…Hezekiah's words greatly encouraged the people. 2 Chronicles 32:8

How can a speaker make great impact? How can my words move beyond mere “making sense” to “carrying life''? How can my words go beyond making people nod their heads, yet having no encounters? How can I speak to the sick and get them healed? How do I complete the almost impossible task of speaking to the bereaved and get them comforted? I want to speak to the fearful and make them bold. Like Hezekiah, I desire that my words will greatly encourage the people.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged...”

Many believe the way to get to the hearts of people is to create an atmosphere of fear; to frighten them and make them feel insecure. Magnifying the problem or creating one when there is none. This has been a secret weapon of many speakers who wanted to make impact but they end up leaving the listener worse than they met him.

Hezekiah could have said; “My people, wahala dey o. Commander Sennacherib, the one who puts to ruin every nation in his path has decided to visit us. We are doomed. He has the largest army and the most deadly weapons in the world. He has destroyed 117 nations. What do we do?” 

With that, he simply would have thrown the nation into fear, with some quick but soulless preparation for a war they surely would not win.

No positive impact is made by magnifying the problem and ending with “it is well.” (Sometimes I feel “it is well” could be the most abused bible language on earth.)

 “I know this sickness. It is very terrible. Aisan yi lo pa iya ore mi!(This same sickness killed my friend's mother.) Have you started feeling pains in your head yet? Ah, it will soon start giving you headache, but it is well sha, it is well.

Don't tell someone who is scheduled for a medical procedure how many people have died of it before praying with them. You will only be coating poison with sugar by doing that.

Don't be the doctor who is more interested in telling patients how many weeks they have left than telling them their chances of staying alive. We all have a good number of people who have swallowed up those dates in victory.

"Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 NKJV

Hezekiah's points were clear; we have to learn from him if we must make impact. We must learn to emphasize strength and courage. Don't be the leader who destabilizes his followers by showing how weak and fearful he has become. “Don’t be afraid or discouraged” are the words of a true leader. 

…For there is a power far greater on our side…

 Hezekiah's speech glorified God. Let your words give glory to God. No words will heal, deliver or comfort the heart, if it does not glorify God. No words will magnify a sickness and heal it at the same time. 

…He may have a great army, but they are merely men…

Let your words magnify the weakness of the enemy. Open the eyes of the listener to the available way out, no matter how small. Let them know there is a way.

Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 2 Chronicles 32:22 NKJV

Like Hezekiah, be the speaker whose words bring salvation.