By: Lisa Santelli
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
A few weeks ago, I heard a preacher ask, “What words are you standing in agreement with?” This caught my attention, as I have some prayers where I have been waiting for God to answer and wondering why it’s taking so long. This pastor asked this question, because sometimes we make requests to God and declare them boldly, but then in a moment of frustration or disappointment, we speak against them. We agree with a fear, a doubt or disappointment, and may actually say something opposite to what we have been praying.
Maybe you are praying for your children to behave, but then call them ‘trouble-makers’ or some other name and wonder why they are acting disobedient.
Maybe you are praying for healing, but in your frustration speak doubt on whether that healing will ever come.
Maybe you are praying for your husband or to find a husband, and in your weak moments, speak ill-words over your marriage or doubt if you’ll ever get married.
Maybe you are praying for an increase in your finances, but then start agreeing with someone who is talking about not being able to pay the rent, and you say, “yeah girl, me too”, when you are able to pay the rent.
In Proverbs 18:21, it says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Your words have power. They have the ability to speak life into every situation. The scripture before that, Proverbs 18:20 says, “From the fruit of a person’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is filled with the product of his lips.” Can we just pause for a moment on this. When you speak LIFE, you are filled with what was spoken.
Friends, I’ve been so convicted lately of the doubting words that have come from my lips in moments of frustration and disappointment. This is not to say that we are to wash over our letdowns, but we are to watch what we say in our weak moments. Sometimes, we may need to let our heart reboot before we let words come out. It’s okay to take our disappointments and frustrations to God, but let’s be careful of what we are saying or allowing others to say over the prayers we are so fervently seeking God for. Yes and Amen, which means “so be it” are the main words we should be speaking over our prayers.
When I was looking up “word(s)” in the concordance, the list was abundant. I was so overwhelmed by how often the bible is referenced as THE Word. It is the living, breathing spoken word of God. It is no wonder that words have power. God spoke all of eternity into existence with His words. The authority that God uses to speak life has been given to us, which is why we are warned on how we use our words.
Today, I want to encourage you to speak life over the areas you are seeking God to move. Speak life over your family, your marriage, your job, your health, your finances. God has given us the authority and privilege to speak life into every situation and I challenge you to pause during those frustrating moments. Seek God and check your heart before you speak. Invite God into every conversation when speaking over your situation. Psalm 19:4 says, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”