Your Voice is Valuable

“My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” -Song of Songs 2:14

Many voices are clamoring for our attention in the world today. Whether it’s through the TV, social media, e-mails or text messages, so many people are vying for our listening ears. Choosing what to believe and what to ignore can be a battle in itself. The Bible states that the world is in conflict with God (James 4:4). In other words, the narrative of this world speaks against the Word of God. Which voices are we believing? What messages are we filling our minds with? Are we tuning into God’s voice or are we listening to the Sirens’ call of the mainstream media? We tend to put our faith in what we are listening to the most (Romans 10:17). What we believe impacts our own voice. Why are our voices important?

Communication is an essential part of our lives. This happens in many forms, but there is something powerful about our voices. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “the tongue has the power of life and death.” We can choose to speak words that build up and heal or that tear down and destroy. Practically, this is obvious when you think about how others have spoken to you throughout your life. When someone gives you a compliment, how do you feel? How do you feel when someone calls you a derogatory word? Words can be full of love or they can deceive. We get to decide what comes out of our mouths. Our words reflect the condition of our hearts. Jesus said, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45). If we have the love of God in our hearts, we will love others by how we speak. If our hearts are full of hatred or pain, this will flow out of our mouths. Our words have the power to co-create with God, since we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). God created the heavens and the earth with the words of his mouth (Psalm 33:9). What a privilege that we get to partner with God to speak new life into being!

This means your voice matters. It has value. No one’s voice sounds just like yours. Let’s use our God-given faith to tear down strongholds of evil and build God’s kingdom on earth with love and righteousness. Use your voice now! Ecclesiastes 3:7 says, “There is a time to speak.” Now we must not be silent. Silent Majority, you must become the LOUD majority! The Lord Jesus is inviting you to speak up and speak out. Song of Songs 2:14 says, “Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet.” Your voice is sweet to God’s ears, but it is also powerful. The word of God in your mouth is a sword (Ephesians 6:17). Use it! Do not let anyone suppress or silence your voice… just yell louder! Give a shout of praise to the king of kings and the lord or lords (Revelation 19:16). The sound of your voice will shift the course of history! The sound of our unified praise and worship is breaking through impenetrable walls and gates of iron. Have courage! Ask God for boldness and shed every ounce of the fear of man. Do not be worried about what other people say or think of you. They will all be held accountable to God. Luke 19:40 says that if we do not praise God, the rocks will cry out.

I am fully aware that speaking God’s Word is not popular. You will likely experience fierce resistance, and maybe even from family and friends. I know what it feels like to have your voice stifled and silenced. Many people are experiencing censorship on their social media accounts as well. Have you struggled to share what you believe God has put in your heart? Who has undermined your voice? Who has crushed you? The Apostle John says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Now is the time to rise up and overcome all the opposition that has come against your voice and the voice of God.

I know many of us are weary from this tumultuous season. Are you too exhausted to face any opposition to your voice? Maybe all you have is a whisper… use it! God was found in a whisper before Elijah (1 Kings 19:11-13). Your voice is too important to remain silent. For those of us that hate conflict (especially around the holidays), I understand that voicing unpopular views can be stressful. However, there are points in history when our voices become critical to seeing God move and come through in a powerful way. We are at one of those moments now. There are consequences for not speaking out when God calls us to. In Esther 4:14, Mordecai tells Esther: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Body of Christ, this is our time! Proclaim your promises from God! Declare victory over evil in this hour. Our collective voices will triumph!