Trash Talk
The Power of Words
A series seems to be unfolding, and I’ve decided to just flow with it: From ‘Clap Clap’, to ‘Don’t Drop your Egg’, to today’s Trash Talk…
All of them talk about the effect that other people’s words can have on your mind, and I think you know that whatever affects your mind also affects your life.
Trash Talk defined: insulting or boastful speech intended to demoralize or humiliate a sporting opponent.
Reflecting on my basketball days, (yeah, here we go again), I hate to admit it, but trash talk had its effect on me. During practice, I would be fine, playing well and enjoying myself while at ease, but on game day? Let me just put it this way: if we met a trash-talking team, it would trash my game. I mean, there I would be, about to take a shot that I would ordinarily sink, and then someone shouts, “Hawezi make!” (“She can’t make it”). I hear it, shoot, and miss. Why? It got to me.
“Trash talk works by exploiting psychological vulnerabilities to disrupt an opponent's focus and motivation, ultimately aiming to improve the trash-talker's own performance.” Google.
Anxiety? Was this what was happening to me? Well, after being with Christ, I am glad to say that I am no longer the same person I was back then.
Here is the Declaration:
The adversary of our souls also likes to play this game. He speaks negativity through the voices of others (especially authorities – check out JUST LIKE JORDAN) or through voices in our minds in a bid to demoralize us and bring down our performance.
How should we respond? How do we conquer?
Rabshakeh the Taunter
2Kings 18:27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, To Speak These Words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, THAT THEY MAY EAT THEIR OWN DUNG, AND DRINK THEIR OWN PISS WITH YOU?
Say what!!! (Check out the whole story for yourself.)
King Hezekiah took the issue to Prophet Isaiah, and this is what the Lord said.
2Kings 19:6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, BE NOT AFRAID OF THE WORDS WHICH THOU HAST HEARD, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.
1. When the enemy’s voice seems to be infiltrating your life, find out what God has said or is saying concerning the matter. The enemy seeks to inject fear with his words, but what God says will build faith. Believe the speakings of the Lord more than the enemy’s speakings.
David versus Goliath —>War of Words. (Read the whole story in 1Samuel 17.)
1Samuel 17:43-44 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
Say what????
David did not keep silent. He, too, released his arsenal.
1Samuel 17:45-47 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.
2. You have a mouth, and there is power there, so make good use of it. Don’t keep quiet. Don’t accept the negativity. Speak out the counter, for instance, when the voices say you cannot do it. Tell yourself, “I can do it” (Php 4:13).
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Confess (affirm) what God has said whenever negative voices bombard you. You cannot rise above your confession. Do not agree with them and confess failure, lack of faith, etc. Such confessions will only take you to those places.
Closing Nuggets:-
Let your mouth not be shut. When you are not talking, men are talking on your behalf. Do not allow the tongues of men to write your destiny. Apostle T, Rhema Feast 2025, Day 5.
A closed mouth is a closed destiny. Bishop Oyedepo.
When they talk trash to you, talk treasure, because that’s what you are. Yakira.
Psalm 135:4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
Have I seen you on our Wednesday Substack? It will help you to keep attending to God’s Word, which is life to those who find it and health (medicine) to all their flesh.
Well, this Wednesday, we will read about:-
As usual, I have a prelude:-
In this week's piece, we will meet a Pastor who suffered from a sickness for 40 years, all because of wrong thinking.
He had sought God for healing, and since it was not forthcoming, he concluded that the sickness was a thorn in the flesh which he would have to live with for the rest of his life. Jehovah had to intervene and correct his wrong thinking. When he saw the sickness for what it really was, i.e. a work of the devil, he went into prayer and received his healing.
You do not have to suffer oppression for years. Your freedom will be at hand once you know and enforce the truth about what is besetting you.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:31 gives us a hint as to how to get to this place. CONTINUE IN THE WORD OF GOD. Keep the light flowing in. As long as you believe the lie, you will remain in darkness or bondage, but as soon as your light comes or truth dawns, your freedom is at hand.
Contend for light.
Here's to your prosperity and health, even as your soul prospers.
Shalom.