The Power of Momentum

June 11, 2004

One of the enemy’s tricks to deceive is the power of momentum.  If he can get someone to set something in motion—even just the slightest bit—then its easier for him to keep it going and going until it builds up such momentum that people think it must be a great and mighty force set in motion by God.  But just like a freight train that’s out of control it will bring great destruction when it reaches its end.

James 3 tells us that the tongue is a fire that ignites the course of nature.  It begins a cycle.  It sets things in motion.  Seasons of life can be set in motion this way.  It can be a destructive power that we often don’t even realize we have unleashed.  But if we will, in humility, repent then God will bring the destructive momentum that we started with our words to a screeching halt.  But it takes our true repentance in order for that to happen.  We started the thing in motion and God is not able to stop what we started without our repentance—our sincere desire to halt the thing we started with our destructive words.  It may seem so small at first—Just one cutting remark against another person.  But we’ve set something in motion and a course of nature has been set.

One of the destructive spiritual ‘trains’ that we can set in motion comes from arrogance.  Pride will try and lead a person to expand and increase their realm of authority and influence, beyond their true sphere of authority.  Just like a train trying to get somewhere without the power of the engine, pride builds with a momentum that will bring a person to a place they are not prepared to handle and, like a runaway train, the results can be devastating when it all comes crashing down.

The enemy would try and get a person ‘proud’ of their faith.  A person may boldly speak the Word of God and it may appear that they are very spiritual and full of faith, but if their words come from a heart of arrogance then the power of God is not behind them.  The momentum created from their own words or efforts is not the real and true power of God, even if it appears that something is being accomplished for God.  Just because something is moving doesn’t necessarily mean that God set it in motion!

What was James’ remarks after discussing this power of the tongue?  Basically, he said that if we are truly wise or knowledgeable people then we are to show out of our good lifestyle our works with the humility of wisdom (James 3:13).  The telling trait of a true wise man is not just good behavior, but humility in his wisdom.

We would do well to ask the Lord to show us any runaway trains we have set in motion with our words.  And when He does, if we will repent with humility, He will be able to bring that destructive power to a screeching halt!