Early in my adult life, the Holy Spirit emphasized a truth to me. That truth is summed up in one verse from Proverbs 18:21: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (NIV)
Jesus taught this truth in Mark 11 as he cursed a fig tree. The next day he and his disciples passed by the tree, and Peter noticed that the fig tree that Jesus cursed had withered. Jesus used this occasion to say, "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." (Mark 11:22-23 NIV)
It matters what you say. This is a truth from the Word of God which I was blessed to learn over thirty years ago. It is a controversial truth in the church. It is a truth which has been taken to excess and practiced in unbiblical and immature ways. But, I have learned over the years that when the Holy Spirit reveals truth to the church, Satan will fight that revelation because the revelation of truth will set people free. (See John 8:32)
God continues to reveal truth. He desires that we take each fiber of truth from the Word of God and allow the Holy Spirit to weave the truth in us in a manner which produces godly maturity. However, as we walk with God down the pathway of truth he ordained, many tend to fall in ditch on either side of the road. Some will fall in the ditch of overemphasizing a truth to the place it is not in balance with the rest of the Word of God. Or, they will practice that truth without full understanding, and then not allow the Holy Spirit to correct their understanding. Others fall in the opposite ditch. They see the harm caused by those who overemphasize a truth or practice it in an immature manner, and they shy away from that truth and receive no benefit from it. God doesn't want his people to live in the ditch on either side of the road.
I believe that it matters what I say. I believe that I have the choice each day to speak words of death or words of life. I can speak words of blessing or words of cursing; I can speak words of encouragement or words of discouragement; I can speak words of victory or words of defeat. I can speak words of health, peace and prosperity, or I can speak words of sickness, anxiety and poverty.
It matters what I say. But, what is really important as Jesus taught in Mark 11:23, it matters what I believe and say. If you speak to the mountain to move into the sea, it will happen if you truly believe what you say will come to pass. Some would say that is a stupid illustration. Well, take that up with Jesus. It was his idea not mine. Nothing is too hard for God.
The church and the world are full of people believing and speaking negative things. They are in effect prophesying their defeat. Then they wonder why God allows bad things to happen to them. When you use Biblical principles in a negative way, you will produce negative results. The truth of the kingdom of God will never change. You will reap what you sow.
What are you saying with your mouth? Do you believe it in your heart? If so, you can confidently expect it to come to pass whether positive or negative.
On the other hand, there are people who say a lot of things that really don't mean or believe. Jesus called this idle or careless talk. Here is another perspective Jesus gave on the importance of what you say. "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you taht men have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37 NIV)
Wow!! We will give an account for every careless word spoken. Thank God for his mercy!
When you speak what you don't really believe, it causes confusion on the inside of you. Your heart becomes divided. To speak what you don't believe reveals a lack of integrity. But some say, "But, I was only kidding." What is your motivation "to kid?" Is it to bless? How could you possibly bless someone by saying words that your heart does not believe? Or, is your motivation ungodly?
The more you say something the more likely you are to believe it. Faith comes by hearing. If you keep speaking what is not true, even if you don't believe it, after a while you will begin to believe it. Then out of the overflow of your heart your mouth will speak and it will produce evil. Conversely, begin to speak the Word of God. Your heart may not truly believe that word yet. But, as you continue to speak it, faith will come and then you can speak out of the overflow of your heart and produce righteousness and blessing in the earth.
How do you change what you believe in your heart? You change what you mediate on. If you want godly change, begin to meditate on the Word of God night and day. (See Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:1-3) Meditation in the Word of God is not a quick fix program. It is a commitment for life which will fill your heart with the truth of God's Word and cause the overflow of your heart to be righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Today, I have a choice. Do I choose to speak life or death? By the grace of God, I choose life.
Wayne L. Williams
March 30, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia
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