Discouraging Words

“Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you,” when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.’ And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death.” [Judges 16:15,16]

The Battle of Stalingrad during World War II was arguably the bloodiest battle in human history, with combined casualties estimated above 1.5 million. In 1942 the German army, with the Axis forces, had nearly captured the sprawling Russian city. But by 1943, after months of brutal house-to-house fighting, the Russian military defending Stalingrad managed to turn the tables and surround Hitler’s Sixth Army – the besiegers became the besieged.

In addition to a heavy bombing campaign, the Russians placed powerful loudspeakers within the listening range of German soldiers. A series of sound tactics were used to discourage the German troops. For example, they played the loud, monotonous ticking of a clock, followed by a voice saying, “A German dies every seven seconds on the Eastern Front.” The propaganda voice then intoned, “Stalingrad, mass grave of Hitler’s army!” and then creepy tango music would start blaring across the empty frozen wasteland. Demoralized and starved, 91,000 German soldiers eventually surrendered.

Samson, the mighty judge of Israel, surrendered the secret of his strength when Delilah pestered him over and over. Her words eventually broke him down until “his soul was vexed to death that he told her all his heart” (v. 16,17). Discouraging words have a powerful force on our lives. We don’t even need to audibly hear them. They can bring us down just by thinking negative thoughts.

Wise Solomon penned, “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy” (Proverbs 15:30), and Paul encouraged, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Do not surrender to the enemy by listening to negative words or an evil report. Think and talk faith! Repeat the promises of God. Believe in the Bible and stand firm against discouraging words.