Watch Your Mouth

Rise Holy
8 min readDec 13, 2024

I recently have been counseling a few ladies and that has led me to really start thinking about the power of words. All words have power, but how we use them is up to us.

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

~Proverbs 18:21

We all know the verse up above. We have heard it quoted many times both in and out of church. We may even quote it ourselves from time to time. But sometimes when you hear or say something over and over again, the words begin to lose their meaning…they become just another thing that you say. And that’s some dangerous territory because no matter what or how you say something, your words have power…yes, even the idle ones.

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

Years ago, Tony Evans gave a sermon video series called “Watch Your Mouth” and as those around me started speaking death over themselves (via putting themselves down and self-deprecating humor), my mind went back to that series. You can watch it here, if you like. Our words have so much power because we were made in the image of Christ, in the likeness of our God. And God’s words were powerful enough to put everything we see today into existence. We have the exact same power! Yet, more often than not we don’t utilize it as we should.

Just to let you know, this post will be a bit longer than normal (as I try to keep my posts at a 5-minute read) but it is definitely worth it. I would also love it if you join the conversation by chatting with me!

Encouraging Words

Our words are meant to edify. They are meant to encourage, build others up, share sound advice. I think we can all agree on that! However, let’s take a look at scripture so that you can see where I am coming from.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

~Isaiah 55:11

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

~Proverbs 15:4

Colossians 4:5–6 tells us that our speech should be seasoned with salt. It should be tasteful, it should come with wisdom. When we are wise, we know not only what to say, but how to say it. I can tell you from experience that you can speak the truth but not do it out of love. I have spoke the truth in order to condemn, out of anger, and even as a way to make myself feel better about where I was in life. That’s not like Christ and I had to repent and ask for forgiveness. As Christians, we should strive to do everything in love because God is love.

Ephesians 4:12–16 lets us know that part of the purpose of ministry is to edify the body of Christ. And we’re all ministers because we have all been called to the Great Commission, the moment we chose to be a disciple of Christ we were given that order. So, as we minister we should edify. To edify is just to encourage someone, to build them up. Are your words edifying?

I find that oftentimes we use platitudes instead of offering real encouragement. It could be that we don’t know what to say. Or maybe we’re so focused on what life has busied us with, that we don’t have time to deal with the problems of others. Have you ever been there? I know I have. And then there are those times where we weren’t really listening in the first place, perhaps we skimmed the text or put the phone down to grab a snack…

God wants us to use our words wisely because they have power. And that means encouraging others with them (and encouraging ourselves). Some ways we can do that is to prophesy hope, peace, life and freedom. In spite of what you see now, speak God’s will over someone. We know it is God’s will that none be lost (2 Peter 2:9), we know He wants us to live an abundant life (John 10:10), and so much more. The best way to know how to edify is to stay in the word. It makes sense though, right? How can you encourage someone with the promises of God if you don’t know the promises of God? How can you speak life unless you are abiding in the One who gives life?

As I was ruminating over the power of words, the Holy Spirit convicted me that I have not always used mine wisely. I have not always listened and given proper encouragement. That’s why I wanted to share…I know that someone reading this may be in a similar situation.

Cursing Words

While I am not talking specifically about curse words, those are included in this.

We can use our words to curse others. But the Bible tells us that blessings and cursings shouldn’t flow from the same source (James 3:10). A curse is when you express misfortune or bad tidings on someone else. When you hope for someone else’s downfall or speak evil over them. And, as the devil often does, he makes us think it is no big deal to do so. How many songs have you listened to before you knew Christ and maybe even afterwards that used profane language or a “diss track” that sought to lower someone’s character? Maybe you have heard a fed up parent tell their child, “I knew you were never going to be worth anything?” Maybe you have said something similar or called someone lazy or stupid or some other foul thing.

Most times, we hide behind the idea that we’re telling it how it is or being truthful, but that’s not the case. What is really happening is that we’re speaking death over these individuals. I know it is hard to come to grips with, but it is the truth. We’re prophesying evil into their lives. And we need to stop. Our words shouldn’t pierce like a sword, instead they should give life (Proverbs 12:18)!

If you find that you’ve been doing that, I urge you to count to ten in a moment of anger or high emotions before you speak so that your words don’t create a bigger problem in the life of another. I’m not saying you won’t offend, the Word tells us we will offend others, but the trick is to not do so purposefully. Jesus offended the Pharisees, but He spoke the truth. We know that not everyone will like what we have to say and that is okay as long as what we are saying lines up with the Word of God. So, please don’t get confused as curses and causing offense aren’t the same.

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Idle Words

I feel like I have typed a lot, but I am almost done! Don’t worry. I was listening to Stephanie Ike, a great woman of God, and she said something that floored me. “Even idle words have power.” As I thought it over, as I paused the playback and sat in my thoughts, asking God to bring clarity and more rhema revelation, He did just that. So, I want to share a bit of that with you.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

~Matthew 12:36

If these idle words really didn’t mean anything, we wouldn’t have to give an account of them, would we? So obviously, they’re important. Those words we say offhandedly, in jest, in times of stress or trouble are just as powerful and meaningful as the words we share when we encourage someone else. That’s why we must think before we speak. An idle word is one that is spoken without intent or purpose. Idle words are like the words we say just to take up space, or when we joke, and there are plenty more examples. Maybe this is why we’re told so often to live by the adage of “think before you speak.”

Even if we don’t realize it, our words have power and saying something in jest or without thought or out of self-deprecation creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. We prophecy over ourselves negative things and rarely give it a second thought. Along those same lines, when we realize that we have spoken something untoward or damaging (either over ourselves or others) we have to repent of that and tear down those words by rebutting them. If you often find yourself speaking idle words, speaking without any thought to the power of what you’re saying, take some time right now to follow in David’s footsteps and ask the Lord to guard your mouth so that you don’t say anything untoward (Psalm 141:3).

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

More of My Thoughts…

The Bible lets us know many times the importance our words and it also reminds us to be careful with them. James 1:19–20 implores us to be slow to speak while Proverbs tells us that only fools say everything they are thinking. We have to think about the words we use before they leave our lips. When we speak too quickly, we are liable to cause strife and contention. How many times have you said something in haste maybe because you were angry and it hurt those you were speaking to? Or maybe you spoke without knowing the whole story and caused misunderstandings and bad blood? These things could be ceased if we were more careful with our words! Ecclesiastes 5:2 tells us to not just say everything that comes to mind. Is that something you are putting into practice? (Also see Proverbs 17:27 which says, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”) The wise know when to say nothing, when to keep their mouths shut! Only fools speak about anything and everything. I don’t know about you but I have no desire to be a fool.

Another thing that I have been mulling over is the idea that not only should we be careful with the words but that we can use them as encouragement not just over others but over ourselves! Someone I know said they thought that doing so was lying, but the Bible tells us to speak those things that aren’t as though they are, doesn’t it (Romans 4:17)? I feel like this is the exact same thing. The prophet Elisha got so fed up with a bunch of youths annoying him and mocking him that he spoke their death and moments later, they were mauled and killed by bears (2 Kings 2:23–24). That is how powerful our words are! 1 Samuel 30:6 says that when King David was worried (the people wanted to stone him) he had to encourage himself in the Lord. The truth is, we aren’t always going to have someone there to pat us on the back, we need to be able to do that ourselves. And we do so with our words.

So, to end things off I want to ask you a question: what are you using your words to do?

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Rise Holy
Rise Holy

Written by Rise Holy

Helping you follow Christ in a dark world. Helping you keep your head up when things seem bleak. A Christian living blog for today.

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