We have all heard the saying and maybe have even said it our self "Sticks and stones may break your bones but names and faces will never hurt you." I'm going to tell you right now that is a lie. Maybe you have even heard the one "I'm rubber your glue what ever you say to me bounces of me and sticks to you." Another lie. Kids learn these at a young age because we don't want them to listen to the mean things other people say. However the words hurt, they go deep and cause pain and discomfort. The child or even the adult will remember the things said to them and think that it is true. This can hinder them in many things including the work that God has prepared for them to do.

If we look back to the story I told earlier about the withered fig tree we can see just how deep words can hurt. In Mark 11:12-14 it says "The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.' And his disciples heard him say it." At that time nothing happens to the tree. It was as if Christ's words had no effect on it. The same is true for those who hear mean things said to them it seems to have no effect on them. However later in Mark 11: 20 we see that "In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots." The tree heard the words of Christ and it became withered and dead so that none could eat of its fruit again. When people hear the mean things said to them they become like the fig tree and wither up and become dead. Maybe not actual death but dead to the potential or joy that they could of had if the words hadn't been spoken.

We can also see just how powerful the tongue and the words that come from it can be in Proverbs 18:21a "The tongue has the power of life and death" The tongue can encourage you (life) and discourage you (death). What we say to others and to our self's means so much. It can bring life or death into our life, give us encouragement or bring us down. Speaking death into our life or having someone else do it can keep us from doing God's work.

Now two questions could be coming up about now. One is how do I get rid of the death that was spoken into my life? second how does this have to do with you going to India? Well we will start with the first one answer is simple prayer, ask God for forgiveness, and for an understanding of how he sees you. He sees you in a completely different way then the world does. Remember the words of death that were spoken into you are lies from the devil (John 8: 44b "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." ) rebuke the lies in Jesus name and believe the truth. There was one time when I believed what the world said about me that I couldn't do it, that I was a failure and couldn't succeed and that I should give up. But I got rid of it and rebuked it, that may be what the world called me but God had a different name for me and that name was Victorious. Find your new name find the name God gave you and be proud of it. Get rid of the world and follow Jesus.

For the second question about how this has to do with me going to India. Well a lot. Before September 11, 2011 I would never have considered going,  it meant I would have to talk to people in a public setting and they would actually have to hear me. But something happened to me that weekend that changed me. To start with I will give you a bit of my history (now if any of my family reads this please don't take offense. Remember I love you). When I was younger I had a very high shrill voice and my r's sounded like w's. From since I can remember my brothers and cousins made fun of my voice. Now my parents and my cousin Ronnie really loved how my r's sounded like w's and they thought it was cute. I did go to speech class for that though (school insisted) and overcame it. Only in stressful situations will it sometimes come out (example wedding day it was with this wing I thee wed, my husband still gets a kick out of it.). Even though the saying r's as w's wasn't a big thing the shrill voice and being picked on for it was. I hated talking in public, I wouldn't do it. I hated my voice on camera I didn't want to be recorded I didn't want to do oral presentations, microphones were out of the question wasn't going to use one. I didn't want to be ridiculed for my voice. Well at Life Church and being a ministry coordinator I did have to speak on a microphone a couple times, I did it but I wasn't happy about it. I had to talk in my Life Group which was okay but not something I enjoyed. At least it was a small group, bigger groups not going to happen. Then my second encounter weekend came. I overcame a lot that weekend but the one that was big was I overcame my fear of speaking in public. People at Life Church had always told me why don't you like talking in groups you have a nice voice. Well it took God to tell me that my voice is a gift from him and that I am to use it to glorify God to make me overcome it. I overcame so much more that weekend. When Pastor Paul asked me to just tell what had happened to me I was like no, then was like okay I can do this. I took the microphone and talked and talked, power went out I still talked, normally no one can hear me in the back because I am quite well not anymore, everyone heard me. I was overflowing with the Holy Spirit and the joy of being released from the lies that I talked so long Pastor had to come up and stop me. He was afraid I would talk the night away and I probably would of.

I overcame the death that was spoken into my life (it was done innocently but even innocently still hurts) so can you. Just go before God and lay it all at his feet. If your church has encounters go on one, if they don't find one and go. It is a life changing experience and brings joy into your life. It brings you closer to God and his purpose in your life.