James 3:1-4 NKJV
(1) My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
(2) For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
(3) Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
(4) Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
If you want to change your course, start changing your words.
Hebrews 11:3 AMP
(3) By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.
Our world is framed by the words that we speak.
Genesis 1:26-28 NKJV
(26) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
(27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
(28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 2:7 NKJV
(7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (speaking spirit)
Jesus gave us some insight on how this works:
Matthew 12:31-37 AMP
(31) Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy (every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things) can be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit shall not and cannot be forgiven.
(32) And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy One, will not be forgiven, either in this world and age or in the world and age to come.
(33) Either make the tree sound (healthy and good), and its fruit sound (healthy and good), or make the tree rotten (diseased and bad), and its fruit rotten (diseased and bad); for the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit.
(34) You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
(35) The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things.
(36) But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak.
(37) For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.
The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about our words:
Proverbs 18:20-21 AMP
(20) A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
(21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]. [Matt. 12:37.]
Proverbs 12:14 NKJV
(14) A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth, And the recompense of a man’s hands will be rendered to him.
Proverbs 13:3 NKJV
(3) He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
Proverbs 15:4 NKJV
(4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Proverbs 18:7 NKJV
(7) A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Proverbs 21:23 NKJV
(23) Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
We are not called to be reporters; we are called to be forecasters.
I believe one of the most important times that we need to watch what we say is during our times of adversity, times of hardship. Anybody can be positive and say the right things when everything is going great. But how we respond in the adversities of life will either make you or break you.
What you say in the midst of your difficulties will have a great impact on how long you stay in those difficulties.
When times get tough, human nature is to want to talk about the problem, complain to all of our friends and family about how hard life is. Satan will do his best to pressure you to keep you talking about your situation because he knows that as long as you talk about the situation and circumstances, you will keep perpetuating them in your life by your words.
Remember, when you face adversity, don’t give in to the temptation to murmur and complain. Pray the prayer of faith and speak words of faith and victory.
God desires for us to get into agreement with Him and speak the same thing that He speaks.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
(12) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Revelation 1:13-16 NKJV
(13) and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
(14) His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire;
(15) His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
(16) He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.
Notes from Sparkling Gems from the Greek by Rick Renner:
The phrase “two-edged” is taken from the Greek word distomos and is unquestionably one of the oddest words in the entire New Testament. Why is it so odd? Because it is a compound of the word di, meaning two, and the word stomos, which is the Greek word for one’s mouth. Thus, when these two words are compounded into one (distomos), they describe something that is two-mouthed! Don’t you agree that this seems a little strange? So why would the Bible refer to the Word of God repeatedly as a “two-edged sword” or, literally, a “two-mouthed sword”?
Ephesians 6:10-17 NKJV
(10) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
(11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
(12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
(13) Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(14) Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
(15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
(16) above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
(17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
The word for “word” in verse 17 is not the normal word “logos” but rather “rhema” of God. This is the spoken Word of God.
The Word of God does not become the sword of the Spirit for you until it is spoken from your mouth.
Hebrews 3:1 NKJV
(1) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
Hebrews 4:14 NKJV
(14) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
The word translated “confession” here is the Greek word “homologia”. This word means “to say the same thing.”
This word “confession” here is not something that one person can say. It means that you repeat something that someone else has already said.
Are our troubles happening here on earth or are they happening in Heaven?
Is Jesus saying anything on earth right now? He is not talking on planet earth right now. He is talking in Heaven at God’s right hand.
Who has the mouth here on earth? We do.
He is talking in Heaven and we have to repeat here on earth what He has already said. He is not going to come down and do it for us. That is not His job. That is our job.
If you want the Word spoken into your problems here on the earth, then you and I are going to have to speak it.
We have the assurance that whatever we say from the Word of God over our lives, that He is in Heaven backing us up saying the same thing.
Romans 8:34 NKJV
(34) Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.