“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:20
This is a very powerful proverb that confirms many other verses in the bible. If there is one thing that we have in our lives that is like God, it is that we can speak intelligent words that have power. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth with the power of His words, and it says that He made man in His image.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
We have been created like God and also have power in our words. Unfortunately, because of the fall our words have been corrupted and can work against us. The bible says that our words can bring us blessing or death, so we need to be careful how we use them.
If this is true no wonder the world is full of sorrow. When you listen to people around you, you hear so much negative stuff and that includes Christians. Mark 11:23 says that we can have what we say, so if this is so, it explains why so many bad things are happening in people’s lives today. Just little things like; “I’m dying to see you,” “I’m sick and tired of this.” “You make me sick.” “I’m worried to death.” If there is power in the tongue then we need to watch what we are saying as it can start a cycle of death.
When you listen to children today, whose parents aren’t disciplining them in their vocabulary, you fear for their future. The ‘F’ word is being used and even encouraged in little children on social media and parents are often proud that their children are using it. If there is death in the power of the tongue and our words are like seeds, then we need to be praying for a crop failure.
I am very thankful that my conversion to Christ was so powerful that I stopped swearing from day one after years of profanity. It has taken quite a while to stop speaking negative words though and only speak what I want to happen rather than what I feel. This is still an ongoing process as the tongues is hard to tame.
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” James 3:9-11
There are two incidents in the bible that back up the fact that death and life are in the power of our tongues.
Both illustrations are found in Genesis. In the first we see the power of speaking death.
Jacob had fled with his family from Laban in Mesopotamia with Laban in pursuit. Jacob didn’t know that Rachel his beloved wife had stolen her father’s gods and hidden them in her tent. Laban said to Jacob;
“And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you steal my gods?” Then Jacob answered and said to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’ With whomever you find your gods, do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.” Genesis 31:30-32
Jacob said that whoever has the gods should die. Laban didn’t find them in her tent but that wasn’t the end of the story for Rachel died during childbirth a few months later. Jacob’s words came to pass.
The next incident is when God changed Abram’s name to Abraham which means ‘Father of Nations’. He had no child but with the name change everyone was to now call him Abraham the Father of Nations. It must have been embarrassing for him but he obeyed and within a year he had the promised child after many years of barrenness.
“No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.” Genesis 17:5
In the light of these 2 examples, let us take our words more seriously and ask the Holy Spirit to help us speak words of life.