{"id":34543,"title":"The Power of Encouragement - The BELIEVE Blog","description":"Man was made in the image of God, right? Genesis 1:27. And how was it that God created everything? Genesis 1:3 \u201cAnd God said\u2026\u201d It was the spoken word that brought all existence to life. And, having been made in God\u2019s image, you have received the same power to both create and destroy with your words.\n\nThe spoken word has the power to destroy friendships, churches, even nations. Words can provoke and, in fact, they\u2019re designed to. God has given us this power but...","content":"<blockquote><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.teemill.com\/6ipylixq99w0w3gy8guphwgb5zhwzv6ebvvandqrauhmzfcq.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"6ipylixq99w0w3gy8guphwgb5zhwzv6ebvvandqrauhmzfcq.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/>\u201cEncourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.\u201d 1 Thessalonians 5:11<\/p><\/blockquote><p>As a young boy, I recall hearing of a study that was conducted on plants that were spoken to, half positively and half negatively. The plants that received <strong>positive words of affirmation<\/strong> grew above average and produced abundant fruit of excellent quality. However, the plants that received negative words and discouragement were withered and only some produced a crop which was measly at best.<\/p><p>Similarly, I was told of an experiment that was carried out on water as it froze. As before, the batch of ice cubes received positive words and the other batch negative. The first ice cubes froze so clear and clean but the rest were clouded. Under a microscope, it was revealed that this was because the ice that froze whilst receiving negative words had developed ugly, sharp crystal patterns throughout <strong>which also made it brittle<\/strong>.<\/p><p>How true these studies are, I cannot say but the principle always stayed with me. Even though I was but twelve years old, <strong>I knew the principle to be Biblically sound<\/strong>, for it says in James 3:8 that the tongue is, <em>\u201c...full of deadly poison.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p>Man was made in the image of God, right? Genesis 1:27. And how was it that God created everything? Genesis 1:3 <em>\u201cAnd God said\u2026\u201d<\/em> It was the spoken word that brought all existence to life. And, having been made in God\u2019s image, <strong>you have received the same power<\/strong> to both create and destroy with your words. Proverbs 18:21 makes it plain with the warning, <em>\u201cDeath and life are in the power of the tongue.\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><strong>The spoken word has the power to destroy<\/strong> friendships, churches, even nations. Words can provoke and, in fact, they\u2019re designed to. God has given us this power but this should be used to provoke good, not evil.<\/p><p>Multiple authors throughout Scripture wrote that we should encourage each other. Not because it\u2019s a pleasant manner but because of the power that there is in a simple, uplifting word. <strong>Encouragement is even a gift of the Spirit<\/strong> alongside teaching and prophecy according to Romans 12!<\/p><p>Have you ever received a compliment that stuck in your mind? And even weeks later, it was still making you smile? I sure have. The giver of the compliment may have not even been trying but <strong>the power of a positive word still lingered in my heart<\/strong> long after it was spoken. So, just imagine the impact of premeditated encouragement, inspired by the Holy Spirit!<\/p><p>Take some time right now to pray about who you could encourage. <strong>You could be exactly what they need.<\/strong> It doesn\u2019t need to be insightful or complicated. It just needs to be loving.<\/p><p>Furthermore, <strong>look at David\u2019s example of self-encouragement<\/strong> in 1 Samuel 30:6, <em>\u201c...but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.\u201d<\/em> You can build yourself by reminding yourself of how God sees you, His promises and the future of goodness He has for you.<\/p><p>Jacob Shepherd<\/p><p>CEO &amp; Co-Founder | Revival<\/p><p>:::::::::::::::::<\/p><p>Want to receive our <strong>weekly blog posts<\/strong> and be notified first about our <strong>new designs<\/strong> and <strong>sales<\/strong>? Just enter your email address <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/email-subscription-page\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>HERE<\/u><\/a> we\u2019ll take care of the rest!<\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Shop our Christian Clothing line<\/u><\/a><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/about-us\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Learn more about us<\/u><\/a><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/our-process\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Our Process<\/u><\/a><\/p><p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/revivalforeveryone\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Follow us on Instagram<\/u><\/a><\/p>","urlTitle":"the-power-of-encouragement-the-believe-blog","url":"\/blog\/the-power-of-encouragement-the-believe-blog\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/the-power-of-encouragement-the-believe-blog\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/revivalforeveryone.com\/blog\/the-power-of-encouragement-the-believe-blog\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1702038057,"updatedAt":1702045328,"publishedAt":1702045328,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":233745,"name":"Revival"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/oahov3inap2y7wh8rk9stoaqa4syggqu7ywkneolwrwohmfy.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/oahov3inap2y7wh8rk9stoaqa4syggqu7ywkneolwrwohmfy.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/oahov3inap2y7wh8rk9stoaqa4syggqu7ywkneolwrwohmfy.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":36693,"title":"Stop, Look, Listen pt. 1 - The BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/stop-look-listen-pt-1-the-believe-blog\/","urlTitle":"stop-look-listen-pt-1-the-believe-blog","division":233745,"description":"In many cases, what you\u2019re praying about, or for, is already yours. You just don\u2019t know it yet. But if you were studying the Word and making space for it to be absorbed into your life, you would know it.\n\nI realise that most of the things that I\u2019ve ever taught about or wrote on can all be summarised in much fewer words: read more Bible.\n\nI just put myself out of a job. Great\u2026\n\nHowever, there\u2019s a problem. If you\u2019ve read the Bible every day for years but then stopped and didn\u2019t pick it up for a few months, do you think you\u2019d maintain the same fruit in your life?\n\nI\u2019ll tell you what would happen.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bpsui4rewqp7r6hbjipxpyzw6xyyndutpf4dyzjxh2fj3vex.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/bpsui4rewqp7r6hbjipxpyzw6xyyndutpf4dyzjxh2fj3vex.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":35195,"title":"Hope's Ground Zero - The BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/hopes-ground-zero-the-believe-blog\/","urlTitle":"hopes-ground-zero-the-believe-blog","division":233745,"description":"Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope misplaced has destroyed countless lives. \n\nProverbs 13:12 tells us that, \u201cHope deferred maketh the heart sick.\u201d And as January 1st approaches every year, hope is placed in the plans and commitments of billions.\n\nFor the believer, our hope can be in nothing but Jesus Himself. Perhaps Jesus is a flavour of some of your resolutions and that may seem more righteous than most but this is still not good enough.\n\nJesus must be the ground zero for every hope you have.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nb07fqc39vpj4pw5xgob9wkiovjmuzefdvkbqiwecfyzojep.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/nb07fqc39vpj4pw5xgob9wkiovjmuzefdvkbqiwecfyzojep.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":24116,"title":"Valley of Shadows - the BELIEVE Blog","url":"\/blog\/valley-of-shadows-the-believe-blog\/","urlTitle":"valley-of-shadows-the-believe-blog","division":233745,"description":"You know that feeling you get on a sunny day when suddenly the sun is swallowed by a dark cloud? Everything becomes colourless and unpleasantly cool. You may be thinking immediately of how your plans for the rest of the day are spoiled with the threat of wind and rain. Yet, all you experienced was a shadow...","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rdya0gptnuclqq1yopizwrj7k92c1vf9dojjwr1leuwiffqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.3&fx=0.49958465475181&fy=0.4299007577019","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rdya0gptnuclqq1yopizwrj7k92c1vf9dojjwr1leuwiffqn.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.3&fx=0.49958465475181&fy=0.4299007577019"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}