The Power of Life and Death Is In Our Tongue

There is something so powerful with words. They build up someone or they completely shatter and destroy. I won’t only be making reference to how it has the power to affect someone else's life or self-esteem but how it can affect your own life and future.

Before, after each exam I would write, my friends would ask me "how did it go? Do you think you did well?" and each time I would say either “yes I think I aced it” or “oh I don’t know, I probably failed it, it’ll be a surprise if I pass”. Do you know that those words are probably the reason why I failed some of my courses? And I’m sure you’ve also been in situations where you spoke something and maybe said “oops I shouldn’t have said that” right... sometimes we don't realize it, but when we say things like "oh my day today will suck" or even "fml" or everyone's favorite "forever alone" we are cursing ourselves! Being negative and condescending, removes any possibility of success. It does not allow your faith to work at all. If anything, you are limiting what God can do for you. It takes faith to believe God can help you, and we’ve seen last week how without faith you cannot please God and that you can’t be double minded when asking Him something. Well… by speaking negative words into your situation, essentially inhibits your faith therefore it limits what God can do for you.

Now, the same goes when you speak life into a situation. Example: if you go for a job interview and you know you might not have been qualified or what not and it did not seem like the interviewer liked you, but if you keep professing, “the job is mine”, “I did well”, “he will call me tomorrow”, isn’t that what faith is? Won’t God answer your faith? He will, according to His will mind you. But you see, when you speak life, you are activating your faith and moving the hand of God. Remember what Romans 4:17 says "He calleth those things which are not as though they were". God is a miracle working God so you should always have faith that He can do all things, so profess it! 

  

Okay so what about when I speak destruction in someone else’s life?

By insulting or challenging someone else’s self-esteem, you are destroying them. In ways you cannot even imagine. You are planting seeds in that other person’s life and that seed will help the enemy destroy their lives. Are you the devil’s assistant? Then why are you making his job easier? Not only that, we are called to be like Christ. If you are not doing what Christ is doing or has called us to do, which is love everyone, as you love yourself, then you are rebelling and The Lord will not be pleased with you. The Lord answers only the prayers of the righteous… are you righteous today? Speak life in someone’s life or situation. Use your words to build people up. Don't gossip, don't insult and don't bring down anyone with your words!! The same way The Lord builds us up with His Word, you must also do the same for other people.

It’s important to understand this because while you are praying and fasting this month, you must not speak death into your situation or other people’s lives, because you will be inhibiting what The Lord can do for you and all of this month will be a waste. Even once the month is over, and you are still not seeing what you asked The Lord to do for you, you MUST NOT lose hope nor lose your faith. Once you do, it’s done, you have missed the point. So ANY, let us continue to walk by faith and not by sight and continue to speak life in each other’s lives as we speak life into our own lives.

If you need help to control your words and you need help to speak life rather than death, ask The Lord to tame your tongue! 

James 3:5-8 (NIV)
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire,a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Psalm 141:3 (NIV)
Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

By: Vicky (Vessel Speaker)