I want to talk to you about the things that you speak that can bring destruction to your spiritual life. Whenever we talk about sin, our minds automatically go to what we would label as the big sins. Fornication and stealing and murder and betrayal. And of course, those are sinful behaviors. But what we often don’t consider are the sins that we speak, the sins of the tongue.
Sins that we speak can damage the reputation of people we love. Sins of the tongue invite often God’s correction in our lives. If you can’t take control of the words that you speak, it can damage your Christian testimony. The words that you speak can seow doubt in the heart of a person who would have otherwise had faith.
The words that you speak can bring discouragement in the mind of someone who otherwise would have been encouraged. The words that you speak can bring division where God wants to bring unity. Proverbs 18 21 declares, “The tongue can bring death or life. Those who love to talk will reap the consequences. There’s an old saying that goes that wise men speak because they have something to say.
Fools speak because they just have to say something. The Bible very clearly describes for us the fact that there is power in the words that you speak. With the words that you speak, you can either encourage or discourage. You can inspire faith or doubt. You can invite holiness or compromise. You can further the influence of the Holy Spirit or you can open the door to demonic influence.
You can speak truth that brings clarity of mind or you can speak deception that sews confusion. You can speak words that bring healing and unity or you can speak words that birth bitterness and division. Be careful of what you speak because God has given you a power in your speech. Now, as I often do, I like to balance things because some are on either extreme.
There are some believers who think that the words they speak don’t really matter at all. I’m just saying what I say. It’s just how I am. No big deal. You’ll get over it. That’s not godly. That’s immaturity. Or they’ll say, “Well, I just tell it like it is.” Not really. You tell it like you see it.
