Death or Life: What is Coming Out of Your Mouth?

"You cannot pray in faith and then confess defeat with your mouth"
-Jurgen Matthesius

Recently I came across the above quote and it caused me to stop in my tracks. How many times do we pray about something and then 5 minutes later start complaining about it again? How many times do we stir ourselves in The Lord & His Word, and then speak words contradictory to what we just finished meditating on? Over the past few days I have really been asking The Lord to examine my heart, test my thoughts, and show me anything that is offensive to Him (Psalm 139:23-24). Let's just say that some of the things He revealed to me weren't so pretty. I started thinking about the words that I have been speaking lately and realized that I've been allowing blessings and curses to come out of my mouth (James 3:10). No, I'm not talking about curse words, but words that are unedifying, negative, judgemental, fearful, worrisome, complaining, etc. Immediately the following Scripture found in Proverbs 18:21,  was placed on my heart:

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit."

I've read that Scripture so many times, but yesterday as I was meditating on it, I developed a different understanding. (Sidenote: God's Word is so amazing like that. It can be read over and over and He can reveal something new to us every time. I'm thankful that it is a living word). 

The Holy Spirit highlighted the second part of that Scripture for me "And those who love it will eat its fruit." He began to show me that while I have been faithful to speak His Word over my life & others, I tend to turn around and speak death back into the very situation I just confessed victory over. It may be minutes, hours, days, or weeks later, but my death-filled words cancel out the life-filled words that I spoke earlier. Our tongue is so powerful that we will eat the the fruit of whatever words we speak. It's not a matter of merely talking less, but a matter of being mindful of and speaking truth when we do speak. So my friend, what are you speaking over your life? Is it the Word of God? 

Is it:
True?
Noble?
Just?
Pure?
Lovely?
Of good report?
Virtuous?
Praiseworthy?
(Phillippians 4:8) 

 If not then it is death. Did you catch that? If what you are saying and thinking doesn't line up with the above, then it is death. We are instructed:

"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 

That verse doesn't just apply to what we say to others, but also to what we say to and/or about ourselves, our circumstances, our family, our church, our (insert the blank). If what we are saying is not helping anything or anyone, then we don't need to say it. We cannot speak both blessing and cursing out of the same mouth. We have to choose one or the other (James 3). And yes it is a choice. Either we choose to be led by The Spirit of God or not. Honestly, what it really boils down to is this: whatever we speaks shows the condition of our heart.

Matthew 12:34
"...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." 

If you constantly are speaking negatively, check your heart. If you are constantly belittling others, check your heart. If you are constantly walking around in despair and defeat, check your heart. Whatever things you think upon will eventually took root in your heart. 

Proverbs 4:23 tells us to "Guard your heart..." so we need to ask ourselves, what what am I putting in my heart and mind?

What am I listening to/watching/meditating on?  

Am I feasting on God's Word or Cosmopolitan magazine? 
Am I listening to praise & worship music or Drake?
Am I seeking God and godly counsel for wisdom or the world?
Am I watching shows & movies that are edifying or full of drama, dysfunction, and evil?
Am I feeding my faith or feeding my doubt? 

What The Lord has been showing me is how this principle of speaking life, ties into us seeing our prayers answered. Let's review the original quote that sparked me to write this blog:

"You cannot pray in faith and then confess defeat with your mouth"

 
What have you been believing God for?
What promises have you been standing on regarding your spouse, children, job, finances, spiritual growth, friendships, family, church, city, community, etc.?

Now think back over the past few months and think about your words regarding that situation(s). Have they been life or death filled?

I feel compelled to say that some of you reading this have been believing God for changes to occur in your life for a long time. The reason you are not seeing results is not because God doesn't desire to move in your life, but because what you are speaking out of your mouth is hindering Him. Did you catch that? Your doubt and negativity is limiting the promises of God from being manifested in your life. Maybe you recall in Matthew 13:58, when Jesus was in His home town of Nazareth and did not do many miracles because of their unbelief. It wasn't that Jesus wasn't able to, it was their lack of faith in Him that shut them out from witnessing His work. Jesus gave us this promise in His Word:

"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Mark 11:23-24

We literally have the ability to pray in faith and witness what He have asked for come to past. I'm not talking about the "name it & claim it" or the "speak it into existence" movement that has seeped into American Christianity. We have way too many Christians trying to claim cars, homes, money, jobs, and other material blessings that God never intended for them to have (Another topic for another day). No, I'm talking about praying the promises of God over your life and seeing them manifest in the natural realm. I'm talking about abiding in God and in His Word (John 15:7), asking for things that line up with His will, and witnessing them come forth. Is it wrong to pray for a new car, house, job, or more financial provision? No, but that shouldn't be our main motivation for seeking God's face and we don't need to "claim it" or "speak it" in order to receive it. Seek God for His presence, and not His presents, and He will joyfully give you His presents (Psalm 37:4).

But let's get back on topic,

Our words have power. So if you are going to pray then trust that God will answer your prayer, even if it is answered in a way that is different then you expected. If you want to worry and stress, then don't pray. It's your choice, but only one will bring forth life. The best thing we can do when we pray is to pray the Word of God. The Lord is bound by His Word and cannot lie. So find some Scriptures to stand upon and speak the living Word of God over it until you are delivered, healed, set free, restored, whole, provided for, etc. Don't block the move of God in your life by complaining. 

The Bible tells us in Philippians 2:14-15,

"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world."

Complaining about your situation only shows your lack of faith in God. It shows that you do not believe that He is Sovereign and can take care of you. The reason why most of us speak death instead of life is because we are lacking in our faith. We need to be like the father seeking healing for his son in Mark 9:14-24 and say "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." When faced with new obstacles we need to run to God in prayer asking Him to strengthen our faith and empower us with the Holy Spirit, so that we will pray with no doubt and fully believe in our hearts and minds that He is able. It is only by and through His Spirit that we will overcome (Zechariah 4:6). No matter how long it takes to see the answer to our prayers, let's continue to speak life and put our hope in Christ alone!!! His timing is truly perfect, so wait in expectation and faith! We might not be able to choose what occurs in our lives, but we do get to choose how we respond!

 I love this quote from the late Martin Luther King, Jr. which says,

  

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that..."

God has called us to be the light of this earth and will not be able to drive out the darkness if we keep speaking its language. Choose the light! Speak God's Word!!! Speak victory instead of defeat!!!

Let's ask The Lord to cleanse our hearts, tame our tongues and help us be more mindful of the words we speak about ourselves and others. This week I challenge you all to examine your lives and ask God to help you speak words that bring forth healing, edification, encouragement, comfort, wisdom, love, and truth.

"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

 Until next time,

Cierra
xoxoxo

 

Pinky Promise 2016 Conference

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cierra.cotton1

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Email: cierracotton@gmail.com 

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Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth101472.html

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth101472.html