“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:… a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silent and a time to speak,”
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 NIV
God’s Word has much to say about words…God’s words…and our words.
First…God’s words are…
Flawless
“And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.”
Psalms 12:6 NIV
Eternal
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Isaiah 40:8 NIV
Wise
“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”
Psalms 19:7 NIV
Powerful
“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 NIV
Creative
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.”
Psalms 33:6 NIV
Teach
Correct
Rebuke
Train
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
2 Timothy 3:15-16 NIV
Purify
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
Psalms 119:9 NIV
Protect
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 NIV
Guide
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalms 119:105 NIV
Save
“…and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 3:15 NIV
Liberate
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 NIV
Sanctify
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
John 17:17 NIV
Wow! If God’s word is and does all this and more, why do I write about the power of silence?
The more I study the Word of God, the more I recognise how much power is in the spoken word. God’s words are creative, powerful, and energising. He does everything through His Word.
“…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 NIV
“The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.””
Jeremiah 1:11-12 NIV
The greatest truth of all is that Jesus Himself is the Word made flesh.
Jesus sustains the universe by His Word. He saves, heals, and restores through His Word. When He returns, He will purify the earth with His Word, set up His kingdom and accomplish all that the Word of God has even spoken through Him.
Jesus’ entire mission was built on the Father’s Word.
“I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.””
John 8:26 NIV
“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”
John 5:30 NIV
“For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.”
John 12:49 NIV
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
Matthew 5:17-18 NIV
Jesus had a disciplined tongue…speaking only truth, and using His words to benefit all people, even, and especially those who spoke against Him.
How, then, did Jesus use the power of silence, especially when He was under pressure to defend Himself, His person and His ministry?
Jesus’ silence was strategic. There were times when He was being put to the test by His opponents, for example, the incident recorded in John 8…the woman caught in adultery…to incriminate Himself. His accusers put pressure on Him to respond…but He said nothing.
“They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger…Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.”
John 8:6, 8 NIV
Jesus’ action spoke louder than words. He wrote verses from Jeremiah on the ground that His enemies, well versed in the Scriptures, knew full well.
“I, the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” …Lord, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.”
Jeremiah 17:10, 13 NIV
He let God’s word speak, and in doing so, vindicated His refusal to condemn the woman.
Jesus’ silence was also a refusal The walls of Jericho presented a formidable obstacle to God’s promise…”I have given you the land…” The Israelites could see them from the banks of the Jordan river…thick, high, and impenetrable. They had no equipment for a siege…no battle strategy…no trained soldiers…only a mob of runaway ex-slaves freshly out of forty years in the wilderness!
The process of crossing the Jordan, and finally setting up camp outside Jericho took weeks…maybe months…to complete…including building a memorial of stones in the middle of the Jordan river, circumcising all the second-generation male Israelites at Gilgal, and celebrating the Passover…
Then what? The one thing Joshua had at that moment was God’s authorisation and His promise.
“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Joshua 1:2-5 NIV
…but no strategy…and a formidable city blocking their way!
God’s equipment for the battle was strange…unusual…given to Joshua piece by piece.
THE PRINCIPLE
“I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you—”
Joshua 1:3
The promise was still there, first given to Moses…now repeated to Joshua. He, Joshua, was to carry the authority given to Moses, to execute God’s plan but…he must first be equipped with God’s Word, deeply embedded in his soul.
“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:7-8 NIV
The principle is clear.
No one can accomplish a task given by God without first being absolutely confident of who gave the instruction and how that instruction is to be carried out. Prayer, for any reason, can only be true prayer if it stands firmly on the authority of the one to whom Joshua prays. His confidence must be firmly embedded in the word of the one who had commissioned him.
THE PRESENCE
Joshua stood outside Jericho, looking up at the walls. What was he thinking? “How on earth are we, a mob of ex-slaves, supposed to conquer this city?”
Before Joshua could embark on the formidable task of destroying Jericho, he had to know who was in charge. This was not his campaign. It was God’s campaign through Joshua and he must be sure of it.
On the eve of the attack, God met him in person…a man with a drawn sword. Who was the man? From where did he come? Why was he there?
“When Joshua was near the town of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and demanded, “Are you friend or foe?” “Neither one,” he replied. “I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did as he was told.”
Joshua 5:13-15 NLT
A shocking…a terrifying response…it was the Lord Himself…in person…to take charge…with a message and a reassurance. Just what Joshua needed!
“But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.”
Jesus, the Lord, had come Himself to lead the campaign. His presence guaranteed the outcome. He was already there!Unseen, but present, nothing could stand in His way.
That’s all the assurance Joshua needed. He could confidently give the instructions, knowing that, however bizarre they might sound in a situation like they faced, victory was sure.
THE PREPARATION
As we move through the stages of this battle to victory, the more we become aware that the battle they were about to engage in was more than natural. Soldiers don’t normally go to war with trumpets and shouts for weapons, and sure of victory before they even set out!
“Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns.”
What was that supposed to do? Why priests? Why the Ark? Why march around the city for six days? Why seven times on the seventh day?
It all sounds so crazy…until you view it from God’s perspective. Intimidating the enemy? Staking their claim to the city? Consolidating their faith in God? Believing the promise already given? Perhaps all of these things were formed in them as they marched. God needed time to settle their fears and arouse their expectations. This strategy was all about careful preparation.
THE PROCLAMATION
“On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can.”
The trumpet blast and the shout triggered the collapse of the walls. Why?
This shout was not about people yelling to make a noise. This was the specific way to welcome the arrival of a conquering king. The Israelites were to acknowledge the arrival of their Lord who had already assured them of victory. The walls simply collapsed at the presence of the commander of the Lord’s army.
THE PRIZE
“Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”
Joshua 6:2, 4-5 NLT
God and His people, working in obedience to His instructions and in tandem with Him, were a winning team. Everything happened just as He had promised. All they had to do was to was to finish what they had started together.
The principles in this story are clear. Whatever “walls” block the way to possession of your “territory”, the steps to answered prayer are the same.
God’s Word, in all the facets of its truth, must be the ground on which you stand.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7 NIV
This is God’s battle. You are not in charge. Jesus is “the commander of the Lord’s army”. He gives the strategy and the instructions. Ask Him for the word that the outcome promises.
“Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.””
Jeremiah 1:11-12 NLT
His presence is the fundamental fact in your enterprise. Without Him, you can do nothing.
““Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 NLT
Wait for Him to act. Time is the opportunity to build unwavering confidence in Him and His promise. Time is not delay but part of the strategy. “God will not answer your prayers until He has put all the structures in place to maintain that answer.”
Affirm His Lordship with the shout of victory. Welcome Him…He is there. He is present with His authority and power to demolish the walls of resistance. Declare the victory with confidence.
The prize is yours. You will see the “walls” collapse as He works out His victory over all the obstacles you have faced.
On many occasions, Jesus’ silence was a refusal to defend Himself. His silence was both the fulfilment of prophecy…
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Isaiah 53:7 NIV
…before the Sanhedrin…
“Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.”
…Pilate…
“But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.”
Mark 15:5 NIV
…Herod…
“He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.”
Luke 23:9 NIV
…and His resounding declaration the final nail in His coffin when He responded to a question He was under obligation to answer…
“Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as worthy of death.”
Mark 14:60-64
What do we make of Jesus’ refusal to reply, interspersed with answers to questions? He used both His words and His silence to move the process along to its predetermined end.
To sum up, it seems that Jesus refused to waste words. He said nothing when He was falsely accused. He spoke God’s word into situations that required truth.
For example…
“The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”
Luke 4:3-4 NIV
Jesus’ words had both authority and power…
“If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.””
John 12:47-50 NIV
John put the person and work of Jesus in its perfect perspective…
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
John 1:1-4 NIV
Jesus is the Word incarnate, in the fullest sense…God, eternal, creator, and life-giving. He is the embodiment of everything God said has to say to mankind.
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:1-3 NIV
His silence had equal power…
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23 NIV
…Therefore, Jesus used His words thoughtfully, carefully, skilfully, and strategically to accomplish the Father’s purpose on earth… both by what He said and by what He refused to say.