POWER TO IMPART LIFE AND DEATH
What if we had the power to impart life and death? We do- on a daily basis, with our words. We read in Proverbs 18:21;
‘The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.’
Peter’s divergent examples from the Acts of the Apostles demonstrate the power of words to actually impart life and death.
Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg …….Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!”…… Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”….. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. (Acts 3:1-8)
Peter sensed the opportunity here to perform a miracle and got the man to focus on him. His words recognize the power that is granted in the name of Jesus and healing that flows thereby. The man who was crippled for life was given a new lease of life as he went out jumping and praising God. The incident with Ananias and Sapphira was however a contrast, yet equally powerful.
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself,…Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit…. You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died…About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. (Acts 5:1-10)
Here Peter recognizes the will of God to inflict punishment on deception, which would have maligned the work of God and potentially aborted the rapid expansion to follow. What followed was a physical death induced by Peter’s words, which was in accordance with the will of God. More often though, death by words is outside the will of God and the result of speech that comes forth without wisdom and compassion. Such words can kill the initiative, dampen the encouragement and depress the spirit, all of which is akin to death.
When the centurion who requests Jesus to heal his servant hears that Jesus was headed over, he says,
“Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (Luke 7:1-10)
Here the word was considered powerful by the centurion because of the authority that he knew Jesus commanded over all the earthly and spiritual realms. A combination of spiritual authority that the speaker wielded, discernment of the will of God and the exercise of faith coalesce to make lifegiving words a reality.
