Battle of Words

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."
A defensive schoolyard chant that many kids grew up with.
But did they know?
Did they know they were hiding from the truth?
They probably did.
These kids knew that words hurt. That sometimes words can cut more deeply than a knife.
Oh, and lies!
Whether they come from ourselves, other people, or directly from the enemy of our souls, words against us are lies.
When we allow them to attach to our being, they can be catastrophic.

"Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow." (Proverbs 25:18, NLT)

But ~ words can also give life. Praise God!

I was recently encouraged to take part in a little activity. A crafty activity. Because no matter what age you are, those are still kind of fun. It was a challenge of sorts; a challenge to put together a word collage. But not just any words. Life-filled words. To go into magazines and newspapers to find words to cut out and group together to create a collage.
After thinking I didn't have any magazines to take words from, I found one buried in a basket, from a few years ago. I had saved it for decorating and gift ideas. Here I was, years later, with no inspired creativity from its pages, and it served a purpose I wasn't aware it was destined for.
With great excitement, I sat down with the magazine and some newspapers. I prayed for God to show me some words specific for me. It was like He sat beside me, smiling, as He pointed at words He wanted me to see. I was giddy when the perfect words popped off the pages.
Words of life.
Joy.
Encouragement.
Uplifting words.

But then.
Oh, we have an enemy out there. An enemy who loves to entrap us and convince us of unworthiness and hopelessness. He knows how to weasel his way into our minds. With words. With lies.
Suddenly, the words that jumped out at me were words of hurt. Deflating my soul. Words like "chunky", "lazy", "slow", and "madness", replaced words like "irreplaceable", "excellence", "goodness" and "approved".
A battle ensued.
It raged as I turned the pages. I sat back and watched it play out. A surreal moment. I could almost see God and Satan sitting at a table, throwing words down like playing cards. Satan, trying to out-play and out-talk God. Trying to overshadow the magnificence of God's love.
God would say a word. Satan would counter it. Over and over.
All within the pages of a magazine.
Friends, don't be fooled. The enemy will try to get you whatever way he can.

But God.

Very quickly, the battle became a victory on the side of my Abba Father.
He covered me. He saved me. And I felt the hug of God.
A hug like no other. It sheltered and let me know I am special, beloved, cherished.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words ~ this picture, this collage, is worth more than I had anticipated at the onset of the activity challenge. For each word I cut out, God told me to find a verse in the Bible. So on separate pages, I wrote these words and the verses that connected them to Him.
Words of life from the God-breathed Word.

Life words give hope.
Hope words give joy.
Joy words give love.
Love words give life.

This cycle of words is a declaration of truth.
A new and improved chant.
A motto to live by.
A reservoir to pour into.
A fountain to retrieve from.

This collage of words? It is a collection of life-giving, spirit-lifting, love-confirming truths.

And it is good.