I was going to teach on words and mood creation—and the previous discussion served as a springboard for it. The way words work in ministration is different from everyday communication. If you understand where someone is coming from, you’re more likely to minister to them effectively than if you don’t.

For instance, when ministering to someone from a city like Lagos, your choice of words and expressions may be limited. The command of language in metropolitan areas is often shallow. Some people are deeply moved by words, while others aren’t. As a minister, you must discern the best approach for each person in counseling or ministration.

I got feedback from someone whose son was very ill. He reached out for prayer. However, the person who handled the case started asking him to pray in tongues. That man is a pastor from Ibadan who doesn’t believe in speaking in tongues. His immediate need wasn’t a Holy Ghost baptism—it was empathy, concern, wisdom, and a demonstration of love. The approach felt more like an insult than help. That mistake came from our side.

We haven’t yet mastered the power of language in ministration. Even on a phone call, your tone and word choice can show whether you care and understand the situation.

The lady whose case inspired this teaching did something unethical—not murder or anything criminal, but wrong. When I described her actions, I chose words deliberately—not to condemn, but to expose and correct. I could’ve used milder words or treated it like “no big deal,” like I did when I posted the same story in the Blissful Home Ministers’ forum. The message was the same, but the way I framed it led to two very different reactions. That is the power of words.

Used carefully, words heal. Used rashly, they can destroy. You can use words to make a petty thief look like a murderer—or vice versa.

At Abeokuta, when the pastor made an altar call, a certain “SU-type” lady came out. I knew that laying hands on her wouldn’t work—her heart was hardened. She needed softening. So I held her hands and asked her to repeat:

“Lord, I am sorry for being disobedient. I have been rash and selfish. I chose my path and forsook yours. I became my own master after giving my life to you. I am sorry.”

She began to cry as she spoke the words. I didn’t hear anything from the Holy Spirit at that moment—but I knew those words would break through. She fell to her knees. I didn’t release her yet. I said, “Tell the Lord you have yielded to Him. Say it.” She said, “I surrender.” That was the moment she truly yielded—the anointing came, and she fell under its power.

She messaged me the next morning, thanking me and sharing how she had taken steps to correct her mistakes. That’s what words can do.

I also spoke about a woman who was given just a few days to live. I prayed intensely—nothing happened. She had a demonic condition causing extreme weight loss. The doctors said it was an incurable infection. After 45 minutes of praying in tongues without results, I asked:

“Do you want to leave your two-year-old child for another woman to raise? Do you want to give up your future to this demon or will you fight for your life?”

She screamed and fell to the ground, shaking violently until the demon left her. The anointing didn’t work, but words stirred her. She was later filled with the Holy Spirit and is now four months pregnant with her third child. She’s healthy, gaining weight, and doing well.

Sometimes, you’ll meet someone with a violent, boastful, or arrogant spirit. Such spirits thrive on attention. In Abuja, I once ridiculed such a spirit:

“I can’t be looking at you—I’ve seen greater things. Move aside. Let me celebrate my God.”

We began to dance and ignored the demon. It left. When I returned to Abuja for another event, the same woman came back—happy, beautiful, and focused not on herself, but her family. That’s how powerful words can be.

No word is wrong in itself if used appropriately. I once called a demon a thief and it reacted violently. Demons are proud; they hate ridicule. I reminded it of what the Bible said: “You came to steal, kill, and destroy. You thief, get out.” The demon left immediately. I wasn’t insulting the woman—just the demon. The key is discernment and wisdom. Using the right word at the right time is effective and wise.

Many people, despite good intentions, say foolish things in ministry. Foolish talk—even with anointing—is ineffective.

Words are central to Christ’s ministry. Look at how He rebuked the Pharisees: calling them whitewashed tombs, thieves, robbers, and murderers. Yet His words were still spirit and life. He also wept over unbelief. The same Jesus spoke words that healed, restored, and corrected.

In conclusion, when we minister, let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us the right words and a listening ear.

Here’s a habit I recommend: when counseling, let the person finish speaking. Then repeat a summary of what they said back to them. As you speak their own words aloud, the Holy Spirit will give you insight and clarity. You’ll naturally choose the right tone, mood, inflection, and delivery to produce the best outcome.