The Power of Sound

by Kelita Deems

“Be Careful What You Hear. Sound has the power to create.” – Robert Heidler

There are many ways to hear or to listen….you can listen to someone while hearing background noise. You can actively listen, intently and focusing. You can halfheartedly listen while thinking about other things. How do we listen? We listen different ways to different sounds, usually by the importance it has in our lives. We listen to our boss, perhaps more than we listen to a co-worker. If a loud noise erupts, we listen, we have no choice.. Or, if you are like me, chirping birds or wind chimes can get your attention.

Listening often demands actions. For instance, if an ambulance blows a siren, we listen and obey by moving over to let them pass by. If you are in school and the bell rings, you listen and promptly get up to change classes. When your mother yells your name, you listen and heed her instructions. Listening…….

Then there are things we actively choose to listen to. Music in our earbuds, tv shows or movies on the screen, conversations and other sounds. Listening…..

One of my favorite scriptures about hearing (listening) is Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. In other words, you don’t just listen once and you are done. You listen, and listen and listen – it implies an ongoing process. As we hear the word of God over and over, it will cause faith to grow, which is important because without faith it is impossible to please God!

We all know that our words create. Jesus framed the world with words, we are made in the likeness and image of God. Our words frame our world as well. Look around, what do you see? Your words have carried you to the place you are today. If you don’t like what you see, change what you speak. Proverbs 18:21 says the power of life and death are in the tongue. If you speak life you will reap life, if you speak death you will reap death. Our words are seeds. But, that’s another lesson!

Hearing. Listening. Speaking to hear….. Proverbs 4:21-22 says My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.
So, we see that speaking and hearing scriptures are life to us and healing to us as well! (remember Romans 10:17?)

In Mark 4, Jesus was teaching the parable of the sower. He says Listen! He says take heed what you hear! He says he that has ears to hear, let him hear, all within that one parable. Those words mean to physically listen and to also understand. So, not only are we to hear the word, we are to study the word, meditate on it and understand it! THEN it will be life to our flesh!

Listening……sounds…..sounds evoke emotions. How about the joy we feel when we hear a baby laugh, or the panic of a fire alarm? What about the fear of a loud sound in the night? Or the calming sound of birds on a summer’s day. Do you know that some scientists believe that sounds can heal? Sounds and listening. Hearing……..How are we listening to Him? How are we hearing what He says?

Many times we cannot control what we hear. When you are at work, you may hear unpleasant conversations, or when you are out in public as well. This alone is reason enough to make sure we are daily spending time with the Lord, in His word and presence. But, let’s look at a few things we can control in our hearing:

• Gossip. It happens to all of us. We end up in a conversation where someone is speaking a negative truth about a person who is not present. This does nothing to lift your spirit or bring life to you or anyone else. Lord, may we recognize clearly and remove ourselves from that conversation! Ephesians 4:29 – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

• Unholy Communication on TV or in Music – (especially in music because adding music to words causes them to penetrate deeper into our soul!) We could use Ephesians 4:29 again because if we would not let unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, then why would we let strangers say it in our living room through the television or stereo? But let’s try Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

• Self-talk – our self-talk is important because we believe ourselves more than anyone. The enemy will put thoughts in your head to see if you will bite and accept them as your own. This had me deceived for years! The scripture that says take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) means just that. When you find yourself thinking a thought and pondering it and it does NOT line up with the Word of God, take it captive! I often just say out of my mouth – “I march this thought to the cross of Christ because ______________(whatever scripture refutes the thought) and then I speak a truth of what His word says instead. Another way is – and this really works – I say OUT LOUD – NOPE! Not today! Why out loud? Because Satan can’t read your thoughts, he plants thoughts in your mind and then waits for your reaction. He is hoping those negative thoughts will become negative words out of your mouth – why? Words/sounds create! So, by taking these thoughts captive, you are denying him a building permit in your life!

Be careful what you listen to. What do you WANT to hear? I want to hear Him. I want to know when He speaks. I want to Hear His voice. I am learning to hear Him more. He has always been speaking, but I haven’t always been hearing. I have spoken to Him for years, but never stopped to listen to what He wanted to say. The more time I spend with Him, in prayer, in the word, the easier it is to recognize His voice.

Be careful the sounds you make/the words you speak. What do you want to speak? Speak LIFE! Speak truth! Speak love! Speak kindness! Speak according to the Word of God. The Word of God is LIFE! We speak and the sound of our words create. This also implies that when we hear sounds/words, those words create in us an emotion or call to action. How we respond, what emotion we release, and how we react with the words we choose, will release building blocks from what we have heard. Listening, hearing is more than the physical act of hearing. Hearing goes into our very being and causes a reaction. It will determine thought processes, and steps. How we hear, what we hear is the vehicle of our life!

Be careful what you hear. Sound has the power to create.

Prayer – Father, thank You for Your word and for understanding of Your word. Lord, first we repent for allowing negative sounds to create negative emotions and for acting and speaking to build on those negative situations. Holy Spirit, we ask You going forward to convict us quickly when we are about to create something in our lives that is not for our good or for the good of others. We pull up every negative seed we have sown with negative sounds that have come from our mouths. We pull down every stumbling block we have laid. We choose, this day to live free from the participation in gossip and unholy communication when it is in our power to do so. Convict us of our hearing! We want to hear YOU. We want to hear Your voice and create and frame our world with the words that bring life. Thank You Lord. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.