I Have a Voice

At our Ladies’ Encounter Weekend this month, our scripture for the weekend was from Psalm 3:4. What stuck with me regarding this Scripture is the part that speaks about my voice. In my personal experience, my voice represents my opinion, my ability to express myself, my choices, what I believe to be true, and even my authority to speak out.

There have been times in my life where I have doubted my voice, and where I have felt as if my opinion was unworthy of being voiced. On one particular occasion, I had difficulty with my physical voice after a traumatic event had taken place, and I was hoarse and struggled to speak or sing clearly for a few months. Thankfully, the Lord healed my voice after I had prayer for this. When reading Psalm 3:4, I was reminded of these occasions in my life when I felt disempowered, both physically and spiritually, because my voice was compromised.

Right at the beginning of creation, we read, in Genesis 1, that the Lord spoke everything that exists into being. Psalm 29 gives a wonderful description of the power of the voice of God. Verse 4 says, ‘The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty’. When God speaks, all creation, circumstances, lack and impossibilities have to submit and bow the knee!

Because we are made in God’s image, our words carry much weight in the spiritual realm. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that, ‘The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit’. Our words have the power to bring either life or death to a situation. They can build up or break down. In Mark 11:23, we read that Jesus taught His disciples how powerful the faith-filled words of His children are: ‘For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says’.

There is so much in Scripture concerning the things we say. There is a clear connection between the condition of our hearts and our voice – that which we proclaim and speak (see Psalm 91:14, Matthew 15:11 & 18, and Romans 10:10). So, in order for our voice to be one that counts for God’s Kingdom, and in order for our words to be uplifting and life-giving – to ourselves as well as others - we need to make sure we allow God to search our hearts daily and for the Holy Spirit to bring His truth regarding the things we speak.

One of the verses that is very precious to me is Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT): ‘I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath’. God always hears my voice! He actually bends down and listens when I speak. How wonderful to know that, when it feels like I do not have a voice, or when my voice is really shaky, God is the One who always listens.

Be encouraged to use your voice! Speak life, address the mountains in your life with God’s truth, and confidently cry out to God when life overwhelms you. He hears your voice and will answer if you will listen.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You always bend down to listen whenever I call Your name. Lord, please create in me a pure heart so that my voice will count for Your Kingdom and accurately reflect Jesus in what I speak. ‘I will shout and sing your praises for all you are to me—Saviour, lover of my soul!’ Amen. (Psalm 71:23 – TPT).