Isaiah 55:8-11

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. ⁹ “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰ For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, ¹¹ so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Words! —This passage brought me to my knees. I have read this passage many times before, but I give thanks to the Holy Spirit for always revealing something new. We must always be reminded that the Word is — ALIVE!

Language is a coded system shared by a group for communication purposes. It’s rich, deep, and intricate. There are literally thousands of different languages throughout our world; however, there is commonality in how we produce our words. We shape both voiced and voiceless air effortlessly with various combinations of tongue and lip movements. This motor act is acoustically perceived in language form as words.

I wonder, though, how many of our words are produced with the intent to harm, destroy, or teardown. Remember, the motor act is the same…so what changed? Matthew 15:18-19 says it best, “¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” In essence, it’s a deep rooted sin nature that springs forth words that go against our Christian walk. 

Ah, it’s making sense! We have a choice dear friends! As air passes through your larynx to activate your vocal cords; as you feel your breath rising over the base of your tongue, as you begin to shape your sounds, your words have the potential to edify or to corrupt! It happens in a flash. We must ensure that our hearts are filled with the fruits of the Spirit to have any hope in mirroring Father God.

I was humbled by this passage as it states in verse 11, “My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do.” —– I still have to pause and take a moment! God’s words are so powerful that EVERYTHING He says and EVERYTHING He promises WILL (catch that verb)…WILL accomplish what He pleases and what He designs. God does not verbalize a plan or promise hoping that it will come to fruition…NO! There is no doubt that what comes from the Father will always be fulfilled in His will! God’s words are never empty dear friends! PRAISE GOD! 

You see, I want us to learn that God is perfection, even in His words! God does not produce empty promises! Yes and Amen. God does not produce even empty speech. He does not manipulate others with His words. He cannot lie. I could keep going, but I believe we are beginning to understand the magnitude of this passage.

So where does this leave you? We are instructed to live like Christ yet our words are tainted! Dear believer, I encourage you to speak words of life, love, encouragement, hope, faith, and deliverance. There is absolutely no room, and frankly no more time, for empty words and especially words that do not glorify the Father.

My prayer is that our words will also return to us full and fruitful as we share the gospel across the world!

Question: Do your words return void or fruitful?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta