesome talk.

5. Blessing Others: The high priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 reminds us of God's desire to bless and keep us. Use your words to bless others, reminding them of God's love and truth. Practical tools like scripture-based wristbands and keychains can serve as constant reminders of God's blessings.

### [29:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:00] - Introduction and Personal Story
[19:12] - The Negative Voice
[20:53] - Identity and Burdens
[22:29] - Jacob and Esau's Story
[24:11] - Jacob's Transformation
[25:42] - Esau's Sorrow
[28:18] - The Power of Words
[29:34] - Life and Death in the Tongue
[31:31] - Emotional Vocabulary
[33:17] - Unwholesome Talk
[34:25] - Heart and Mouth Connection
[35:35] - Speaking Only What is Helpful
[37:15] - Wisdom in Speech
[39:12] - The Lesson of Silence
[40:16] - Leadership and Words
[42:33] - Taming the Tongue
[43:17] - Be Careful with Words
[44:26] - Dealing with the Heart
[46:38] - Replacing Lies with Truth
[48:49] - Leading by Example
[50:05] - The High Priestly Blessing
[51:43] - Practical Tools for Blessing
[53:22] - Prayer and Worship Preparation

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In Genesis 27:34-36, how does Esau react when he realizes his father’s blessing has been given to Jacob? What does this reveal about his feelings towards his brother and his father? [25:42]
According to Proverbs 18:21, what power does the tongue hold? How does this align with the sermon’s message about the impact of our words? [29:34]
James 3:7-10 describes the tongue as a restless evil. What examples from the sermon illustrate the difficulty of taming the tongue? [42:33]

Interpretation Questions

How does the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27:34-36 illustrate the impact of names and identities on our actions and self-perception? [24:11]
Proverbs 18:21 states that the tongue has the power of life and death. How can this verse be applied to our daily interactions, especially with our children and loved ones? [29:34]
James 3:7-10 mentions the dual nature of the tongue, capable of both blessing and cursing. How can we strive to ensure our words are more often a source of blessing rather than harm? [42:33]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt labeled by a negative identity. How did it affect your actions and self-perception? What steps can you take to embrace the identity God gives you instead? [19:12]
Think about your daily conversations. Are there specific instances where your words have either built someone up or torn them down? How can you be more intentional about speaking life and blessings? [29:34]
Identify a negative self-talk pattern you struggle with. What scripture-based affirmations can you use to combat these lies and replace them with God’s truth? [46:38]
James 3 highlights the challenge of taming the tongue. What practical steps can you take to ensure your speech is helpful for building others up according to their needs? [42:33]
The high priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 emphasizes God’s desire to bless and keep us. How can you incorporate this blessing into your interactions with others, using practical tools like wristbands or keychains as reminders? [50:05]
Reflect on the concept of Velcro and Teflon in relation to your brain. How can you make positive experiences and affirmations stick more effectively in your mind? [28:18]
Consider the people around you, especially your children or loved ones. How can you ensure they feel blessed and valued by you? What specific actions or words can you use to convey this? [27:22]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What happens is there are moments in our lives, something happened. And then. We buy. Into an identity, a name based off that thing. And it becomes like this weight that we're always carrying around like a backpack and it just becomes this burden, this thing, and we can't seem to shake it and we can't seem to take it off no matter what. It's just this heavy, heavy thing." [20:53] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones. Okay, do you remember what Velcro is? Right? You take two things and they stick together. It takes a lot to rip them apart, right? Velcro is an amazing invention. Teflon is one I don't get totally. In case you don't know what Teflon is, it's that stuff we spray on a pan that makes it stick to the pan, but nothing else sticks to it." [28:18] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Your words are either going to speak life, bring life, right? Your words are either going to build life, build up and encourage and do good in the world, or your words are going to tear down, create baggage, burdens, nicknames, names, negative impressions. Now, whichever one you use, you're going to eat its fruit." [29:34] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Be careful what you say to others, especially to your children. They might believe you. Today's message is not focusing on what do I do if I have spoken other things into existence. But I do want to do my best to try to give you some handles. If you have that word, that name, that phrase in your head that keeps ringing about who you are and how you're not enough and how you don't measure up, I've been there and I've done that." [43:17] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So we got this identity problem in America today. And everybody wants to identify themselves by something other than what God says, right? We are children of God, loved and adored by Him. We are made new in Jesus Christ. We are rebirthed. He has cast our sin as far as the east is from the west. You will never out sin God's grace, no matter what you've done. His identity over you is victorious. You are free. You will win. He is with you always to the very end of the age." [46:01] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "So if you're in that boat, there will absolutely, I promise you, there will absolutely be something. In today's message for you, even though I'm going to take a moment and apply it to parents, there is something in God's word for you today. Here's where I want to start. So I remember it was 10 years ago. The church here at Kingsway was going through a really hard season. In addition to that, there were some very, very difficult things going on in my family life and in my private life, making life very, very painful." [18:00] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "When we end up using our words in the wrong way, we almost always do it out of an explosive moment, right? We got angry, we got frustrated, we got irritated, we felt the need to self-justify, we felt the need to whatever, whatever. We've got to speak the truth. That's what needs to be said. What we need is needed in this situation. I'll get to that. Give me some grace, those of you truth speakers. Hang on. But what happens is when our emotions rise high, we have a limited set of words to use." [30:54] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "What does it mean to not always feel the need to defend yourself? What does it mean to not always have to explain yourself? What does it mean to not always justify yourself? What is it like? Parents, you better get ready for this one. If you don't have teenagers yet, it's coming. Leadership is hard. And I don't care if you own a business, if you run a team, or if you're a parent. Leadership is hard. And you will make any number of decisions that may or may not be perfect. You got to do your best." [39:48] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So how do I take my human anger, my human rage, my human malice and toss it aside? How do I throw it away? And what would it look like to throw it away? Because now there's going to be a hole, a vacuum, and I got to fill that vacuum in with something else. And the key to doing that is to flood the evil thoughts with the truth about how God feels and who He says we are. So I'm replacing the lie with the truth. Does that make sense?" [45:24] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "I may not have all the answers. But I'm going to dig in. I'm going to do the hard work. I'm going to unpack that voice. I'm going to take it to Jesus. And I can look at you and say, I may not be everywhere I need to be yet. But follow me, son. Follow me, daughter. Follow me, friend. Follow me, coworker. Because I'm following Jesus. And I know up ahead is something great. Because of everything I've seen and experienced, follow me." [49:19] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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