Power Of the Tongue: How our words affect our life.

-By Ozurumba Henry

‘’20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach if filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.’’ (Proverbs 18:20-21).  

Speaking the right words all the time is guaranteed to makes us happy always and bring us fulfilment and success.

We Are All Made In The Image And Likeness Of God.

Some of us may or may not be familiar with the truth that as human beings we are made in the image of God, hence we are just like God in every respect. Every man and woman we see is the image of God.

What I mean is that the next time we want to behold the glory of God we should look at our neighbour who as the bible told us was made in the image and likeness of God just like me and you.

If you believe the above statement, then you also believe that we are the representations of the goodness and greatness of God. That being true, we have no right to speak evil words to ourselves nor to others since we know that we are the likeness of the Almighty God, his holy temple. As Paul said "Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone'' (colossians 4:6)

Our Words Affect Us And Others

Just like a post from Joyce Mayer I read titled: Your Words and Your Life, she said “Words are wonderful when used in a proper way. They can encourage, edify and give confidence to the hearer. A right word spoken at the right time can actually be life-changing. (See Proverbs 15:23)

We can literally increase our own joy by speaking right words. We can also upset ourselves by talking unnecessarily about our problems or things that have hurt us in relationships.” I totally agree with her.

I also believe that words that come from our mouth becomes food for the soul both ours and the souls of others, where it nourishes a person with peace and joy if the words are good or it crushes the spirit with sadness or upset when the words are not good. I believe that if we want good things in our lives it becomes very necessary for us to always speak about good things both to ourselves and to others, things that edify and can give confidence and courage to the ear that listens.

Read the below Bible verses about the tongue and be encouraged to start speaking words of life and healing today!

1 Peter 3:10

10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.

Colossians 4:6

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Ephesians 4:29

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Proverbs 10:19

19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.

Proverbs 15:4

4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:28

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

Proverbs 17:9

9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offence, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Matthew 15:11

11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Proverbs 21:23

23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Proverbs 26:20

20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

Proverbs 31:26

26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Psalm 34:13

13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies.

Psalm 141:3

3 Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Titus 3:1-2

1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.

Proverbs 18:20-21

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 17:27-28

27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.

Proverbs 12:6-7

6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them. 7 The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

Proverbs 12:13-14

13 Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble. 14 From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.

Proverbs 12:18-19

18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

Proverbs 15:1-2

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Psalm 119:171-173

171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. 172 May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Proverbs 18:1-8

1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgement starts quarrels. 2 Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. 3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes reproach. 4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream. 5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice. 6 The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating. 7 The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives. 8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

James 1:19-26

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Psalm 52:2-9

2 You who practise deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. 3 You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. 4 You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue! 5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. 6 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh at you, saying, 7 “Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!” 8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. 9 For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.

James 3:1-12

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Proverbs 26:17-28

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own. 18 Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death 19 is one who deceives their neighbour and says, “I was only joking!” 20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. 22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. 23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. 24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbour deceit. 25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. 26 Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. 28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Henceforth let us always speak life. Let our words be such that are good and contribute to the development and advancement of all.

In doing this, we find life for ourselves.

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