Proverbs 18:20-21 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Does what we say matter? According to this verse, it is a matter of life and death.
James 3:1-8 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
What does it mean when the Bible says we can’t tame the tongue?
We tame wild animals by subduing, training, and controlling them. This process continues until they become less dangerous and less aggressive. They may even become less powerful, reaching the point of domestication.
The tongue can’t be tamed. It is designed to produce words that are creative and powerful in nature. So powerful that spoken words change and shape our reality. Nothing we can do will change that truth or alter a word’s nature to create. Therefore, we have a responsibility to only speak words that align with God’s word.
Words are meant to be an action and expression of faith. Words are the primary way we add works to our faith, making our faith a living creative thing.
James 2:25b …For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Words have a specific purpose. They are meant to work and create for the one who spoke them. Words that are not backed by belief are idle, unproductive, unemployed words. We will be held accountable for every idle word spoken.
Matthew 12:35-37 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
We cannot tame the creative nature of words, so we must bridle the tongue that produces them. Its nature is to produce what is spoken.
James 3:6 says that the tongue IS a fire! It IS a world of iniquity. It has the same nature as fire! What can we learn from this?
The tongue produces words, and words are spiritual and powerful. The tongue is called a fire and a world of iniquity for a reason. Your tongue didn’t get born again when you did. Your tongue is tied to your flesh.
Because we understand the nature of fire, we skillfully and carefully use its power to serve us in many ways. We can harden and purify steel. We can refine gold and silver. We use it for fuel, for comfort, and to cook. Our cars, boats, and planes fun off of internal combustion that helps us move around the world easily. We might say that humans have pretty much mastered fire and its use. We need to be able to say the same about our tongue.
The more positive words being spoken, the more positive things happen and are established in our lives. The more negative words we speak, the more negative things happen and are established.
Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
What if blessing and cursing are both being declared with our mouths? What is being established in our lives? Is anything being established, or is it just repeatedly built and then torn down? If our words are warring against each other, what kind of confusion is that creating in our hearts and minds? Are we praying good prayers and undoing them with words spoken against our hope?
We can’t change the creative nature of words, so we must be intentional and guarded when we speak. Our tongue must be treated like we treat fire. First, with respect because we know how dangerous even a tiny spark can be. Second, we must make our tongue serve us in a way that skillfully and carefully creates a desired outcome.
Mark 7:14-23 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” 17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
This is the first step in our efforts to bridle our tongues. We simply need to allow our hearts time to tell our mouths what to say. God calls this WISDOM.
Proverbs 15:28 The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil.
The expected behavior of the righteous is to think before you speak. Give the Holy Spirit time to give you direction. Allow him to bring you light and communicate the Father’s heart to you.
Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth , but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua took over for Moses when he died. Those are some big shoes to fill. God instructed Joshua to keep God’s word in his mouth and in his mind. He was also to keep it before his eyes. This was so he could be a doer of the word and not just a hearer. God said that this is the formula for making your way prosperous and having good success. The same spiritual principle that applied to Joshua applies to us. If we fill our hearts with God’s word, we will speak only what God speaks.
Proverbs 12:18 There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
Wise people are not careless with their words. They consciously use their words for intentional impact and effect.
Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
1 Peter 3:10 For “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.
Proverbs 17: 27-28 He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. 28 Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
Mark 11:22-24 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Verse 23 talks about speaking to things and exercising authority. Verse 24 says “Therefore” and talks about prayer. They are connected and many times both are necessary to get the answers.
Ask God for what you want or need in prayer according to His will. Then speak words that agree and affirm that you have the answer. Call things that do not exist as though they already do according to Romans 4:17. And DO NOT speak against your faith.
Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
This passage tells us that we have a choice about what we allow to come out of our mouths. It says that we should only allow words that edify, encourage, and build up. These words should impart God’s grace to the hearers. If we put this into practice, our entire circle of influence will begin to change.
James 1:19-26 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.
If we don’t stay committed and current in God’s word, bridling our tongues will be next to impossible. If we don’t bridle our tongue from speaking evil, doubt, and darkness, we deceive ourselves.
Colossians 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
It is also extremely important how we talk in front of unbelievers. King David said this in Psalm 39.
Psalm 39:1 I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.”
Sometimes, many times, we just need to talk less.
Proverbs 10:19-21 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.
Much talking means much sin. However, restraining, or we could say “bridling,” is wise. If you lack this wisdom, this verse says you could die from it.
Church, let us remember that our words are not empty- they are seeds, shaping the world around us. The tongue holds the power of life and death. We cannot change the creative power of words, but we can choose to speak life, truth, and blessing. Let’s fill our hearts with God’s Word, so that what comes from our mouths brings hope, healing, and faith. I pray we begin to steward our speech with wisdom, letting every word reflect the love and purpose of Christ.
Speak with intention. Speak with faith. And watch God transform lives, starting with your own.
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