Speak!

You’ve heard the adage, “Show me a man’s checkbook register, and I’ll show you what he cares about.” Don’t worry, we’re not sharing check registers today, but I want to make a parallel statement: Show me what a person says, and I’ll tell you what they believe.

Words are envelopes that carry powerful messages. What we say affects our circumstances, surroundings, and perspectives. Our words are seeds that bear fruit. Every time we open our mouth, little seeds drop to the ground and eventually produce fruit – sometimes-rotten fruit, sometimes nourishing fruit. 

Our words are important because we are important. God designed us to be His messengers, conduits of His grace. We have an important job to do during our time on earth. If we misunderstand our call, our words will reflect our misdirected beliefs. 

Read this important verse: From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him (Proverbs 12:14).

Think about it. If you have a full time job, you expect your paycheck at the end of the week. Likewise, we can expect that the words of our mouth will produce a result: those words will bring victory or defeat; strength or weakness, perspective or disillusionment. What a mighty responsibility the Lord has entrusted to us!

What’s the answer? Spend time with God. Nestle in close and trade your unbelief for belief. Trade your anxiety for peace. Trade your doubt for faith. Get to a place where you are once again assured of God’s promise to stand with you. He is true to His word and He will provide for you in every season of life. When you believe these promises in the core of your being, your words will line up with what God says is true.

Now it’s time to step up and SPEAK!

Speak to the Mountains – Tell your obstacles to move into the sea! Does the enemy of your soul continually throw roadblocks onto your path? Speak to those obstacles and tell them to move! Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt…you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done (Matthew 21:21)

Speak to the Storms – Tell the storms to be still! Are you surrounded by chaos and confusion? God is the God of order! Speak to your storm and command order to return! In Matthew 8, the disciples were in the boat with Jesus (who was taking a nap). The storm came and the disciples called on the Lord (sounds like a good idea, no?). Jesus wondered why their faith was so small. Jesus calmed the storm, but He would have been thrilled if the disciples would have spoken to the storms themselves. 

Speak to your Soul – Tell your soul to be at peace and to remember the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 116:7 calls us to speak to that inner man when we are troubled inside: Be at peace (or at rest) once more O, my soul, for the Lord, has been good to you.” God has been good and He’ll be good again. Reflect on the many ways He has come through for you. Right here. Right now. Take a moment and say thank you for His faithfulness in your life.

Never underestimate the power of your words for with them you can wield life or death, blessings or curses, weeds or life-giving seeds.

We will be called to account for how we used the gift of our words. Did we encourage those around us, or did we pick them apart? Did we talk about circumstances and people with cynicism or with hope? May we open our mouths with skillful and godly wisdom, and in our tongue may there be the law of kindness (See Proverbs 31:26).

Dear Father in Heaven, Have mercy on us for every ill-spoken word! Renew our minds, our hearts, and our perspective. May we leave every person and situation better than we found them. Fill us with a greater sense of Your presence that we might impart life and refreshment wherever we go. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.