Proverbs 18:20-21 in the Amplified Bible says, 20 A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words, he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].
Matthew 12:33-37 in the Amplified Bible says, 33 Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit. 34 You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart (spirit) the mouth speaks. 35 The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. 37 For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
James 3:1-18 (but particularly watch verse 2) in the Amplified Bible says, 1 Not many [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus, we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation]. 2 For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect (mature) man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. 3 If we set bits in the horse’ mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about. 4 Likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze! 6 And the tongue is a fire. [The tongue is a] world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating, and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man’s nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna). 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius (nature). 8 But the human tongue can be tamed by no man.
It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who were made in God’s likeness! 10 Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. 11 Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can a salt spring furnish fresh water. 13 Who is there among you who is wise and intelligent? Then let him by his noble living show forth his [good] works with the [unobtrusive] humility [which is the proper attribute] of true wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry, selfish ambition) in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on it and thus be in defiance of and false to the Truth. 15 This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal). 16 For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial, and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity). 18 And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to God’s will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, the peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].
Yes, we have read fifty and seventy-five cent words commanding us to control every area of our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23), by simply, being thankful we have the authority to use the powerful name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17), to speak Christ-life to us and others.
In agreement with 1 Corinthians 2:16 and Colossians 3:17, we speak the life of Christ’s mind as our mind; we speak the Holy Spirit’s power, love, sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7), righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17), to our heart (spirit); we speak Christ Jesus, is our rest (Matthew 11:25-30), peace (Ephesians 2:13-14), and completeness (Colossians 2:8-10), our fulfillment. In agreement with Isaiah 53:4-6, 1 Peter 2:21-25, and 3 John 1:2-4, we speak life-giving healing, health, and truth to every member of our spirit, soul, and body, to operate the way God made it to function, for His glory, honor, and in total agreement with His plan and will, we speak abundance of finances (prosperity), to advance God’s kingdom and His body, the church.
In agreement with Psalm 91:1-16 and 1 John 5:14-15, 18-21, we speak Jesus’ blood-covering every part of our spirit, soul, and body, so the enemy, the wicked one, cannot touch us to cause any type of disease, sickness, virus, infection, for we worship only our Lord and no other; thus, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we speak eternal life (1 John 5:10-13), to our spirit, soul, and body; not for selfish reasons, but for God’s glory, honor, plan, and will.
The Christian tongue can speak life into everything about everything, by a simple change of the words we use (verbiage), we can “speak God-life” to control every detail of our spirit, soul, and body, for God’s glory and honor, so Christ is our Rest, Peace, and Completeness.
Jim Nabors
