1. God spoke and the world was created (see Genesis 1). The Holy Spirit dwells in us and gives us power, too. Do our words have the power to create as well? What do we create with our words? Let’s explore this in the following discussion questions.
2. Let’s start with a type of speech that is not well understood by our culture: blessings. Do blessings carry power? Do we act today as if blessings carry power? What power do blessings have? Consider one story of blessing: that of Balaam and Balak (Numbers 22-24).
a. Does Balaam really have the power to bless and curse? (Numbers 22:6, Numbers 22:12)
b. What gives Balaam this power (Numbers 22:18, Numbers 22:38, etc.)?
c. What are some other examples of blessings in the bible? How do they compare to the story of Balaam and Balak?
3. Consider another example of speech in the bible, Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:4-9, Nehemiah 2:17-18). God speaks, Nehemiah speaks, and King Artaxerxes speaks, and the wall of Jerusalem is rebuilt (Nehemiah 7:1). What aspects of this story are similar to the story of Balaam and Balak? How are speech, action, prayer, and the spiritual realm connected in this story?
4. To bring the discussion closer to our everyday experience, consider James 3:2-12. Why are we given this warning? Does speech have the power to liberate and to ensnare, to build up and to tear down? Can you think of examples from history or your own life? How does this passage relate to the two stories we just talked about?
5. How then are we to use our tongues and speech? Does our speech have power to build each other up, to spur us to grow and the creation of new things? Consider these verses: 1 Corinthians 14:26, Hebrews 10:24, Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 4:11-16. How do we speak to each other? How does our speech gain power, how does it relate to God and the truth? How do speech and works tie together (e.g. Ephesians 4:11-16)? What are some practical ways we can put this discussion into practice? In this context how can our lives be centered on Jesus?
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