Words have power, in fact the book of Proverbs speaks more about words than any other topic —even more than money, sex, or family. The tongue has the power to shape beliefs and convictions that affect eternal destinies.
The tongue has the power to heal or hurt, gather or scatter, deliver or destroy, comfort or crush (Proverbs 6:12–19, Proverbs 10:14, Proverbs 11:9, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 16:24). The tongue has the power to move the masses and it has the power to reward or ruin your life (Proverbs 18:6–7).
Our words, whether used for good or evil are very powerful.
In fact, the writer of Proverbs wrote,
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words (Proverbs 18:21, AMP).
James reiterates the same teaching in the New Testament:
From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so (James 3:10).
James wrote that the hardest thing for us to control is our tongue. Therefore, especially today, with all the platforms available for expressing our thoughts and words, we need God’s wisdom for:
What we communicate
How we communicate
When to communicate
What we communicate
Jesus said,
For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. The good person brings out of his good treasure good things, and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things (Matthew 12:34-35, NASB).
Proverbs says that the heart controls the body, its facial expressions (Proverbs 15:13), its tongue (Proverbs 15:28, Proverbs 12:23), and all its other members (Proverbs 4:23–27, Proverbs 6:18).
What fills the heart controls what and how we communicate which will either be intrinsically good in nature and beneficial or else painfully damaging to all involved.
This is why our hearts need to be filled with God’s Word and let it instruct us on how to speak. Proverbs also tells us,
The heart of the wise instructs his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips (Proverbs 16:23, AMP).
In reality,
“our words reveal our character.”
Not only do our words reveal our character but God takes what we say seriously as Jesus taught His followers:
But I tell you that everyone will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken (Matthew 12:36).
The question you and I need to ask ourselves is what am I communicating? Are my words reflecting a heart that is taught by God? Are my words kind, full of mercy and according to Truth?
So let’s say a person starts talking to you about someone else and putting them in a negative light because they are angry about what they have done or said. What should you do?
According to what Jesus said, we should encourage the person to go and talk to the person or persons who they have a problem with and bring things into the light.
The Apostle Paul taught that there are words and actions that grieve the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:29-31). How can one be praising God while thinking or speaking evil of their brother or sister? How can one claim to be walking with the Lord when they walking contrary to His Word?
When we have legitimate differences, conflicts or issues with others, we as Christians have the responsibility to go alone to others we have a problem with as Jesus prescribed in Matthew’s Gospel.
How we communicate
The tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 11:30).
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 (Ephesians 4:29, NIV).
Paul’s emphasis was on the positive use of our tongue. What we say should be helpful, according to their need, to build up and benefit those who are listening. He also instructed people in the churches to,
Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you] (Colossians 4:6, AMP).
Solomon said that our words are deep waters; and the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook (Proverbs 18:4, ESV). This means that our words are to be a life-giving fountain. We should be speaking good words into each other's hearts (Proverbs 12:25) because good speech is both a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30) and a fountain of life (Proverbs 13:14).
Wise and life-giving words come from someone who has a heart filled with the Word (Proverbs 16:23),
who walks closely with the Lord and with wise people (Proverbs 13:20). They grow in sound doctrine (Proverbs 22:17–19), and by prayer (Proverbs 15:29) in obedience to God’s Word.
Proverbs 10:21 says, the lips of the righteous nourish many. The word nourish means “to shepherd” - the way a shepherd tends, guides, protects and feeds his flock. God is saying to all of us that we are responsible to care for each other, to shepherd, to be an example to others and to speak life-giving truth into everyone around us.
When we are confronted by unkindness, unfairness, hurtful and harmful words our natural reaction would be to get revenge. But wisdom says - a kind and gentle answer has the potential to accomplish more than answering harshly (Proverbs 15:1, 4; Proverbs 31:26).
James tells us that we need to listen carefully before coming to any conclusions or even responding.
Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19, NLT).
Our communication is to be in love, according to the truth.
When to communicate
The prophet Isaiah said:
The Lord God hath given me a tongue of the learned, that I should know to minister a word in time to him that is weary; he will raise me up in the morning, in the morning he will waken mine ear to hear, as the learned (Isaiah 50:4, GNV).
Proverbs tells us,
Like apples of gold in settings of silver, is a word spoken at the proper time (Proverbs 25:11, NASB).
Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time! (Proverbs 15:23, NLT)
So how would we know when it is the proper or right time? The answer is:
“after spending time with the Lord.”
Then the Spirit of God can give you a word in season for each situation you face.
Never underestimate the power of your words and the impact those words will have on others. When you let God speak to you, you can speak life to others.
For the short time we have on this earth will we allow the Lord to use our words to be a source of life, a bubbling brook of wisdom, refreshing and nourishing others?
Let God’s Word instruct your tongue how to speak, so you don't grieve His Spirit.
Don’t stand silent and let others ruin another person’s reputation. Spend time with the Lord and let Him fill you with His thoughts, His love, His fullness and let this be the content of your heart from which your mouth speaks.
“Think about Jesus.”
He was the only person who never spoke an unguarded, self-indulgent word. He never opened his mouth in the wrong way, not ever. He never spoke when silence was better. He only spoke what His Father wanted him to say. When we think of the Lord and all the people He encountered during His ministry on the earth, He was incredibly deliberate with His words.
Every word He spoke was perfect and appropriate for the situation even while He was suffering unjustly on the cross. Jesus is our Chief Shepherd, who cares, leads, and speaks to us the words we need to hear.
“Words of life.”
And because He is our Chief Shepherd, He shows how to shepherd others. His gives us his Spirit, his words and he gives us his heart people around us.
Let’s ask God to forgive and cleanse us for using unhealthy, unwholesome words when speaking to others. To forgive us for times we sat in silence as people destroyed a person’s reputation.
Let’s turn to the Lord and have Him fill us with words of life so we know what to communicate, how to communicate and when to communicate. Let’s ask Him to teach us the power of words.
