As Christians, think of
the words that you speak that can either build up or tear down others. Whatever words flow from your tongue, whether negative or positive, are words that others hold in their hearts and minds. People often misuse their tongues to belittle, slander, defame, lie, swear, blaspheme and gossip, with the ultimate goal of hurting others.
Your Mouth Speak LIFE Let the Words of? By Kim Manning
“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Colossians 4:6)
If you could change how
others feel or think about themselves, would you? If you could change the choices that others make in their lives or change the decisions others make about their destinies, would you? You can affect the entire physical, mental, and spiritual being of others by merely changing the words that you use in your daily conversations.
Scripture teaches that “death and life are in the power of the
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tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Proverbs 18:21). Our tongues are powerful and important organs of our bodies. It is the organ of one of our senses, which is taste. This powerful organ helps up differentiate the foods and drinks that we consume. Most importantly, perhaps, this organ controls the verbal words that we speak to others.
What are the words that flow out of your mouth? Are they
words of encouragement or discouragement? Are they words of acclamation or defamation? Close your eyes and think about a time when someone said a word of praise, encouragement or love to you. How did those positive words make you feel? Now, close your eyes again and think about a time when someone spoke words of defeat, discouragement or hatred to you. How did these negative words make you feel?
Negative words can crush a person’s dreams, aspirations and ultimately, rob their zeal for God. Such words said to a young child, teenager or adult can remain within their hearts, minds and souls throughout their entire lives and may even lead to their spiritual and fleshly demise.
In making the transforma- tion to allow positive words to flow from your tongue daily, your heart must be cleansed (Psalm 51:10)and your mind must be renewed (Romans 12:2) before the words that are spoken from your mouth can effect change in others’ lives. Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your thoughts, words, and actions; take control of you; and be a vessel to minister life through yourself to others. The Spirit will teach you what to say, how to say it and when to say it. Isaiah 50:4 tells us that the Lord can give you the tongue of the learned, so that you will know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. This passage proves that the Lord can train our tongues to encourage others and speak life into others’ lives when they are need of a word.
Daily Manna for Speaking Words of Life
Speaking words of life is a daily choice and a lifelong commitment. Through your prayers and requests unto God, ask the Lord to let your mouth be a well of life (Proverbs 10:11) and let your tongue be a tree of life (Proverbs 15:4).
Guard your mouth and watch the words that proceed from your lips
(Psalm 141:3). When you guard your mouth and tongue, you keep your soul from trouble (Proverbs 21:23).
Practice saying soft and kind words to turn away the wrath of the enemy
(Proverbs 15:1). The pleasant words that you speak are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones (Proverbs 16:24).
Speak love, joy, peace, goodness, and faith while practicing longsuf- fering, gentleness, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). Each day, minister life to others through:
• Love - Tell others that you love them, serve one another in love and devote yourself to their well-being. • Joy - Be happy for others’ blessings, celebrate God’s goodness and give God the glory through thanksgiving. • Peace – Share words of peace in the midst of trials and tribulations. Show others how to exhibit godly peace. • Goodness – Do good, be generous and speak good to all. • Faith - Speak trust and reliance in God’s word into others’
lives. Tell others that you believe in them and have faith in them. • Longsuffering – Show patience and speak words of forgiveness to all. • Gentleness – Speak soft and kind words. Have an even disposition. • Meekness – Be humble in your speech and actions. Refrain from exalting yourself above others. • Temperance – Show self-control in all areas of life, including
your words and deeds. Have you heard the slogan, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people
listen?” Equally, this statement should be applicable to every Christian. When we speak, people should hearken their ears to what we say, because our words are the Christian lifeline. “Let your words be holy, wise, gracious, Christian, savory, wholesome, courteous, respectful, desirable, and worthy of being kept in the memory of others” (Dake, 2009). Remember to speak life in all situations and circumstances!
Prayer
Dear Lord, in the name of Jesus, help me to speak your Word that will bring life to others in their desolate situations. Let my tongue be used to exhort others at all times. Lord, sanctify my tongue for your glory. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, for you are my strength and my redeemer. Amen.
Kim Manning, Ph.D. is the First Lady at Cathedral of Faith Ministries (Tallahassee, FL). She serves as the Education Ministry Leader and teacher of the Word in various capacities.
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