Spirit Words
Words communicate thoughts, ideas, emotions, opinions, information, etc., as well as serving destructively to curse, abase, and deceive. But where do spiritual words fall? Notably, they are not so much language-based, but Source-based; meaning they originate from God regardless of the language used. Therefore, ordinary words carrying spiritual meanings are often not recognized for their deeper realities. This is the category of several words the Apostle Paul uses in almost all his communications to the early churches.
Paul deliberately begins his letters with, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:3) He addresses churches at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi, Colosse, and Thessalonica, as well as individuals Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. At first glance, this phrase appears to be a salutation. But Paul, a highly intelligent and studied man, was not only deliberate in his choice of words, but was writing through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As that scripture succinctly states, God is the Source of this powerful Truth.
Paul’s letters were intended to encourage, instruct, and correct the early church plants and disciples as they all struggled in different ways to continue their courses in Christ, often against great opposition. These words of grace and peace can be seen as a prayer or a decree. Grace invokes God’s unmerited favor and is seen most dramatically in our forgiveness from what is unforgivable through Jesus’ substitutive death for us. It includes freedom, unconditional love, kindness, patience, and so much more. It is God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The Hebrew for peace is shalom, which means full of well-being, security, wholeness, completeness, safety, prosperity, and tranquility. It is not passive, but very active peace that often doesn’t make sense as it defies the circumstances.
Because these words originate with God, they carry His power as they are loosed into our physical world through speech, much like the words given a prophet to launch something of God that is not currently present into being. “So is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Paul released over these early Christians the blessing of desperately needed grace and peace.
Think what would happen if we took to heart the power of God contained in these simple words and started speaking them with God’s authority over our families, churches, and communities! Church divisions would cease. Families would become places of safety, love, and security. Communities would function for the good of all, celebrating and embracing the beauty of differences. Striving and cut-throat competition would have no place. Denigrating others in an attempt to elevate self would be out of the question. However, if grace and peace are simply pleasant although meaningless salutations, nothing changes.
Therefore, here is the challenge: see this pronouncement of grace and peace as coming from God Most High, and your sacred assignment is to be His voice where He has planted you. Become the Lord’s ambassador of grace and peace by personally putting it into practice and modeling it. Know that in accepting this challenge, you have stepped into the supernatural realm of operation. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Now watch and wait to see what happens.