Many years ago I overheard a lady responding to a comment from someone else.  She said, “You ought to watch what you say – death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

I’ve never forgotten her words.  At the time I didn’t realize just how powerful our words really are. 

Proverbs 18:21:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

“They that love it” means they that indulge in it.  They that indulge in speaking, whether it is words of death or words of life shall get the results – “the fruit.”

How few believe that their words have a great impact on their lives.  How few believe that the words they speak, silently or out loud, are like seeds that will produce fruit.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

            Romans 10:9:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Salvation, which is a free gift from God is obtained by confessing – saying what you mean - either silently or out loud, that Jesus is lord, and by believing in your heart that God raised him from the dead.  Those words bring you life, eternal life!

Mark 11:22:

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

The focus of this teaching is not on what you speak to others.  That is of course very important.  But I’d like to focus on what you speak to yourself.  The words that you think and speak to yourself about yourself are so very, very powerful.

The Bible says that we are to speak the truth in love.  So many times people just don’t speak the truth in love to themselves.  They think less than God’s Word says about them, and then they say those things.  Anything we think and say about ourselves that contradicts what God says about us is not the truth – it is a lie!

            Ephesians 4:29:

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

We should not only speak words that are good and edifying to others, but we need to speak them to ourselves as well.  Corrupt words are words that tear down.  We need to speak words to ourselves that build up. 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

There are numerous places in the Scriptures where we are encouraged to speak of how great God is, how wonderful He is, and how He has blessed us, and taken care of us.  Why?    

God designed our brains.  What you think about is what you will attract into your life. 

Proverbs 23:7a:

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he;

The things that you think about, as well as the things that you speak to yourself and about yourself, whether out loud or silently, direct your life in that direction. 

Proverbs 12: 13 – 14:

The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompense of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him.

It is so overlooked, and yet so vital!  We are a product of our own thoughts and our own words! 

            Proverbs 12: 17-19, 25

He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness: but a     false witness deceit.

There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good
            word maketh it glad.

 Proverbs 15:1-7:
            A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up             anger.

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil             and the good.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of                      the foolish doeth not so.

There is so much Scripture on this topic because it is so important and so vital.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue – your tongue.

In Inspirational Pep Talk #146, I said: “I can absolutely guarantee you that people with a low self esteem repeatedly speak discouraging words to themselves.  On the other hand, those with a high self esteem continue to speak to themselves about victory, success and possibilities.

The words that you speak to yourself and especially the words that you speak about yourself, will either bring you to success or bring you to failure. 

What a great key in life this really is!  And this is something you can do every day, throughout the day!  Speak words of success and victory to yourself.”

Let’s look again at Proverbs 18, and this time look at both verses 20 and 21.

             Proverbs 18:20 and 21:

A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

 If you want to change your life you must change what you are thinking. The words that you speak about yourself and about your life affect you more than anyone else’s words will ever affect you.  

 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.