Put simply, the mind works in images.
Prove it to yourself right now with this experiment. Try to think this thought without having an image come to mind:
I will not eat that piece of chocolate cake!!
What did you see or experience?
Unless you are from another planet, you saw, smelled, tasted and even felt the texture of that chocolate cake, just like everyone else on our planet would, even if they hate chocolate cake! The people who like it would see themselves eating the cake, feel it, taste it, etc. We will always see the images created by our words.
Did you notice in the above experimental sentence that I had you say you would not eat the chocolate cake? Then why did you still imagine eating it?