When our son was learning to talk and form sentences, he would ask, “What did you said?” when he didn’t hear what someone said.

We would correct him with, “What did you say?” but to no avail. He continued on with his choice of words and he pronounced every single one with gusto. It was cute but we realized it was going to be a hard habit to break. He eventually did break the habit and for the last three years or so, he gets it right.

He is now 7 and we have homeschooled from the start. Today, during his math lesson we were playing a fraction game with a pair of dice (refer to picture). Each person takes a turn rolling the dice and if the written fraction matches the picture of the fraction, you get a check. The first person to three checks wins. The directions even describe it as a game of chance.

So we started the game, he rolled first and his didn’t match. He handed me the dice and as I was shaking them to roll, he said, “I already know you are going to win,” with the sound of defeat in his voice.

The Holy Spirit about knocked me out of my chair. I knew immediately the lesson he was about to learn had nothing to do with fractions and everything to do with, “What did you said?”.

I looked at my seven year old and said, “You just spoke your own defeat. Why would you say that?”

He had a puzzled look.

I went on to explain, on his level of course, how our words impact EVERYTHING. Our words determine the direction we are headed. Our words determine our mood. Our words determine  if we win or lose.

So we started the game over and I told him to speak positive this time. He started by threatening the dice, “If you don’t roll right, I’m going to throw you into next year!”

While funny, I had to correct him again – “No, we don’t use threats, we speak the outcome. Try saying, ‘I’m going to win this round’ each time it’s your turn.”

The game began and his first role was a match. My roll was not. He won that round. You should have seen the look on his face. We kept going.  He wanted to play to five checks instead of three so it took a bit to get there.

Through the game however there were some rolls of the dice that he didn’t get a match. At one point he said, “See, it IS just chance.”

So I stopped and saw another GREAT opportunity to teach him about faith and long suffering and how even when it looks like we are losing, we keep speaking faith. I was able to teach him the struggle between dark and light and when it looks like the dark is winning, we keep speaking light and how it’s a spiritual battle because the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.

John 10:10 NKJV
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

I explained it to him like I heard a preacher explain it one time. It really is kind of like the cartoons where you have an angel on one shoulder a devil on the other and they are waiting there to hear what you are going to say. When you speak words that line up with the Word of God (I’m healed, I’m whole, I’m blessed, etc) the angel can go to work and act on those words. If you speak negative and contrary to the Word of God (I’m sick, I’m poor, things will never change) then the devil can go to work and act on those words.

What we SPEAK has power and will determine our future.

Proverbs 18:21 NKJV
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

So, what did you said?