Power of the Tongue
The Lord bless you today.
There is tremendous power in the words we speak.
Words can promote life or death (Proverbs 18:21).
Our words set the course of direction for our life
(James 3:5)—we shall have whatever we say (Mark 11:23).
If a person, for instance, keeps on saying, “I'm
never going to get healed” or “I'll never be free of this addiction” … or “I’ll
always be poor and in debt”, then life may turn out exactly according to what
they say.
If on the other hand, a person consistently says in
faith, “Jesus is my Provider and I shall be prosperous”, then the Holy Spirit
will begin to download ideas of how to generate income and give you the power
to excel and increase.
If a person continually says, “Jesus is my Healer
and by His stripes I am (and was) healed, I'm coming into complete health, I'll
never be sick another day in my life, God is giving me strength and energy”
(plus they are obedient to follow God's laws of health and nutrition, plus
spiritual laws such as forgiveness and walking in love)—then after a period of
time healing and wellness will begin to manifest.
God wants us to live in Divine health here on this
earth. That doesn't mean that one day we won't die, because eventually the body
will pass away. Some sicknesses are unto death, and to be absent from the body
is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). However, Jesus paid the
price on Calvary for all sicknesses and diseases. Our life can be lengthened and we can live in
wellness by following God's principles and speaking according to God's Word.
The father of the founding pastor of my former
church is an example of a person who had a touch of Divine health on his life.
He lived to be 105, and was strong, active, in excellent health, and alert
until the end. The day he went to Heaven to be with Jesus, his blood pressure
was normal that morning. He went to
church that day, came home and rested in his recliner. And then peacefully went
home to be with the Lord. Sickness didn't take him out.
God also wants us to live on this earth healed in
our emotions and mind. He wants us to live in joy, peace and fulfillment.
All of us have blown it in speaking wrong things,
especially in a moment of weakness, anger or frustration. James 3:2 says that
only a perfect man or woman is never at fault in what they say.
I know personally what it is like to be battered
with verbal abuse for many years almost on a daily basis. It destroys your self-esteem and does
tremendous damage emotionally and psychologically. Once words are said, it
cannot be recalled.
James 3:7-8 says that wild animals can be tamed,
but the tongue no man can tame. It is a restless evil, always ready to pour out
deadly poison.
Jesus said that all of us would be held accountable
for every idle word spoken. Words spoken will bring justification or
condemnation (Matthew 12:36-37).
The Holy Spirit is grieved when we speak unkind or
negative words, and words of unbelief (Ephesians 4:28-32). The Holy Spirit is
also grieved when we say anything contrary to His will for our lives or that of
another person.
Just last week I was talking to my mother about
something, and without thinking, I said a doubtful statement that contradicted
what the Holy Ghost wants to do in a certain situation. Immediately I felt a
sick feeling in my gut, and I knew I had grieved the Lord. I didn't think what
I said was any big deal, but my statement contained doubt and unbelief. God was
offended that I would say something that was in disagreement of what He said,
instead of completely trusting Him to perform what He is planning on doing.
The Psalmist David asked the Lord in Psalm 15:1-3,
“Lord, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in Thy holy hill?”
The Lord gave him the answer, and two of the things God mentions in this psalm
concerns words spoken:
1. “speaketh
the truth in his heart”
2. “he that
backbiteth not with his tongue”
When we have a habit pattern of not watching our
tongue, our words become a snare to our own souls. We still might be saved, but
there is leanness in our souls. And
we do not come into the full inheritance of all the blessings and promises of
God that He would like to give us.
The great news is that the Holy Spirit empowers us
to speak good things. As we continually stay filled up with the Holy Spirit,
God helps us to learn to walk in the Spirit versus walking in the flesh. The
byproduct of walking in the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit being developed
in our lives (Galations 5:22-23). To speak life-giving words requires death to
carnality and death to the flesh.
The love of God inside of us is the most powerful
key to helping us control our tongue and to speak encouragement to others. The
love of God is imparted to us by the Holy Ghost. Romans 5:5 says, “The love of
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Continually meditating upon the Word of God helps
us in the battle with the tongue. God's Word gets into us, even into our
subconscious and every fiber of our being. And then it flows out of our lips.
The Bible tells us the kind of words NOT to speak
(that bring death), and also the kinds of words TO speak (that bring life).
Kinds of words God does not want us speaking:
· Taking God's Holy Name in vain (Ex 20:7; Deut 5:11; Lev 19:12; Ezek
39:7)
· Swearing; Foul language (James 5:12; Eph 4:29)
· Deadly Poison, Viper's venom (James 3:8; Ps 58:3-4; Ps 140:3; Rom 3:13)
· Iniquity, Injustice (Job 6:30; Ps 36:3; Ps 64:6)
· Crafty tongue (Job 15:5; Ps 83:3)
· Deceitful tongue (Job 27:4; Ps 34:13; Ps 120:2; 1 Pet 3:10)
· Smooth as butter, but evil motives (Ps 55:21)
· Enticing words (1 Cor 2:4; Col 2:4)
· Flattery and Boastful words (Ps 5:9; Ps 12:3; Prov 6:24; Prov 26:28; 1
Thess 2:5; Jude :16)
· Cursing and Oppression (Ps 10:7; Ps 59:12; Rom 3:14; James 3:10; Balaam
cursing Israel Num 23:8; Gen 12:3)
· Backbiting (Ps 15:3; Prov 25:23)
· Evil speaking (Ps 34:13; Ps 50:19; Eph 4:31; 1 Pet 3:10)
· Slander (Ps 50:20; Prov 10:18; Eph 4:31; James 4:11)
· Gossip (Prov 11:13; Prov 16:28; Prov 18:8; Prov 20:19; Prov 26:20; Prov
26:22; 2 Cor 12:20)
· Destruction and Mischief (Ps 52:2; Prov 13:3; Prov 18:7)
· Lying tongue (Ps 52:3; Ps 109:2; Ps 120:2; Prov 6:17; Prov 26:28)
· Devour people with words (Ps 52:4; Gal 5:15)
· Tongue like a sharp sword, like piercing arrows (Ps 57:4; Ps 64:3; Prov
12:18; Jer 9:8)
· Bitter words (Ps 64:3; Job 7:11; Rom 3:14)
· Hateful words (Ps 109:3)
· False tongue, Feigned words (Ps 120:3; 2 Pet 2:3)
· Froward tongue (Prov 10:31)
· Unclean lips (Isa 6:1-7)
· Perverse, Vicious, Malicious, Wicked (Prov 15:4; Prov 17:4; Prov 17:20,
3 John :10)
· Death words (Prov 18:21; Ps 5:9)
· Judgment, Accusation (Isa 54:17; Rev 12:10 Satan is the accuser of the
brethren, and we ought not to get on his team and join in with him)
· Complaining, Murmuring (Jude :16; 1 Cor 10:10-11; Num 11:1; Num
14:27-29)
· Doubt and Unbelief (Heb 3:19; Heb 4:6; Heb 4:11; Num 13:32-14:45)
· Coarse Joking or Jesting (Eph 5:4, NIV)
· Vain words (Job 16:3; Eph 5:6; 2 Pet 2:18)
· Words that tear and break others in pieces (Job 19:2)
· Ensnared by words (Prov 6:2)
· Harsh, Grievous words (Prov 15:1)
· Hasty, Quick-Tempered, Not thinking before speaking (Prov 29:20)
· Blasphemous words (Acts 13:45; James 2:7; Rev 13:6)
Kinds of words God does want us to speak:
· Words of refreshment (Prov 11:25; 1 Cor 16:18, NIV)
· Words of healing and strength to the weary (Isa 50:4; Ps 37:30-31; Prov
16:24; Prov 15:4; Prov 12:18; Prov 4:20-24; Prov 13:17; Prov 11:25; Ps
34:12-14; Prov 10:11; Prov 11:30; Prov 16:22-24; James 3:13)
· Edifying words (1 Cor 14:3; Rom 14:19; Rom 15:2; 2 Cor 13:10; Eph 4:29;
1 Thess 5:11)
· Encouraging words (Deut 3:8; Acts 15:32; Acts 20:2; Col 3:16; 1 Thess
3:2)
· Exhortation (1 Cor 14:3; Rom 12:8; Titus 1:9; Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25)
· Esteeming and Honoring others (Phil 2:3; Rom 12:10; Rom 13:7; 1 Pet 3:7)
· Words to strengthen (Luke 22:32; Acts 15:32; Deut 3:8; Job 16:5; Ps
119:28)
· Words seasoned with grace (Eph 4:29; Col 4:6; Ps 45:2; Ecc 10:12)
· Comfort (1 Cor 14:3; Eph 6:22; 1 Thess 5:11; 1 Thess 5:14; 2 Cor 1:4)
· Faith-filled words (Mark 11:23; Matt 21:21-22; Rom 10:8; Num 13:30; Matt
9:20-21)
· Pleasant words (Prov 15:26; Prov 16:24)
· Nourishment, Positive Affirmation (Prov 10:21; 1 Tim 4:6; Eph 5:25-29;
Eph 6:4)
· Gentle, Soft words (Prov 15:1; Prov 25:15)
· Words of Wisdom (Ps 37:30; Prov 4:20-22; Prov 15:2; Prov 22:17; Ecc
10:12; Ecc 12:11)
· Life words (Prov 18:21; Deut 30:19; Ps 34:12-14; Prov 4:20-22; Prov
11:30; Prov 13:3; Prov 15:4; Prov 16:22-23)
· Truth, Purity, Sincerity, Uprightness (Job 33:3; Ps 12:6; Ps 19:14; Prov
10:20; Prov 15:26; Prov 22:21)
· Love and Kindness (Eph 4:32; Prov 31:26; 1 Cor 13; 1 Cor 8:1, NIV)
· Praise of God on our lips (Ps 34:1; Ps 35:28; Ps 63:3-5; Ps 66:17; Ps
119:171; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16)
· Singing praises (Ps 71:23; Ps 100; Ps 126:2; Isa 51:11; Isa 54:1; Eph
5:19; Col 3:16)
· Speaking God's Word (Deut 6:5-9; Deut 11:19-21; Ps 1; Ps 71:24)
· Spoken Blessing (Num 6:23-27; Gen 12:2-3; Gen 22:17-18; Gen 27; Gen
49:28; Deut 11:26-28)
· Wise counsel (Prov 11:14; Prov 24:6; Prov 27:9)
· Light (Ps 119:130; 1 John 2:9-11)
· Sweetness (Ps 119:103; Song 4:11)
· Pen of a ready writer (Ps 45:1)
· Wholesome tongue (Prov 15:2)
· Tongue of the learned (Isa 50:4)
____________
Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD has given me the tongue
of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is
weary. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to hear as the
learned.”
It is God's will that no one should perish (end up in hell), but that ALL should come to repentance.
For God so loved this world that He gave His only begotton Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God did not send His Son into this world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him would be saved.
The thief (Satan the devil) comes only for to kill, steal and destroy. But Jesus has come to give us life, and life more abundantly, until it overflows.
I urge you to come to the Cross today and receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He will wash away all your sins and make you as clean and white as fresh snow.
Just pray this prayer and mean it with your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus (if you are not able to call him Lord yet, then just say "Jesus")
I receive You as my Savior and Lord. I give my life over to You. I believe that You died and rose again, and that if I call on the Name of the Lord I shall be saved.
I accept you into my heart right now, and confess that You are Lord and have risen from the dead and forever live to make intercession for me.
Thank You for washing my heart pure and clean and making me whole, and for giving me peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Thank You that now I am a new creature in Christ Jesus. The old has gone and the new has come.
And there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh (carnality and sin), but walk after the Spirit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
If you prayed this prayer, I believe you got born again and are now heaven bound and will be with the Lord forever and have eternal life. Your sins are now forgiven. You are accepted in the Beloved.
I would encourage you to find a good Bible based local church to help you grow in your faith, to learn the Word of God, to praise and worship Him, and to have fellowship with the saints.
Serving Christ is the best decision you will ever make.
God bless you!!!
