The Words We Speak

God places great importance on the words we speak. They are either words of life or words of death. Words of life originate with God Almighty the Lifegiver and therefore give us life. Words of death originate with the devil and therefore kill us. God wants each of us to examine our mind (2Co.13:5) to discern between the true holy spirit words we have and the false evil spirit words (1Jo.4:6 "spirit of truth ...spirit of error"). He also wants us to examine what we hear in order to decide what we will accept into our mind as truth (1Jo.4:1, 1Th.5:21). The Bible is the authoritative source we can use to let us know what words we should keep and what words we should forsake.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" Pro.18:21

God stresses many times throughout his scriptures the importance that should be placed on the words we speak. In fact, the Bible teaches us that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Pro.18:21). Consequently, we need to know exactly what words we have within our minds and what words are coming out of our mouths. "...Out of the abundance of the heart (mind) the mouth speaketh" (Mat.12:34). We may not have realized it but the words we speak do have an effect on other people. Just as the words we speak can produce either life or death within the hearer, the very same words are producing either life or death within our own mind also. With God's scriptures to teach us, we can know what God does and does not want us to speak. We can also know which words are life and which words are death. It is also important that we understand we are accountable for the words we speak.

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: " 1Pt.3:15

The scriptures tell us to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (lPt.3:15). Here we see we are to answer with meekness and fear. Meekness means to be teachable or open-minded, as in Psa.25:9: "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way." To fear means to honour or listen to, as in Mal.1:6 where "honour" and "fear" are equated. Jesus said, "...I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me" (Joh.8:49). Jesus was honouring [listening to] God's words within his own mind, but when he would speak those same words out to the Jewish leaders they would not honour [listen to] him. In effect, they were not listening to God, because it was God's words that Jesus was speaking. The one we are to listen to and be taught by is God, as in Joh.6:45, "...And they shall be all taught of God."

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." Joh.14:26

Jesus told his apostles, "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (Joh.14:26). Jesus was telling the apostles the words he had sown into their minds would need to be brought to their remembrance. He also told them at another time, "Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you" (Mat.10:19,20). It would be God's spirit that would teach them what to speak by bringing to their remembrance (or quickening) the words that Jesus had spoken to them, as Jesus had said, "all things...whatsoever I have said unto you" (Joh.14:26). Jesus was sent to preach God's word. "I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent" (Luk.4:43). The scripture also states, "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God..." (Joh.3:34). The apostles had been taught words from Jesus (who was sent) and later received the Holy Ghost to quicken those words. They were now ready to be vessels for God to work through. Joh.20:21: "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." If we have God's words planted within our mind by someone that is sent and receive a deeper depth of God's Holy Ghost [spirit] to bring the words to remembrance, we too can be ready to answer every man with meekness and fear. God knows what each soul has need of; and if we are meek [teachable] and fear [listen to] God, then God can quicken the particular words within our mind that another person needs to hear.

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Col.4:6

Col.4:6: "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Grace is a deeper depth of God's Holy Ghost [spirit] that gives life, as in 1Pt.3:7 "...as being heirs together of the grace of life." Jesus brought this deeper depth of spirit called grace into the world (Joh.l:l7 "...grace and truth came by Jesus Christ"). Zec.12:10 prophesies of the "spirit of grace." Heb.10:29 again refers to the "spirit of grace."

Salt is symbolic of instructions. When God delivered Lot and his family out of Sodom, he instructed them to not look back. Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt because she failed to follow God's instructions (Gen.19:17,26). Mar.9:49, "For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt." People are not going to be literally salted with literal fire. Jer.23:29, "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord." Fire is God's word, and that is what we are to be salted or instructed with.

The sacrifice could not be literal since the new testament abolished animal sacrifices; so the sacrifice is spiritual, as in Rom.12:1 "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." This scripture is not saying we are to sacrifice our physical bodies, but rather it is saying our mind [mental body] should be given to God. That is how every sacrifice [mind] will be salted [instructed] by God's word. We should allow God to instruct us on what to say, and our words should be in a grace depth of spirit so they will give life to the hearer. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (Eph.4:29).

By getting words in a grace depth of spirit within our mind we can have life, but also those same words when spoken to others are planting life within them. As Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (Joh.6:63). The words Jesus spoke were God's words, as in Joh.12:49,50: "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me so I speak." Jesus was only going to speak God's words and nothing else. A similar statement was made by a prophet whose name was Balaam. "And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth that shall I speak "(Num.22:38). Again, this shows we should be led by God concerning when to speak and what to speak when we are representing him.

"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:" Tit.2:1

Tit.2:1: "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine." God wants us to speak doctrine that is sound or consistent and uncrossable. Only by studying God's word line upon line (Isa.28:10) can we rightly divide his word, as in 2Ti.2:15: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Then when God gives us the inspiration to speak, the message will be consistent and easy to be understood, as in 1Co.14:9: "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air." Verse 8 of that chapter gives an illustration of a trumpet. "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" In the natural, trumpets were used to deliver messages. A particular sound was given for the assembling of the people to the tabernacle. Another sound was the alarm of war. These messages had to be clear for the people to know what to do. In the same way, the words that we speak must be a clear and understandable message.

God desires for us to speak his words how and when he wants us to speak them. This is acceptable and pleasing to him, as in Heb.13:15: "By him (Christ) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." The only way the words we speak can give thanks or refreshing to God is if they are his words spoken in his order, as in Pro.15:23: "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" If we are being led by God within our mind, then he can show us whether it is the season for preaching, teaching, building up, tearing down, etc. (Ecc.3:1-8). That is what Paul was telling Timothy in 2Ti.4:2: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." We need to allow God to teach us the seasons and what to say because he is the only one who knows what each person needs to hear and the particular words that will witness to that soul.

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." Jam.3:2

Not only is it important to speak true words, but the motive for speaking them must be love, as in Jam.3:2: "For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body." The bridle is symbolic of our motive, which directs the actions of our body. That body is not our physical body, but rather our mental body [mind]. Our motive for speaking God's words must be love (Eph.4:15 "...speaking the truth in love...") or else we will offend. If our motive is evil [not love], then we will offend whatever amount of God someone has and cause that soul to stumble. On the other hand, if love motivates us, then God can speak through us with edifying words to help another soul. Paul said in 1Co.13:1: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." This shows just how important the motive of love is. If we are speaking with tongues of men [language that man can understand] and our motive is not right, then our words are of no profit to anyone. Likewise, if we are speaking with the tongues of angels [language which only God and his holy angels understand] but speaking without the motive of love, that also will be unprofitable. Whether we are speaking to man or to God, our motive must be love or it will not profit, as in Pro.28:9: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." If a person claims to be religious and yet is not able to control the words coming out of his (or her) mouth, that person's religion is vain, as in Jam.1:26: "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." It is of no profit to speak God's words with the wrong motive. God's words, when spoken with an evil intent, can be just as deadly as any other words spoken with an evil intent.

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Heb.10:25

We are to assemble together for the purpose of exhorting one another [sowing God's words back and forth], as in Heb.10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Paul uses the illustration of a physical body to teach us something about a spiritual body. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (1Co.12:12).

Each person that has Christ within him (or her) is a member of the body of Christ. Each member has a particular work to perform to cause the entire body to function as a whole unit. That is, God can quicken different lines of thought in different members of the body. When each member responds by speaking the particular line of thought God has given him, then the entire body can work together as a complete unit. When God needs to get a message to, or touch, another soul, he quickens similar thoughts in different members' minds. One person's gift operates a little differently than another's in expressing the very same thought. That slightly different way of expression may be just what it takes to witness to that soul God is dealing with.

"Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deu.11:18,19

God stresses how very important it is that we speak his words to one another, as in Deu.11:18,19: "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul... And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." When we speak God's words we are actually sowing eternal life to another person. Our very life depends upon the words we have within our minds, as in Deu.32:47: "For it [God's word] is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life."

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:" Jam.1:19

Jam.1:19: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." This scripture tells us we need to have our minds open for God to instruct us on what to say. God could speak to us within our very own mind or through another vessel. Either way, if we are not open to instruction, then God cannot give us the words he wants us to speak. Ecc.5:1,2: "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." Our foot is our way of life (Luk.1:79), and we need to keep our way, which means to keep evil out of our life (Pro.4:27 "...remove thy foot from evil"). In so doing, there is no evil in our mind to interfere with God trying to lead us and we will be "ready to hear." Being open to instruction is far better than offering the sacrifice of fools. The sacrifice of fools would be speaking out our own words rather than what God wants us to speak. We do not know more than God does, and for us to think that we do would be evil. Since God knows what each person needs, we should be listening for God to instruct us concerning what another person needs to hear. We need to learn to wait to be led of God regarding what to say and how to say it. If we speak what 'we' think a person needs to hear, we could do more harm than good, as in Pro.15:28: "The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things."

"An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered." Pro.11:9

Pro.11:9: "An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered." A person can actually be destroyed by the words that are spoken to him. When someone speaks false hypocritical doctrine, then those words cause death within the listener. We are only to speak words of truth, as in Eph.4:25, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour..." We are not to lie (Col.3:9) because speaking lies causes us to die (Pro.19:9). Rather, we are to speak truth, which will give us life. We cannot sow out death and expect to reap life (Gal.6:7,8). If we speak dead words, it is because we have dead words in our mind, as in Mat.12:34, "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." The words of a righteous person will produce life within another person that hears them, as in Pro.10:11: "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked." Contrariwise, a wicked person's words will not produce life, but rather death. We are not to speak corrupt words, but we are to speak God's incorruptible words (1Pt.1:23) in a grace depth of spirit, as in Eph.4:29: "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Corrupt communication would be words that did not originate with God and therefore are not lifegiving. Only God's words will produce life.

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Mat.12:36,37

Also, God wants us to know we are accountable for the words we speak. Mat.12:36, 37: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Not only are we sowing either life or death to others, but the same words are causing either life or death in us. We have to give account for the words we speak. If they are evil corrupt words, then a certain amount of spirit [life] is being spent each time those words are being thought upon or spoken. If they are holy spirit words of God, then a certain amount of spirit [life] is being gained each time those words are being thought upon or spoken.

"A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." Pro.18:7

Pro.18:7: "A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." Not only can our words destroy another person, but as this scripture plainly shows, our words can also destroy us. If we allow evil spirit words to run through our mind and we speak them, then we are spending life. We will eventually run out of life and go out of existence, as in Pro.13:3, "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction." See also Ecc.10:12: "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself." Not only can a person swallow up [spiritually kill] another person by his words, but he himself will also be swallowed up [spiritually killed] by the same words. On the other hand, if we "keep our mouth" by not thinking evil spirit words and not speaking them, then we can have life.

"My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." Jam.3:1

Jam.3:1: "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." James is saying God's masters [teachers] are accountable for the words they speak. If we are not ready to be a teacher and we get out of God's order and try to teach, we could receive condemna-tion (spiritual degression and death) rather than a blessing. If we cause someone to stumble by our words, we are responsible for that soul. If we are taught God's words line upon line (Isa.28:10), then, by his spirit, God can instruct us what words to speak and when to speak them. God will have a mouthpiece to speak his words of life through, and we will be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and fear (1Pt.3:15).

The following scriptures are a few among many that teach us about the importance of the words we speak.

Psa.141:3 "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips."

Pro.4:20-24 "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."

Pro.6:2 "Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth."

Pro.8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward [perverse] mouth, do I hate."

Pro.10:19 "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."

Pro.13:3 "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."

Pro.15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger."

Pro.21:23 "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."

Pro.22:21 "That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?"

Pro.30:32 "If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth."

Mat.15:11 "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

Mat.15:18 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man."

Mat.24:35 "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

Luk.4:22 "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?"

Luk.6:45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."

Joh.6:68 "Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."

Act.15:24 "Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:"

Gal.5:15 "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

Eph.5:6 "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."

Col.2:4 "And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words."

Col.3:8 "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."

Jam.3:5 "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"

Jam.3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."

Jam.3:8 "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

Jam.3:9 "Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God."

Jam.3:10 "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be."

1Pt.3:10 "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:"

2Pt.2:3 "And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

2Pt.2:18 "For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error."

3Jo.:10 "Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church."

Jud.:16 "These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage."

Rev.21:5 "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."

There is a ministry available to teach us how to examine the words we have in our mind. After discerning and separating the good from the evil, we can be taught how to completely rid our mind of the evil.