The Power of the Tongue
Pastor Erickson preaches from Proverbs 18:21 that death and life are in the power of the tongue, showing that faith and fear cannot live together and that both come out in our words. Using Joel 3:10, the twelve spies and Psalm 100, he calls people to speak faith over their lives, keep God in view and praise God for what he is going to do.
The message in 5 points
Faith and fear cannot coexist
He reads that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Faith is the forward gear and fear is the reverse gear, and like the old car he once threw into reverse at Bible school, you cannot go both ways at once.
15:55Fear comes out in our words
Jesus asked his disciples why they were so fearful. Faith and fear both show up in our words and actions, and Job's great fear came upon him, so instead of rehearsing our fears we speak words of encouragement and use even a little faith.
17:36Let the weak say I am strong
Joel 3:10 tells captive farmers to beat their tools into weapons and say I am strong. Faith does not pretend obstacles are not there; it knows God is in control, and when we are weak, then we are strong.
19:57Look through faith's binoculars
Faith looks through the binoculars so that problems look small beside a big God, while fear makes them fill the whole view. Ten spies saw giants, but two said God is bigger, so always keep God in view.
21:57Enter with thanksgiving and praise
From Psalm 100 he teaches that thanksgiving is for what God has done and praise is for what he can do. Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever, we speak praise for what he is going to do.
24:05
In his words
“Faith is the forward gear and fear is the reverse gear.”
“Faith doesn't mean pretending that obstacles are not there. It means you realize that God is in control regardless of the obstacle.”
“Thanksgiving is connected to what he has done, where praise is connected to what you know he can do.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Proverbs 18:21
21Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
King James Version.
Mark 4:40
40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
King James Version.
Job 3:25
25For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
King James Version.
Joel 3:10
10Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
King James Version.
2 Corinthians 12:10
10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
King James Version.
Psalms 34:3-4
3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
King James Version.
Psalms 100:1-5
1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
King James Version.
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