THE POWER OF WORDS by Larry W. Peebles December 28, 2018 18.40
The voice inside my head would not be silent. It was persistent in telling me I could not finish. The pain in my body was too great to tolerate; I never should have started. This was just more than I could handle. The best thing to do was quit, and all the suffering would be over. If I kept going, I might die. I was in a battle to complete the greatest physical challenge I had ever undertaken.
A friend had warned me that the battle in the mind would be one of the biggest challenges I would face. The voice in my head would have to be silenced if I were going to succeed. My friend even correctly predicted when this would occur.
I was at mile marker 22 of my first twenty-six mile marathon. I had completed approximately 325 training miles in the sixteen weeks previous; however, the longest run I had completed on the training schedule before the marathon was 18 miles. Unless one is a professional or elite marathon runner, there is only so much running one can do in preparation. At a point, more miles in training break down the body for the marathon instead of building it up.
I was in a place I had never been before. The 13 mile half-way point had not been much of a problem. I took water every mile, and added fuel with fruit and carbohydrate supplements. At the three-quarter point, mile 19, I noticed a dramatic change. This was one mile further than I had run in training, and my body wanted to quit. “No way,” I thought, “listen to me. We will finish this marathon”. The voice inside my head grew louder. I had run 19 miles, a great achievement in itself. I should stop and be satisfied with what I had done. What was I trying to prove? I had to counter with even more determined thoughts to finish what I had started. Finishing was the objective. Each step grew more painful, and each mile was slower. My body was growing numb. There was nothing left in the tank. The debate raged on in my mind for a few more miles, and then came mile marker 22.
I remembered my friend’s final words of wisdom, which were these-“You will meet yourself at mile marker 22”. Now I knew what he meant. With four miles to go, I would have to change tactics. The voice in my head would win unless I could silence it. I began to speak out loud. Maybe I was the only one who heard my words, but my audible words drowned out the voice in the head. ‘I will keep going until I finish this race”, I said out loud to myself over and over. This reminded me of the time things were not going well for David, and he “encouraged himself in the Lord his God”– 1 Samuel 30:6. I was able to control my head, and will my body to finish that day. Everyone who finished received a very nice medal. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25- “Run in such a way that you may obtain it [the prize]…Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we [the believers] for an imperishable crown.”
Out thoughts are very important. Proverbs 23:7 says- “For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.” The Bible also says we are to “take captive” every thought “to the obedience of Christ” — 2 Corinthians 10:5. What is in our hearts is indicative of our thoughts, but we can take control of our thoughts and make them subject and obedient to Christ.
Science is now able to demonstrate what the Bible says about thoughts. The emerging field of neuro theology studies the brain and compares it to the Word of God. Now that science is able to actually see what brain activity looks like, they can see the effect of bad thoughts on the brain, and they can see the effect of replacing that bad thought with a good (God) thought. The results are amazing. Once the habit of a bad thought is defeated, the brain actually experiences a physical change for the better, and that good thought begins to grow in the brain like a healthy tree. By pulling down bad thoughts such as “This is impossible”, and replacing them with positive thoughts such as “With God, all things are possible”, we can change the landscape of our brain. (Matthew 19:26).
Romans 12:2 says that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Neuro theology is not only proving that this is possible, it can now show the results on the brain. For more information on this developing field, I recommend the fascinating four-part teaching of Dr. Caroline Leaf- “How to Detoxify Your Brain”, which is available on YouTube.
The marathon taught me the importance of controlling (taking captive) one’s thoughts. However, the Lord reminded me this week that those audible words I spoke to finish were important also. There is power in our words. Job 22:27-28 says- “You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you. You will declare a thing, and it will be established for you.” A “declaration” is “a formal (public or official) or explicit statement or announcement of a state or condition.” A declaration states officially the way something is or is going to be.
If we say “I am sick, I am broke, I am afraid, or I am helpless”, that may be a reading on our condition through the lens of a damaged brain—one affected by negative thoughts. By consciously training our thoughts and words, we can learn to say things like—“I am sick, but God is my healer. I am broke, but God supplies all my needs. I am afraid, but God says He is always with me. He said He will fight for me, and I do not need to be afraid. I am helpless, but I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength.” This is simply thinking and speaking the complete truth over the matter, because God has the final say. With these good (God) thoughts and words coming out of our being, the landscape of the brain will change so these responses come naturally, without conscious effort. The things we declare God will establish for us. We begin to flourish, like a tree planted by (living) water.
This is not “the power of positive thinking”, nor is it “name it and claim it” for a million dollars for example. It is rather a first and healthy response to a situation that expresses gratitude to a loving God, and a declaration of the trust and dependence that He will help us as He has promised in His word. God loves it when His children look to Him for the best outcome. It produces hope in place of defeat, and help in the midst of the battle. Jesus taught it best when He said- “A good man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance [overflow] of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45. Neuro theology shows that good thoughts will renew the brain and therefor the mind. We can re-landscape our brain with healthy trees. Similarly, good words out of our mouths can change our physical landscape, and the circumstances around us.
In the year of 2019 ahead, I am determined to discipline and train my thoughts and words to bring blessings, not curses, upon myself and others. I want to pull up the weeds of unhealthy thoughts, and plant healthy righteous trees in the landscape of my life and mind. We know that God gives us many chances to repent and change. I am excited about this opportunity to change my mind, thoughts, words and actions. With His help, I can renew my mind in accordance with His promises, and literally improve my brain. By coming into agreement with God’s word, I can repair the damage from the past, and look forward to improved mental, physical, and external circumstances. This will truly ensure a Happy New Year.
