The power of the Tongue and its effect on your life

Proverb 18:21 says death and life come from the power of the tongue. The tongue has the power to give life, and the power to destroy. It can be used either to be constructive or to cause destruction.

Words can be used with an intent to build up, encourage, heal or praise. They can also be used to curse, discourage, condemn or destroy someone.

As believers, knowing the power of the tongue will really help us in our Christian walk. If we are aware of the effects of our words, we can live as Jesus did. 

The power of the tongue not only affects other people but also our own lives.

We must be careful about what we say about our own lives. About the lives of our children. About everything around us. Because with our words we can plant. Choose to plant life not death. Choose to give life through your mouth.

10 Bible verses about the Power of the Tongue

 Proverbs 12:18 

With our words, we can bring healing. Our words, if used carelessly, can literally break someone’s spirit. I will use an example of a woman who was robbed of all the savings she had accumulated throughout her working life.

She met a man, who masqueraded as one who loved her only to con her of all her money and disappeared leaving her with not a single cent to her name.

She confided in some people sharing her utter heartbreak. But all she got was condemnation. These people accused her of being so naive, so careless, so trusting, and foolish. How she should have been smarter and so forth.

As a result, these words affirmed all the guilt, shame, and condemnation that she obviously already was feeling. And she felt like an absolute loser. This led her to take her own life as she felt useless.

What if she had spoken to one person who had encouraged her? Or one person who would have told her that it’s fine, things like this happen all the time.

Imagine the sort of healing this could have given her. She might still be here today. But people’s reckless words added insult to injury. Causing literal death. Literal sword thrusts as the bible says.

So as believers, let’s be mindful of the things that we say to people. Don’t under estimate the power that one single word can have on someone’s life. The power of the tongue can literally kill them or give them life

2.  Ephesians 4:29 

From the example that I mentioned above, it’s better not to say anything if you don’t have anything positive to say. It is better to hold your peace than saying something that does not build up, encourage or show the love of God to others.

Be intentional about the effect of your words before you say anything. The Bible says to think about things that are good, praiseworthy, wonderful, and give glory to God. The same applies to what we say. Because of the power of the tongue, our words must be good, praiseworthy, wonderful. And they should give glory to God and life to those who hear them.

3. Proverbs 15:1 

Growing up, I always used to hear about this bible verse. This referred to when someone comes attacking and insulting you. Try and not shout back. That way you’ll see that your warm positive response will calm their anger. I thought it was impossible until I grew up and experienced this for myself. 

When I would go off on someone and they respond calmly I would feel like an utter fool. When someone responds as enraged as you are, or even more, that fuels up your rage. But when they respond quietly, you feel like an utter fool. 

You realise that you are the only one yelling. And you see yourself also calming down. This works all the time. That is the power of the tongue.

So beloved, when we find other people going off on us. Instead of wanting to show them who they are messing with, which I know is the default reaction. We must calm down. Take the high road. And that way we will be on our way to Christlikeness.

4. Proverbs 13:3 

This verse reminds me of a joke that people always make. “Colgate is not the only way to preserve your teeth. Keeping your mouth shut also does.” 

This joke interprets this bible verse. When you talk too much you really are bound to get in trouble. Literally speaking.

People who talk too much are always in fights with others because they just say what they want with no regard for the other. And this almost always causes physical altercations. 

So if you want to preserve your life (and your teeth) please guard your mouth. 

Like the bible says do not open your lips wide because you will come to ruin. One day you will talk smack about someone who will really hurt you and may kill you. The power of the tongue will land you in serious trouble if ignored.

5. Matthew 12:36 

For me this verse always keeps me grounded. I’m far from being perfect. In fact, the tongue department is an area that I am still receiving transformation in by the Holy Spirit.

Many times I regret what I have said immediately after I have said it. Before my transformation and renewal process began, I really didn’t care. I wasn’t aware of the power of the tongue.

I took pride in being known as that person who says what they want. As someone who says it as it is. Someone who doesn’t filter their words regardless of their effect on people.

The devil is a liar!! This made me feel superior and powerful. I disregarded other people’s feelings. But on judgment day I will have to answer for every idle and careless word that I said.

All those words that we speak without thinking. Or those we intentionally say to break someone’s spirit, we will answer for. Before I came across this verse I didn’t know the effect of my words. My idle and careless words.

So beloved I urge you. Please be careful what you say. Think before you speak. Assess the effects of your words on the other person. Don’t allow the devil to lie to you that you are the man, because you “ say it like it is”. 

Let’s aim to be like Christ. To do unto others as we would like them to do unto us. 

6.  Proverbs 10:19 

And this is also another area that I absolutely love. In my journey to mind renewal and transformation, I have come to find that from the mouth comes many sins. When we look at the seven things that God hates, three of them have to do with our words.

A lying tongue, a false witness that speaks lies, and sowing discord among brethren are 3 of the seven things that God hates. And all of these sins stem from the power of the tongue. 

With our tongue, we can be a false witnesses in court and send someone to prison. I know many stories of people who are tormented because they gave false testimony that someone hurt them or stole from them just to get back at them for whatever had happened. And that little lie causes that other person years in prison.

That is literally killing someone with our words. The same applies to lies. Oh, how God hates lies!!! Lies make us the same as the devil. As he is the father of lies. When we lie we become just like him. 

So when you talk a lot you are bound to lie, tell half-truths, exaggerate, gossip, curse, give false testimonies, and so forth. And all these are transgressions that go against the desire of God for our lives. God hates sin and there are many negative effects of sin in our lives

If we talked less, we could avoid all these sins that may appear unimportant but truth be told, God despises them.

7. Psalm 141:3 

These two are my constant prayers to God. I honestly can not do it all on my own. I genuinely need the Holy Spirit’s guidance in this area of my life more than anything else. 

I constantly pray that God, if my mouth can not say anything true, positive, life-giving, hope-giving close it. Let no words come out. 

Taming your tongue is a very important aspect of renewal and transformation for a believer. This is because we had become so used to (I speak for myself here) doing things a certain way and we just find ourselves blurting things out without even thinking. 

It had become second nature to just hurt people. Say whatever I desire. Tell half-truths to make the story more exciting. To pull down others to make myself feel better. 

The bible says confess your sins one to another so that you can be forgiven. The devil is a liar. God can deliver you from this stronghold the way He is working on me every day. Thank God for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. 

 Proverbs 15:28 

When I tell you that I am at a stage in my life where I hear the Holy Spirit say stop thinking. Just before saying something negative. Just before “ giving them a piece of my mind” Just before telling a lie I am reminded who the father of lies is. 

James 1:19 

At that moment I stop whatever I was planning to say. Think. Say something else. Something positive, life-giving, true, and praise worthy.

8.  James 3:5 

James 3:9 

Our words may seem unimportant when we speak them out into existence. But trust me the power of the tongue is so great that you must be careful what you say.

When you say something negative for example, as a parent to a child in anger. You tell that child how they are so dumb because they can not understand a simple thing. And how you wonder what they will be in life.

Parents I reiterate. Be careful what you say with your mouth to your children. As a parent, you have spiritual authority over your children. Be careful what you say. Remember the devil is constantly roaming around looking who to devour.

Curses give the devil a legal right

When you curse your children, in anger, the devil uses that as a legal right to make your curse come to pass. The devil is constantly waiting for us to slip so that he can dive right in.

Remember he works with legal rights. When he has no right he can not enter. A curse without a cause can not stick. But as a parent when you tell your child that they will amount to nothing the devil will gladly make this come to pass.

Unfortunately, he only looks for the negative things to fulfil. So please mamas and dads, when we are mad at our kids’ let’s watch what we say. We may bring a curse on their lives with what we say.

Choose to always speak life

Instead, always speak life. Speak life even when you don’t see it. This applies to our own lives as well. Even if things appear to not be progressing never affirm the negative. The moment you say something like ‘Oh I will die in poverty’ as a way of complaining, you have given the devil the right to make that come to pass.

Always choose life over death. No matter what you see, always speak life. It is a spiritual principle that what you sow out there must come to pass. This is why as Christians we must always stick to the truth of what the word of God says even if we feel the opposite way.

Because after all, let God be true and every man a liar. If it doesn’t align with the word of God DO NOT SAY IT!!! Protect yourself. Protect your children. Only say what God says about you, about every situation in your life.

9. James 3:2 

This verse shows the power of the tongue. And how important it is for us to tame it.

As Christians, living in these carnal bodies that we still have, we obviously face many carnal challenges. But, of them, all our tongues are the greatest challenge.

If we can tame our tongue, we will surely be able to tame every other aspect of our lives. If we can deny our tongue from speaking evil, from cursing others, from gossiping, from telling lies then everything else in our lives will not be as hard.

This only goes to prove that 

When you do however succeed in doing so. Then controlling your fleshly desires will be literally a walk in the park. It may appear like a small member of the body but it causes destruction.

10. Proverbs 11:9 

And lastly, as believers, we must seek to use our tongues for good. We must prophesy to people’s lives. We must speak the truth of the word of God and see dry bones come to life.

We must use the power of the tongue to prophesy life, abundance, health by praying for people and spreading the gospel of God.

We must tell unbelievers of the love of Jesus and bring them to God. The power of the tongue can preach salvation to the lost and give them eternal life.

Be peacemakers not trouble causers

In our communities let us be the people who solve conflicts. The rational ones in times of crisis, not the havoc starters. Let us be the voice of reason just like Jesus was.

Instead of gossiping, badmouthing, complaining, lying, giving false testimony we must be the glue that keeps everyone together. As followers of Jesus, we must be peacemakers. We must use our tongues to encourage those in distress. 

Spread love to the condemned. Accept the outcasts. Just like our Lord and Savior did. Let us use the power of the tongue the way Jesus did.