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Our words have power. The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me,” is a bunch of bologna. This saying is really about what others say about us but it is also true about what WE say about ourselves and others.
Our words betray our attitude and inner heart. So we are instructed many places in Scripture to be careful what we say.
Matthew 12:34 Amplified Bible (AMP)
34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the [a]superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
(Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them)
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WHAT NOT TO SAY…
Eph. 4:29 (KJV) Let no corrupt (foul)(unwholesome, polluting) communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers (be an encouragement, impart grace).
(NIV) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Amplified: Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.
When we see the words “corrupt or foul” we think – I never or never would say anything like that. But let me give you some definitions of those words.
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.cor•rupt
1. Containing errors or alterations
2. To destroy the honesty or integrity of.
3. To ruin morally or damage
It is up to us to heed the warnings in the Bible as to what we say because we ultimately are responsible for them
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Matthew 12:35-37Amplified Bible (AMP)
35 The good man from his inner good treasure [a]flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse [b]flings forth evil things.
36 But I tell you, on the Day of Judgment men will have to give account for every [c]idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
So as Christians we are told:
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Ecclesiastes 5:2Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.
It is the duty of Christians to seek, by the blessing of God, to bring persons to think seriously, and to encourage and warn believers by their conversation.
Every word we speak to others should be an encouragement, impart grace, and benefit to others according to the need of the moment so that our words may be a means of blessing to the hearers.
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WHAT TO SAY:
Psalm 91:2 I will SAY of the Lord He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in Him will I trust.
We must dwell ( live) in the Secret Place of the Most High and thus will abide in the Shadow of the Almighty.
Then it tells us what to say.
Notice that the Psalmist says here – I will SAY of the Lord. We don’t say what we feel or even what we think, we say what the Word says is true.
The Lord is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in Him will I trust.
That is what is true.
This isn’t the only Scripture that tells us what to say or speak. The Bible is full of them.
Psa. 27:1 (KJV) The Lord is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear. The Lord is the Strength of my Life, of whom shall I be afraid.
We can’t go by what we feel. We’d be in a mess because our feelings vacillate so easily depending on our circumstances.
We can’t go by our thoughts because most of the time, crazy and unreasonable thoughts run through our minds thanks to the enemy because our mind is where the battle takes place.
So in spite of what we think or how we feel – WE SAY!
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WHAT TO PRAY:
Psalm 141:3(KJV & Amp)
Set a watch (guard), O Lord, before my mouth; keep (watch at) the door of my lips.
Psalm 19:14Amplified Bible (AMP)
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.
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CHALLENGE:
NEXT WEEK
• SAY NOTHING ABOUT ANYONE THAT IS NOT GOOD OR TRUE.
• SAY ONLY THINGS TO PEOPLE THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO SERVE THE LORD – REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY SAY TO YOU.
• ASK THE HOLY GHOST TO SET A WATCH (GUARD) OVER YOUR MOUTH.
