We must be careful what words we allow to come out of our mouths. Death and life is in the power of your tongue. Imagine your tongue being a spiritual weapon that can create an atmosphere where angels of heaven have taken flight on your behalf. On the contrary, imagine your tongue being a spiritual weapon that can create an atmosphere where the demonic forces of hell attempt to surround your language. You can create and destroy spiritual atmospheres with the power of your words.
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”
James 3:5-6 says, “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.”
1. FACTS ABOUT WORDS
One study shows that people speak about 16,000 words a day or more which is about 450,000,000-600,000,000 words in their lifetime. Depending on what words are coming out of your mouth it could shape your future.
Look at some of these facts that are shown when studies were done on the effects of your words:
- Angry and critical words cause emotional and physical damage.
- Negative words affect children even worse. They studied adults who were verbally abused as a child and found that the left and right sides of their brains were underdeveloped in many of them.
- Neurologists studied the effects of the simple word “NO!” The word “NO!” immediately releases a flood of stress-producing hormones that interrupt brain function and impair your ability to think logically, reason, process language, and communicate.
- Thinking and speaking negative thoughts over and over can permanently damage parts of your brain that regulate memory, emotions, appetite, and sleep patterns.
- Controlling or eliminating negative words and actions has a positive effect on the overall health of a person. A simple positive attitude has been proven to reduce heart disease and improve the immune system.
- A study out of the University of Kansas found that if you smile even a fake smile the physical act alone of smiling lowers blood pressure and slows the heart rate during times of stress.
- Positive words motivate the brain to respond properly while negative words trigger fear, nervousness, and confusion in an individual and make them defensive.
2. ALIGNING YOUR WORDS WITH GOD’S WORD
The spirit realm is affected by our words which impacts that natural realm of our lives.The time is now to get into the Word of God and figure out what God says about the situations of your life. When you find out what God says about everything then shift your language to align with the Word of God. Think of how many things come out of the mouths of many Christians on a daily basis that are misaligned with the Word of God.
The Word of God is filled with words that call us to unity not division, joy not depression, hope not hopelessness, holiness not sinfulness, power not settling for whatever hell brings against your life. God’s Word calls us to healing and wholeness in the face of sickness and disease. The question is what kingdom are your words aligned with? The kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of hell?
3. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF THE WORD CREATING DEATH OR LIFE
Let me give you some examples of the power of words in the Word of God.
Consider Numbers 14 when the 10 spies went out to spy out the land and came back with the report of the giants in the land. They began reporting with their words that they were like grasshoppers in their sight. When they began to use their tongues with negativity, unbelief, and fear the Bible says those very men who brought the negative report about the land died by the plague before the Lord. They were defeated by creating an atmosphere of death with their words. However, two men named Caleb and Joshua that had quieted the people and said let us go up at once and take possession for we are well able to overcome it live. Their words were in alignment with the Word of God creating an atmosphere of life.
Consider the Ammonites in Ezekiel 25:3-7 who were enemies of Israel. The Bible says that Ammonites said, “Aha” which is a cry of joy for the misfortune of others. They said “Aha” with their words against the sanctuary of God, against the land of Israel, and the house of Judah! Their mouth got them in trouble! God delivered them to the men of the East as a possession.
Consider the Power in Queen Esther’s words as the Jews were saved upon her request. She was offered up to half the kingdom.
Esther 7:3 says, Then Queen Esther answered and said, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.”
There are many manifestations in the Word of God where a person’s word produces life or death. I challenge each of you to be proactive to make sure that you are cautious to make sure that the words that come out of your mouth on a daily basis are in alignment with the Word of God. God has called you to use your words in alignment with His Word to create an atmosphere of life and destroy the atmosphere of death all the days of your life.
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