Watch Your Mouth!

   

 

    Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)- "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." 

    Have you ever thought how words could effect your life or its' outcomes? The use of words have been a theme for me this past week; from Bible study, to a Holy-Spirit-lead conversation with my husband. Words, as the scripture mentions, has the power of life and death. Do we really think about how saying negative things on others could effect their lives, do we care, or do we even know how serious the Lord takes this subject? 

    The use of words, positive or negative, have been tested on things that are not humans and the effect is what you would guess it to be...positive or negative. Imagine how this looks on a human. Yes, I am talking about tearing someone down in their face, but also behind their backs. When you speak negatively on someone's life, they don't know it, but it can hinder their capability in that one area you were speaking negatively on. I know me and my husband have been praying against every adverse tongue that has been rising up against us, and what God has already said concerning us. 

    This leads me into my next point: pray against those words you know have risen up against you and those you don't know. You may start to see things opening up before your very eyes. People, knowingly or not, have a way of tearing others down with their verbiage. The person on the other side of this abuse then may start to adapt this way of talking about themselves, and then eventually, others. Now, the person who started all this mess, has started a culture of thinking that has to be prayed, warred against, tore down, and shut down. 

    My husband brought to light a good point I didn't think about but that makes good sense: If we are made in the image and likeness of God, then we have the same attributes. Meaning, when God was creating the earth and the heavens in Genesis, all He had to say was the word and it was so. Now, us being made like God, to say the word and they have an effect (whether seen now or years down the line). Just think about it. What have you spoken, or someone else over you, that has come to fruition or that you've adopted as your own set of thinking?

    Negative, passive-aggressive words could be just as simple as these statements: "You are never going to be anything" or "You are just like your daddy" or "Why can't you be like him/her?" or "They ain't goin' to have no kids" or "You should just put that aside or give up". Hello! Words shape a person's life if they allow, and most people do accept these words if they are coming from someone they love and trust.  Learn to speak life into others, joy, love, and compassion. Make positivity and optimism part of your conversation rather than negativity. I know what I see and what my flesh is telling me, but what about God's promises and the faith I claim to have? Well then,  I'm going to speak that positivity instead of the negativity that seems to be spilling out. 

    Surround yourself with people who uplift you rather than who tear you down. Do not adopt this mindset because it can be hard to get out of. Pray for those people if all they know is this type of faith-less talk. Also, pray for yourself against any tongue that rises up against you, denouncing and rebuking these things, in Jesus' Name. You want to have yourself covered as well as others. Be careful with your words, because you never know where they could lead you. 

**Prayer time! 💛- Thank you Lord that you have not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV). I thank you, Father, that your promises are "Yes" and "Amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20, NASB). That you never will say something that you are not going to do. We trust you Lord and will move where you tell us to move; go where you tell us to go. We speak against any words that may arise, or that has arisen against us, in the name of Jesus. We bind, rebuke, and cast down these words that have created low self-esteem, change of course, and other unspeakable things. Father, let us be careful with our own words. We repent if we have spoken ugly on somebody or have went against your word by speaking death instead of life. Father, continue to lead us in your ways and not that of our own fleshly desires. Lead us away from conversations of murmuring and gossip. You said to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7, NASB), so help us to do this Lord. Give us your strength to overcome our flesh to want to be involved in gossip, to want to speak ugly on others. Father, continue to make us new in you. Renew our minds daily (Romans 12:2, NASB), and let us meditate on your scripture day-in and day-out to change us completely, so we can look more and more like you. In Jesus' precious Name we do pray-Amen. **