Word Warriors
the Power of Dabar
Valerie Moody
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Women’s Conference for Eshet Chayil of El Shaddai Ministries
September 2016
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God speaks to every person, all the time, in a voice limited only by our
capacity to apprehend it. Our ability to hear Him is connected with how we
speak. If we have a habit of speaking negatively, we will be distant from
God and find it hard to hear from Him.
But, if we speak Words of Life, we soon discover that the Spirit of God
is partnering with us. He is speaking, and giving us even more to say. So,
our ability to hear him is intertwined with how we ourselves speak. A study
of Word Warriors, the Power of Dabar, will prime us for the rest of our lives.
In the coming End Times, it will be crucial to guard the words we say.
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Psalm 34:12-13 – “Who is the man who desires life and loves length of
days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips
from speaking deceit.”
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Proverbs 13:3 – “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life. The
one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
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Proverbs 21:23 – “He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his
soul from troubles.”
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Proverbs 12:6 – “The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the
mouth of the upright will deliver them.”
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The study of Word Warriors includes:
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Understanding of the Power of Words
Words of Life
Words of Destruction
Restoring the Evil Tongue
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Part 1 – Understanding the Power of Words
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1. Words have the power to create.
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What happened when our Heavenly Father said, “Let there be light?”
There was light. Words created light.
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Psalm 33:6 – “By the word of Adonai the heavens were made, and their
whole host by a breath from his mouth.”
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Creation is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing action since God
continually speaks the same words He spoke at Creation.
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2. The creative power of words is celebrated in scripture.
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Hebrews 11:3 – “By trusting, we understand that the universe was created
through a spoken word of God, so that what is seen did not come into
being out of existing phenomena.”
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Romans 4:17 – “As it has been written: ‘I have made you a father of many
nations’ in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives
life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”
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3. Yeshua himself is HaDabar, the Spoken Word.
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John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.”
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4. Dabar, Hebrew for spoken word, has the creative power to transform
lives. It is the name for the Ten Commandments, which are the Ten
Devarim. Dabar is also the name for the Book of Numbers, which is
Bemidbar and the Book of Deuteronomy, which is Devarim.
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Words accomplish what the Almighty intends.
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Isaiah 55:11 – “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It
will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and
without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
6. Men and women speak, and things happen.
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Man is a Living Being with a voice (Genesis 2:7). His words are so powerful
that God weighs the nature of what he says.
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Matthew 12:36-37 – “But I tell you that every careless word that people
speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by
your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned.”
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In scripture, a change of names brought a change of destiny.
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Avram and Sarai became Abraham and Sarah, to prepare them to be
parents of a multitude of nations.
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Hoshea became Joshua, which means Yah is my salvation. Every time he
heard someone call his name, he realized that God was saving him so that
he could save the Children of Israel.
Words of blessing endure when the words themselves have power.
Abraham spoke a blessing over Isaac, and he was blessed. He sowed
one year, and reaped a hundredfold (Genesis 26:12).
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Isaac pronounced the Firstborn Blessing over Ya’acov or Jacob, and Israel
still operates with the Firstborn Blessing today.
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Jacob announced prophetic blessings over his sons, and influenced
their future destinies.
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9. Spoken words have strength.
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Proverbs 18:21 – “The tongue (yad) has power over life and death; those
who indulge it must eat its fruit.”
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The word for tongue in Proverbs 18:21 is yad, which means hand. The
tongue creates more than sound. It forms a hand which can reach out to
affect both life and death.
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10. The name Deborah comes from Dabar, connecting her with words.
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The story of Deborah demonstrates the actions of a Word Warrior.
Deborah was an Eshet Lappidoth in Judges 4:4, meaning wife of
Lappidoth or a Woman of Torches. She spoke fiery words as a prophetic
judge in Israel, and transformed history by what she said.
Deborah spoke, and the nation was loyal to her. She urged Barak, and the
fighters responded. She declared war on the Canaanites, and announced
a tactical battle plan. She co-led the Israelites to Mount Tabor where they
strategically wait. As men quaked in fear, she declared their resounding
victory. At the precise moment when the enemy chariots were immobilized
by mud, she commanded the attack. Deborah proclaimed victory and God
honored this expression of trust. Finally, Yael used soothing words to coax
the enemy general into her tent for an encounter with a tent peg, and the
Canaanite war was ended. Deborah and Yael ushered in forty years of
peace for Israel, primarily through the power of the words they spoke.
Part 2 – Words of Life
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1. Proverbs 15:4 labels a soothing tongue as a Tree of Life.
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Yeshua’s words healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, and even brought
Lazarus back from the dead.
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Jonathan’s words imparted life to David as he was fleeing from King Saul
in 1 Samuel 23:17.
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Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, continually spoke words of comfort and
encouragement to the first century believers. The Apostles renamed him
Barnabas, which means, Son of Encouragement.
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Words generate life and healing. Proverbs 4:20-22 – “My son, give
attention to my words, incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them
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depart from your eyes, keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are
life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.”
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Moses spoke words of life to the Israelites while they were fleeing from
Pharaoh. He told them not to fear, but to stand still and see God’s
salvation in Exodus 14:13.
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The High Priestly Prayer of Numbers 6:24-26 bless all who hear these
optimal Words of Life.
Y’varekh’kha Adonai v’yishm’rekha.
Ya’eyr Adonai panav eyleykha vichunekha.
Yisa Adonai panav eyleykha.
V’yaseym l’kha shalom.
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May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the Lord lift up His face upon you and give you peace.
2. Words of Life are a weapon.
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Words defeat the Adversary. Revelation 12:11 – “And they overcame him
because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their
testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”
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Words are the sword of the Spirit. Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet
of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
3. Words of Life must be spoken aloud, to realize the Power of Dabar.
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The kings of Israel were required to read the Torah to the nation during the
hakhel, the gathering year once every seven years, during Sukkot
(Deuteronomy 31:10). When Israel had no king, Ezra read the Torah to
speak Words of Life to the people (Nehemiah 8).
Ephesians 5:4, 19 – “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk, nor crude
joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving...
Address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody to the Lord with your heart.”
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Part 3 – Words of Destruction
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1. Dabar means spoken word. But it is the root word of Deber, which
means pestilence. The same root creates words of life, or words of
destruction. Deber, or pestilence, is found in Exodus 9:15, where God
tells Pharaoh that He could strike Egypt with pestilence. Negative
words have the capacity to destroy property, liberty, and vitality.
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Proverbs 13:3 – “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The
one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
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King David killed the man who rashly brought news of Saul’s death. 2
Samuel 4:10 – “When one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and
thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag,
which was the reward I gave him for his news.”
Elijah and Elisha both killed men with their words.
2 Kings 1:10 – “Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, ‘If I am a man of God,
let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.’ Then fire
came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.”
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2 Kings 2:23-24 – “Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was
going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him
and said to him, ‘Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!’ When he
looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the
LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up fortytwo lads of their number.”
Evil speech affects the entire community.
Matthew 15:11 – “It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man,
but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”
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On Yom Kippur at the synagogue, the entire community confesses 44 sins
together. Eleven of these, a full 25%, are related to negative speech.
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The expression Lashon Hara comes from Psalm 34:13 – “Keep your tongue
from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” This verse is part of the daily
Amidah Prayer. Lashon Hara means Evil Tongue.
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Leviticus warns against being a talebearer. Leviticus 19:16 – “You shall
not go about as a slanderer among your people, and you are not to act
against the life of your neighbor; I am the LORD.”
Evil speech hurts at least three people:
The one who is spoken about;
The one who speaks; and,
The one who listens.
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Tzara’at or skin disease is connected with slander. Miriam and Aaron both
suffered punishment for speaking against Moses in Numbers 12.
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5. The tongue must be brought under control, because words cause injury.
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Rachel spoke words against herself when she said, “Give me children or I’ll
die.” She also stole her father’s idols, and Jacob declared that the thief would
die. These combined word curses took her life early, before she could deliver
a second son.
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In Numbers 22, the King of Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel with words.
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James 1:26 – “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle
his tongue, this man’s religion is worthless.”
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James 3:6 – “Yes, the tongue is a fire, a world of wickedness. The tongue is
so placed in our body that it defiles every part of it, setting ablaze the whole of
our life, and is set on fire by Gehenna itself.”
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The Yetzer Hara, the Evil Inclination in Genesis 6:5 and 8:21, is partially to
blame for our tendency to speak negatively.
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Proverbs 10:19 – “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds
his tongue is wise.”
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Part 4 – Restoring the Evil Tongue
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1. Evil speech mortifies righteous people.
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Isaiah 6:5 – “Woe is me, for I am ruined. I am a man of unclean lips, and I
live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the
Lord of hosts.” Compared with the holiness and majesty of God, Isaiah felt
unacceptable in the presence of the Almighty. When he saw the Throne
Room, he felt unworthy due to Evil Speech. Negative words had defiled him.
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God purified Isaiah’s mouth with a burning coal, stating, “Your iniquity is taken
away, and your sin is forgiven.” The effect of purging by fire was twofold:
First, the treatment emancipated Isaiah from the bonds of his evil speech.
Second, it transformed him into the great prophet that he became.
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Everyone can overcome the destructive effects of deadly speech.
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Seven Gates to Restoration are tools for helping us to break the habit of Evil
Speech. With a little knowledge, and a lot of practice, we can strengthen our
relationships with Words of Life, and undo the damage caused by Words of
Destruction.
Here are the Seven Gates to Restoration:
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Pray to cancel the effects of negative speech
Tune out Evil Speech
Guard against Crafty Speech
Replace Evil Speech
Be Humble
Learn to say “I’m Sorry”
Forgive
Pray to cancel the effects of negative speech, as Daniel did in Daniel
9:4-19. Daniel repented for the sins of Israel, even though he wasn’t
personally guilty of those sins. His prayer offers a biblical pattern which we
can follow to cancel the ill effects of Evil Speech, whether or not we are the
guilty party.
Daniel’s prayer features Praise, Repentance, Renouncing sins, and a
Declaration of blessing. Here is a sample prayer based on Daniel’s
pattern. This is only a sample. It is more important for you to allow the
Holy Spirit to guide you in prayer for your specific situation.
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Praise:
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Daniel’s Prayer Pattern
Blessed are you, Lord our God, sovereign King of the Universe,
who forms light and creates darkness, who establishes peace,
and creates all things. You keep your covenant of love to a
thousand generations of those who love you.
Repentance:
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Father, I ask you to forgive me for my sins, and evil words
I have spoken. Forgive and cleanse me of this
unrighteousness, according to 1 John 1:9. I also ask you
to forgive those who have spoken negatively against me,
just as I have forgiven them.
Renouncing Sin:
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Father I reject and renounce the negative words I
have spoken, and all the words others have spoken
against me. May you abolish all ill effects, negative
circumstances, and curses which could harm me, my
household, or others as a result of spoken words.
Thank you for canceling every hostile decree,
according to Colossians 2:14.
Declaration of Blessing:
It is your will for my soul to prosper, according
to 3 John 1:2. Therefore, I approach you in
confidence that this request is your will. May
every curse related to evil words be broken by
your mighty power, and by the blood of my
Messiah Yeshua.
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Master of the Universe, act for your name’s
sake. Act for the sake of the Messiah Yeshua.
Grant us the strength to withstand life’s
challenges, and to serve you faithfully.
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Grant us wisdom, blessing, protection,
compassion, life, and peace, according to your
word. Envelop all of us with your deep and
eternal love, and shield us by your spirit.
Amen.
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Tune Out Evil Speech, Proverbs 26:22. We should avoid a slanderous
conversation, or quickly change the subject when slander surfaces. We
can tune it out, refuse to listen, refuse to repeat it, propagate it, or even
believe it.
Guard against Crafty Speech, Proverbs 6:12-14. Winking, signaling with
one’s feet, and pointing fingers is the cause of strife among brothers.
Replace Evil Speech, James 1:19. We can pause, talk slower, be positive,
and take time to edit our words before we speak. Be quick to listen, slow
to speak and slow to anger, as James 1:19 says.
Be Humble, Micah 6:8. God requires us to do justice, love mercy, and to
walk humbly. The less arrogant we are, the less we criticize.
Learn to say “I’m Sorry,” Romans 12:18. Everyone makes mistakes. If we
speak badly about someone, we should confess, come clean, apologize,
and let the other person know it won’t happen again. Live peaceably with
others.
Forgive, Matthew 6:15. If we do not forgive others, our Father will not
forgive our transgressions. If we walk with the Most High, and the Messiah
Yeshua, forgiving is not an option. When we forgive, there’s nothing left to
criticize in others.
In conclusion, Word Warriors must be carriers of God’s immutable truth. We
speak His Dabar, His Word. We intentionally speak to edify others, glorify the
King, and transform a hurting world.
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Valerie Moody, Covenant Footsteps Ministries
P.O. Box 825, Caldwell, TX 77836
[email protected] 806-319-5133
Vmoody.com
CovenantFootsteps.com
HebraicRootsNetwork.com
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