The Power of Your Tongue
Dr. Russell K. Tardo
I. The Power of Your Tongue
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. [Prov. 18:21]
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. [Mark 11:23]
32And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.... 36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. [Mat. 12:32, 36-37]
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. [James 3:2]
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. [Rev. 21:8]
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. [Rom. 10:9-10]
Without question, the human tongue is a powerful instrument and in its power is the ability to do evil or to do good. Consequently, believers need to carefully guard their tongues for it is an awesome force and influence in one’s life.
A. The Power to Reveal Maturity:
The tongue has the power to reveal one’s maturity as a Christian or one’s lack of maturity [Reference: James 3:2 above.] One’s words are the yardstick by which one’s level of spiritual is measured.
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. [Prov. 10:19]
B. The Power to Control:
The tongue has the power to control one’s whole life. When the tongue is under control, the entire body is controlled.
C. The Power to Build or Destroy:
The tongue has the power to build or destroy, not only one’s own life, but also the lives of others with whom one comes in contact, i.e., family members, friends, co-workers, business associates ... virtually every contact has the potential to influence positively or negatively.
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! [James 3:5]
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. [1 Pe. 3:10]
9Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.... 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. [Prov. 31:9, 26]
28The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath no word, let him speak my word faithfully.... 30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor. 31Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. 32Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. [Jer. 23:28, 30-32]
D. The Power to Defile:
The tongue has the power to defile the whole body, i.e., to pollute the entire body.
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. [James 3:6]
16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
[1 Cor. 3:16-17]
11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.... 18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. [Mat. 15:11, 18]
E. The Power to Run Out of Control:
If allowed, the tongue has the power to run wild and unchecked like a wild beast. Believers must learn to restrain the tongue. It is always wrong in God’s eyes when one criticizes another, no matter how wrong the other person might be. The one criticizing with one’s lips is the one who is in error, i.e., is wrong.
7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
[James 3:7-8]
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. [Prov. 22:10]
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
[Prov. 26:20]
F. The Power to Contradict:
The tongue has the power to contradict itself. The following verses reveal the inconsistencies of the tongue.
9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. [James 3:9-12]
33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. [Mat. 12:33-34]
G. The Power to Reveal Genuiness:
The tongue has the power to reveal genuineness of one’s religion.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. [James 1:26]
27An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. 28A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. [Prov. 16:27-28]
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. [Prov. 21:23]
II. Keys to Controlling the Tongue
Saints, it’s not a losing battle. There are things that one can do to help bring the unruly tongue under control.
A. Holy Silence:
Believers can develop the virtue of a holy silence. A holy silence produces peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, etc. It doesn’t defend itself, argue, and seek the last word. Jesus is the example in this regard.
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. [Isa. 53:7]
27He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. 28Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. [Prov. 17:27-28]
In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. [Prov. 10:19]
Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. [Ps. 142:3]
I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. [Ps. 39:1]
1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. [Eccl. 5:1-3]
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. [Acts 16:31-32]
29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.... 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. [Eph. 4:29, 31]
19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. [1 Pe. 2:19-24]
B. Believe:
Saints are to believe God. Broadcasting one’s problems is not the solution. To spread abroad all one’s problems and afflictions only serves to compound one’s troubles. Talking to others about one’s difficulties doesn’t help the individual or the other person. Take your dilemmas to God. He has the answers.
12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. 13Verily, I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. [Ps. 73:12-15]
C. Get Along with Others:
Believers need to recognize and learn the futility of changing the minds, routines, ways of life, etc. of others. Stop trying to convince others that your way is the right way and learn to get along with others. That’s equivalent to building a sidewalk where there is a pathway. Learn to accept others as they are.
