Summary: A sermon on the importance of what we say in relation to what we can accomplish for God. From a series on developing spiritual depth.

INTRO:

EXODUS = Exit -- Come Out

You will never fully come out until you learn to speak

to it!

ƒ{ God has just delivered the people from Egypt

ƒ{ Where they were

* Raped

* Beaten

* Abused

* Murdered

ƒ{ They came out with gold and miracles

ƒ{ But Pharaoh knew

* That while they were delivered on the outside (mountain)

* They were entangled by a Root System on the inside.

► VERSE 12 -- "Leave us Alone"

* They're like the dandelion

* They've come out

o But their old root system

* Is producing

o Fear

o Worry

o Complaining

o Doubt

o Mistrust

o Etc.

► VERSE 15

15And the Lord said unto Moses, wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward"

ƒ{ Begins the process of unraveling the roots

ƒ{ I find it amazing that God basically says

o Quit crying and do something

ƒ{ The people have prayed

o God delivered

o Now I want you to speak and go forth

Verse 1 - speak

Verse 15 - speak

Matthew 17 - speak to the mountain

Luke 17 - speak to the root

ƒ{ Nothing happens until you speak

ƒ{ Because the tongue has the power of life and death!

Proverbs 18:21

The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit.

ƒ{ Even God when He wanted to create

o Had to speak (God could have willed it so)

o 'let there be' (so that we would always have a deep respect

for what is said)

ƒ{ When Peter and John were arrested and thrown into prison

o They were ordered to stop speaking

o Not stop working miracles

o Not stop building a church

o Not stop believing in Jesus

o BUT TO STOP SPEAKING

ƒ{ Wars are not stopped / won / lost by -- guns

o But when someone finally speaks

ƒ{ Marriages -- good & bad are determined by what you speak

o Speak to that mountain

o Speak to the Red sea

o Speak to those roots

„X Bitterness

„X Hurt

„X Anger

„X Resentment

„X Pain

„X Depression

„X Rejections

„X Etc.

o I know some are wondering; well what do I say?

Mark 11 The tongue has the power

Mark 11:12-14

12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.

Mark 11:20-23

20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"

22"Have[f] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Two Principles I Want You to Notice In These Texts

1. What Jesus Spoke is What Happened

* He cursed the tree

* Not cussed at the tree

* Curse means he spoke negative to a healthy tree

* I wonder how many times we curse the very thing that could be producing fruit in our lives (blessings)

* My, the negative words we use!

ƒ{ I'm just getting by

ƒ{ If I had any money I would...

ƒ{ My wife is always nagging at me

ƒ{ I am always tired

ƒ{ I can't ever get ahead

ƒ{ You know how those rebellious teens are

ƒ{ My health is bad

ƒ{ My energy is bad

ƒ{ My money is bad

ƒ{ My marriage is bad

ƒ{ My kids are bad

Which leads me to the second principle:

2. Verse 23 -- What you Say will Happen!

* I am a loser

* I can't ever get ahead

* I will never lose weight

* I never have enough money

ƒ{ The wrong choice of words even in our prayers can work against us.

ƒ{ Everything good that has ever happened in my life I spoke into existence

EXAMPLE: give some examples

ƒ{ This is a spiritual law

ƒ{ Natural law / spiritual law

ƒ{ Let's take electricity as an example

ƒ{ If we work with the law that governs electricity it produces

o Energy

o Gives light

o Heat / cook

o Wash clothes

o Computers

ƒ{ A great blessing

ƒ{ However, the same force that brings blessing can also

o Burn

o Harm

o Kill

o Destroy

„X If the law that governs electricity is not enforced

ƒ{ So are the words that come out of our mouths

ƒ{ They will work for you if you understand the spiritual law that says

o "you can have what you say"

ƒ{ Or, against you if you use idle or negative words

Idle = not effective

or

Non-working word

Matthew 12:36 KJV

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

ƒ{ When you say what God's word says

o You activate God

ƒ{ When you say what the Devil says

o You active the Devil

Matthew 12:35

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

ƒ{ Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks

ƒ{ That's why we must get God's word in us

o Faith comes by hearing

ƒ{ So our heart is faith filled

ƒ{ Then our words are God's words

ƒ{ And we can have what we say

John 15:7

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

* A practical illustration

I'll Try -

ƒ{ Why it doesn't work: phrases such as "I'll pull out all the stops" sound good, but what do they mean?

ƒ{ They come from the family of 'try' and represent an attempt to act, but not promise.

ƒ{ "Try" is appropriate only if you are communicating that you will attempt something.

ƒ{ However, 'try' is often used as a substitute for committing.

ƒ{ Another limiting aspect to the word 'try' is how it affects the mind.

ƒ{ "Try" is a mental condition that signals the brain to endeavor, not do, something.

ƒ{ What happens when you

o 'try' to lose weight,

o 'try' to take a vacation, or

o 'try' to work fewer hours

ƒ{ The likelihood of success is not very good.

ƒ{ By eliminating the word 'try' and replacing it with committed language

ƒ{ Your success rate significantly increases.

ƒ{ The mind responds differently to a committed action.

ƒ{ A commitment means "playing to win"

ƒ{ Trying means "playing to avoid losing"