Speak Words That Bring Life
Words matter. The words we speak have a greater impact than we think they do. The way we talk about ourselves and our lives affects us more than we know. And our words spoken to others not only bring life or death to them, but also to us. “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” (Proverbs 13:3).
We will one day have to explain every careless word we have spoken. Jesus said, “I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). Who wants to explain to God why we said some of the stupid things we’ve said? Better to guard our mouths and ask God to help us to speak words that bring life.
Correcting A Heart Problem
Much is said in the Bible about the way we speak. First of all, our words are indicative of a heart condition. Jesus said that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Speaking words that heal and bless signify a good heart. But speaking words that are cruel, insensitive, deceptive, dishonest, or careless is a sign of a serious heart problem.
The way to combat this kind of heart problem is to fill your heart with truth—which means the Word of God. When we speak words to or about ourselves that infect our mind with untruth, it affects our life more than we know. If we are speaking lies about ourselves, such as, “I’m never going to get anywhere,” “I can’t do anything
right,” or, “There is no way out of my problems,” this kind of self-talk has a negative impact on us. Even if we don’t really believe those things at first, we can talk ourselves into them. We may think, It’s just words, but it’s more than that. The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21). Everything we say promotes either life or death in our own life and in the lives of those to whom we speak.
Ask yourself if the words you speak to others are inspired by God, your own fleshly fears, negative attitudes and thoughts, or the enemy. The Bible says, “You are snared by the words of your mouth” (Proverbs 6:2). Don’t let the words you speak set up a trap for you to fall into.
In order to have true success, you must speak the truth of God about yourself and your life. In order to do that, you need a healthy heart that overflows with an abundance of God’s love. When your heart is right, the words you speak will be also.
Stop Negative Self-Talk
I used to be down on myself for everything. And I rehearsed negative thoughts about myself over and over in my head for years. But I don’t go there anymore. I found it to be the biggest waste of time, and it doesn’t get me anywhere. All it does is make me sad and paralyzed, so that my life comes to a halt.
Don’t you go there, either. Forget what someone else said to you or about you, or did to you. Don’t allow them to have that much control over your life. And don’t add to the bruises by saying negative things to yourself all the time. It does no good. It doesn’t change anything. Think instead about what God says about you. He says you are wonderfully made and worth dying for. He says He loves you and He created you for a great purpose.
If you are often down on yourself, ask God to show you the good things about you. I know this may seem self-centered, but it’s really not. Actually, being negative about yourself all the time is self-
centered. Plus, it’s exhausting and pointless.
Ask God to give you the proper perspective on yourself and your life. Thank Him for creating you, saving and loving you, and giving you purpose. Ask Him to help you not hinder what He wants to do in your life with any negative self-talk. He doesn’t like it. And neither should you. You don’t have to live that way.
One of the best ways to stop the negative self -talk is to focus on others and help them in some way. If you are one of those people who can’t think of one good thing you could possibly do to help others because of all the things you feel are wrong with you, let me ask, “Can you smile and talk?” Because you have no idea how many people there are in the world whose day could be made and their life changed for the better if someone would just look them in the eye, smile, and say, “Hello.”
Everyone needs love, affirmation, and acceptance. People won’t care if you’re overweight, you have blemishes, your bangs are too short, you’re not good at tennis, you flunked biology, you were laid off from your job, you’re behind in your mortgage, you haven’t been on the front page of a magazine, you’re not the smoothest talker in the world, or whatever else you might feel insecure about. They will just care that you smiled at them and let them know that you saw them, you acknowledged their existence, and you accepted and approved of them enough to produce a genuine smile and a warm greeting. If you can do that, don’t tell me you do not have a purpose and a ministry. You have no idea how painfully lonely, sad, and afraid people are. I know, because I used to be one of them. You have the power to speak words to others that will bring life to them as well as yourself It takes so little effort to speak words that encourage.
The point I am making is don’t talk negatively—not to yourself and not to anyone else. Speak the truth from God’s Word and God’s heart. Speak words of love, kindness, acceptance, and encouragement to others. You can actually communicate all of that in just a few kind words when you have the love of God in your heart.
When talking to yourself, speak words of hope instead of hopelessness. Instead of saying, “You’re hopeless,” say, “My hope is in the Lord. Thank You, Lord, that You have given me a future and a hope.” Speak God’s truth for you, not your own fear, doubt, criticism, or negativity. I’m not saying you need to play “let’s pretend” and never be honest about your feelings. By all means, do not live a life of denial. That doesn’t accomplish anything. Nor am I talking about when you are being humorous or joking. You don’t have to be legalistic about this. Just be aware of what you are saying and why.
If you have spoken words about yourself that are negative, confess that to the Lord and ask Him to remove those attitudes from you. If you have spoken harsh or wrong words to anyone else, or words that weren’t necessarily bad but you know they didn’t bring life, confess that before God and ask Him to give you a right heart.
Learning How To Talk
In my Bible I have written down in the margin next to one particular passage of Scripture the words “How to Live.” Of course, the entire Bible shows us how to live, but if we were to live by these particular seven verses—along with the Ten Commandments—we would be doing well in our everyday lives. These verses could also fit under the title “How to Talk,” for they are a perfect guide for speaking words that bring life.
Don’t lie, speak the truth. “Putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).
Don’t let anger influence what you say. “‘Be angry, and do not sin:
do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).
Don’t give the enemy a place in your heart. “Nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27).
Speak words that are positive and honest, not shady or fraudulent.
“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).
Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit in what you say. “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
Don’t speak negative, evil, or bitter words. “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31).
Let your speech be Christlike—loving, kind, and forgiving. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Speak The Word With Boldness
After Peter and John were questioned by the high priest and released, they went to their companions and prayed together that they would all be able to speak with boldness and that God would stretch out His hand to heal and do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus (Acts 4:23-30) . After they prayed, “The place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the Word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).
God gives us—who believe in His Son—the ability to speak words that are empowered by the Holy Spirit. We, too, can ask God to help us speak the Word of God with boldness.
God spoke the world into being. He gives you the power to speak your world into being too. Pray wherever you are that you will be able to speak words to others that will shake their lives and open them to the influence of the Holy Spirit. May the words you speak bring life not only to you and your situation, but also to all others with whom you have contact. Being able to speak the truth of God with boldness is one of the pillars upon which a life of true success is established.
God, help me to speak words that lift up and do not tear down, words that compliment instead of criticize, words that speak unconditional love and not human expectations, and words that instill confidence and not uneasiness. Help me to have such faith in Your control in my life that I can “do all things without complaining and disputing” (Philippians 2:14).
Where I have said words that are negative about myself or anyone else, forgive me. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart Your love, peace, and joy. Help me to treat myself and others with respect, kindness, patience, and love. Help me to always say with conviction that I will not sin with my mouth (Psalm 17:3).
Lord, help me refuse to say negative things about myself. Every time I start to say a critical word, help me to stop immediately and not continue that line of thinking. Teach me to monitor the words I speak to others. Keep me from saying wrong words that may hurt someone or diminish them in any way. Help me not to be careless in this regard.
Teach me to always speak words that are supported by Your truth and glorify You. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
In Jesus’ name I pray.
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.
Proverbs 10:32
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health. Proverbs 12:18
The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary.
Isaiah 50:4
Though you probe my heart and examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing; I have resolved that my mouth will not sin.
Psalm 17:3 NIV
I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered
you with the shadow of My hand.
Isaiah 51:16
