Power of the Tongue

The power, potential and danger of the tongue is often not understood till it is too late. 

I never thought much of the tongue or its words, but this verse threw a new light to the power of the tongue. Let me give you a few examples to understand this better. 

1. Often when I was depressed or frustrated, I used to say "My life is such a waste". One day God reminded me of this verse and said, "Why are you confessing on the side of Satan? Do you understand that you are confessing death over your life? Remember, Satan comes to kill and to destroy but I have come to give you abundant life!" 

Immediately I repented and said "Lord, I will never say, 'My life is a waste', or 'It's not worth living' or any such negative words". This incident taught me the importance of the words we speak and how they are seen in God's sight. 

Remember Job's wife, she said, "Curse God and die".  Can you relate to such negative words you are speaking about your own life? Its time to change it. Start speaking a blessing upon your life. Start by saying "Jesus came to give me abundant life". Start counting your blessings and thank God for each of them.

2. Another area which we all experience in daily life is the way parents, teachers or elders speak to their children. A parent who always says statements like "You are good for nothing" or "You can never get anything right" is creating a attitude of failure upon the child.  

Jewish dads, during the Shabath dinner on every Friday night, appreciate their children and wife. This is an important reason why the most number of Nobel laureates in the world are Jewish. So speak life, speak peace, speak blessings upon your children.

3. If God intently listens to every word we speak and he takes it seriously, remember the many gossips you have spoken. Proverbs 18:8 says "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts."  Yes gossip stains the soul, it creates a pre-conceived notion or a prejudice towards the people we talk about. And the next time we meet the person we are definitely going to look at them through the colour lens of our gossip and from the fullness of our heart speak some hurtful or unnecessary word.

If the Lord convicts you today with these words, repent and determine in your heart to not speak or hear words of gossip. 

4. Often as a wife, I find myself in this argument, "I didn't say anything wrong". And my husband say, "Its not what you said, its the tone of your voice". 

Lets be truthful ladies, we've all been there! The tone of our voice or the attitude with which we speak determines the outcome of the response. Proverbs 15:1 says " A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." 

In my experience, I learnt that resolving the conflict and gaining peace is more important than "being right". Isn't it our ego which adds the colour and tone to our conversations? Lets all introspect which areas of our life is being affected by such intonations.

God actually considers every word we speak as important and they can be a blessing or a curse. So lets now come to how we can actually add blessing to our live by the power of the tongue. 

1. Blessing our children:
Jacob blessed his sons before he died in Genesis 49. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the power of the tongue. Whatever he spoke with regard to each son became their destiny. Each of those boys became a tribe of Israel and till today that tribe is carried on. And Jacob's blessing upon Judah flabbergasted me. In Genesis 49:10,11 Jacob said: 

10The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
11Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
 

These words were actually prophetic. Yes, its in the tribe of Judah, King David was born hundreds of years later. Any so was Jesus, and now the rulership / sceptre is an eternal one! 

Verse 11 says "He washed his garments in wine", I can only see this as a picture of Jesus' crucifixion. Where the wine relates to His blood of the new covenant which we remember in our communion.

Cultivate a habit of blessing your children. They will be excellent in the land.

2. Claiming the promises of God:

Bible is full of promises. These are ours to believe and claim. Our God is an unchanging and everlasting God. We can lay hold of his promises and claim their blessings. So every time you read a promise in the bible that the Lord impresses upon your heart, read it aloud, put your name in that sentence and claim it.

God loves it when his children confess his words. He will fulfil his promises.

3. Confess His goodness:

Yes, God has given us may blessings. Often we pray and receive answers to prayer. Now lets confess His goodness by testifying to his name. Witnessing encourages others to lay hold of what we got. It kindles their faith.

4. Encourage others:

Finally, speak words that build up others and their faith. Encourage your family, your friends, and people in your circle of influence. You will have a lasting impact in their lives. We may not see its effects immediately, but in the long run it will definitely be visible. 

So with these thoughts I take leave. Lets wield this powerful weapon wisely to build and not to scar. God bless you.