The words we speak out of our mouths are so important they need an entire Truth Study devoted to them. Written words are also important, such as text messages, emails, social media posts, and other forms of written communication. But what comes out of our mouths has effects that are very critical and influential. Spoken words are very powerful. This study will look at why and how our words are so impactful and the negative and positive effects of what we speak. We will also learn ways to control our words and use them for our benefit and the benefit of others.
We begin at the beginning. God spoke words and creation came into existence.
Genesis 1:1-3 (NLT)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Psalms 33:6 (NLT)
The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
Hebrews 11:3 (NLT)
By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
If you read all of Genesis 1, you will find the phrase “God said” before each component of the created earth came into being. First God spoke light into being, then a space to separate water in the heavens from water on the earth (the sky), then dry ground, then vegetation, and then the rest of creation. The phrase “God said” occurs repeatedly in Genesis 1. God’s spoken words created our earth and everything in and on it. That should get our attention.
In describing the importance of our words, the Lord Jesus said the following.
Matthew 12:36, 37 (NASB 1995)
36 But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
It is a good idea to read this passage in several different versions of the Bible and let this truth sink in. This passage is a warning, but it is also good news.
The words we speak are important. What we say matters. And, according to Jesus, heaven is keeping records. Learning to control our mouths is essential.
Not only did God create the world we live in with His words, but we are also justified or condemned by our words. This reinforces the importance of our words. Our justification or our condemnation is determined by what we say. Creation and salvation are two of the most momentous events in our lives and both require spoken words.
How are we justified by our words? The Apostle Paul declared the following to the church at Rome.
Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
With your words “you profess your faith and are saved.” Jesus said that we are justified or we are condemned by our words. Confessing your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ results in justification leading to salvation.
Notice the importance of faith the words spoken. In the Truth Study on faith, we looked at the importance of faith filled words. In Romans 10:9, 10 you must declare with your mouth and believe in your heart. Paul says that “it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Holy Spirit has filled the Word of God with wisdom and instruction on what we should and should not say. The book of Proverbs is full of good counsel about the use of words. In the New American Standard 1995 version of the Bible the word “tongue” appears eighteen times in Proverbs, “mouth” appears forty-six times, and “words” appears thirty-five times. There are instructions on both the benefits of positive words and the trouble caused by negative words. Consider the following passage.
Proverbs 18:21a (NKJV)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
Proverbs 18:21a (MSG)
Words kill, words give life;
Just as we are justified or condemned by our words, the very power of life and death are in our words. We will look at what the book of Proverbs says about negative words first.
Proverbs 6:2 (NIV)
…you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
We can say things that trap us. Learning to pray and ask Holy Spirit if you should speak certain things will prevent you from the trapped by foolish words. This will always be the remedy for negative words that cause us problems: consult Holy Spirit before you speak. If He says “Don’t say that” then do not say it.
The next verse is one of the most important truths about your words.
Proverbs 10:19 (NKJV)
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Proverbs 10:19 (NASB 1995)
When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Proverbs 10:19 (AMP)
When there are many words, transgression and offense are unavoidable, But he who controls his lips and keeps thoughtful silence is wise.
Here is another verse that you should read in several more translations. This is not hard to understand, and you probably have firsthand experience with the truth expressed here. The more you talk, the greater the chance you have to sin. How often do people just say too much and end up offending another person? According to this passage, less is more! With Holy Spirit’s help, we must learn to control our lips. Do not just say everything you think. Pray and ask God to counsel you in real time. The quick prayer “Lord cause me to know what and what not to say in this situation” will work wonders.
Proverbs 16:27, 28 (NASB 1995)
27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. 28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
Unfortunately, you may have firsthand experience with this truth also. Authentic Christians do not want their words to be a like a scorching fire that spreads strife and separate friends. Just do not say hurtful things. Do not gossip. Do not criticize others. Your carnal or fleshly self might feel like what you want to say is justified. Your carnal or fleshly self might just simply like saying it, but it classifies you as a “worthless man.”
Proverbs 29:20 (NASB 1995)
Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 29:20 (NLT)
There is more hope for a fool than for someone who speaks without thinking.
We can speak too much, and we can speak without thinking. Again, the remedy is to ask Holy Spirit about what you are planning to say before you say it. Listen for His counsel and then obey Him. It takes very little time to quietly ask Holy Spirit for “yes” or “no” and it might save you some trouble. The following verse is a good one to memorize.
Proverbs 21:23 (AMP)
He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards himself from troubles.
Offensive or hurtful words that never leave your mouth – words never spoken aloud – cannot offend or hurt others.
Proverbs 12:18 (NASB 1995)
There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Here is a comparison of two ways of using your words: for harm or for healing. A genuine Christian does not want to speak words that cut and wound others (see Ps. 52:2, 59:7, 64:3, 140:3). The genuine Christian wants to bring about healing and restoration with their words.
Let’s go back to Proverbs 18:21a and look at the passage in context.
Proverbs 18:20, 21 (NKJV)
20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
The words we speak produce fruit, either bad fruit or good fruit. They can be the stab of a sword or they can be healing.
We have seen verses concerning negative fruit from negative words. The book of Proverbs also has wisdom for positive words.
Proverbs 12:14 (NKJV)
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 12:14 (NLT)
Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards.
Again, we see our words are as “the fruit of our mouth.” Good words bring satisfaction unlike negative or hasty words that bring problems. In any situation we can ask Holy Spirit to give us wise words that “bring many benefits.” If He does not give you wise words, you can just keep your mouth closed (Prov. 10:19). You do not always have to say something. Sometimes silence is golden.
Proverbs 16:24 (AMP)
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body.
Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)
Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul gives similar counsel.
Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Notice that both Proverbs 12:18 and 16:24 mention that positive words can impart healing. You can bless others with healing by what you say.
Proverbs 17:27 (NASB 1995)
He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Proverbs 17:27 (AMP)
He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).
We have seen that you can talk too much (Prov. 10:19) and you can speak too quickly (Prov. 29:20). A knowledgeable, calm person will restrain his or her words. If you are a person who does not restrain their words, Proverbs 17:27 would be an excellent verse to memorize and ponder.
Proverbs 10:20 (NKJV)
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.
In this verse, Holy Spirit compares speech to silver – meaning it can be valuable. As Paul said in Ephesians 4:29, our words should bring edification and building up to those who hear us. Our listeners should derive value from what we say. One of the growth goals of every Christian should be to learn to use our words to deliver healing and edification to those around us.
Proverbs 15:4 (AMPC)
A gentle tongue [with its healing power] is a tree of life, but willful contrariness in it breaks down the spirit.
Proverbs 15:4 (NIV)
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
Remember your tongue can be the thrust of a sword, or it can be healing (Prov. 12:18, Prov. 16:24). Learn to speak accordingly.
The book of Psalms also has good teaching on talking, speaking, and words. If you struggle with restraining your lips, the following verses are wonderful to meditate on and pray over. The Lord wants to help us with our words.
Psalms 19:14 (NASB 1995)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
Psalms 141:3 (NASB 1995)
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalms 34:12, 13 (NASB 1995)
12 Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.
Psalms 39:1 (NIV)
I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will hold my tongue when the ungodly are around me.”
Psalms 119:172 (NLT)
Let my tongue sing about your word, for all your commands are right.
Psalms 119:172 (AMPC)
My tongue shall sing [praise for the fulfillment] of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.
Psalms 51:15 (AMP)
O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise.
The verses from Psalms sited above should be studied and memorized. The book of Psalms also gives the following advice.
Psalm 119:11 (NLT)
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
There is no substitute for memorizing scripture in Christian growth. Jesus encouraged His disciples with these words during the Last Supper.
John 15:7 (NKJV)
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
Writers of the New Testament also had much to say about the words we speak. We looked at Ephesians 4:29 in the New King James Version. Let’s compare it with the New Living Translation.
Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)
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 (NLT)
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
The companion book to Ephesians is Colossians. Both written by the Apostle Paul around 62 AD, these books were letters to the churches at Ephesus and Colossae, respectively. They contain much of the same instruction but come from slightly different perspectives. Consider the instruction given to the Colossians.
Colossians 4:6 (NASB 1995)
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
A Christian who is growing in spiritual maturity and wants to become more Christ – like will learn to restrain their lips. It was suggested above that believers should maintain fellowship with Holy Spirit and consult Him about what to say and what not to say. We also saw that when you keep God’s word in your heart you will not sin against Him (Ps. 119:11). However, James tells us that curbing your words can be a challenge.
James 3:2-10 (NLT)
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
We will break this passage down into important points.
- Although we all make mistakes, if you can control your tongue, you can control the rest of yourself. The self-discipline required to control your words can be applied to every other part of your life. Implied here is the fact that the hardest thing to control is your mouth.
- Just like a small bit will control a large horse and a small rudder will control a large ship, the tongue is a small member of your physical body but has great control over your life.
- Your tongue can be compared to a small spark that sets a forest fire ablaze.
- Hell can set your tongue and fire, and it can burn down what is valuable to you.
- People can tame all kinds of living creatures, but they cannot tame their tongues – that requires supernatural intervention. You need help from Holy Spirit to tame your tongue.
- Blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth. For a born-again believer and disciple of Jesus, only blessing should come from your mouth.
Matthew 12 records a fiery rebuke Jesus gave the Pharisees concerning their constant and unrelenting hypocrisy. We looked at verses 36 and 37, now let’s add verses 33 and 34 to the account.
Matthew 12:33-37 (AMP)
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. 37 For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.”
The Easy-to-Read version makes this passage especially clear.
Matthew 12:33-37 (Easy-to-Read)
33 “If you want good fruit, you must make the tree good. If your tree is not good, it will have bad fruit. A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. 34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. 35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment. 37 Your words will be used to judge you. What you have said will show whether you are right or whether you are guilty.”
Jesus says that if there is evil in your heart, it will come out of your mouth. The King James Version says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” The painful truth is that what comes out of your mouth is overflowing from your heart. As Christians we must let Holy Spirit remove “evil things” from our hearts and replace them with “good things.” The words we speak are a reality check on our heart condition.
Fortunately, God is more than able to help us with our heart condition. Psalm 23 tells us that he restores our souls (mind, will, emotions).
Psalms 23:3 (NASB 1995)
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
The book of Hebrews also offers help.
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
The Amplified Classic Bible expands the verse and makes it abundantly clear that God is yearning to be gracious and help us.
Hebrews 4:16 (AMPC)
Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
If you need help restraining your mouth and speaking graciously, go to God and ask for help. He will help you. Holy Spirit is our constant companion and counselor and will always intervene when we ask Him to and guide our conversation.
The book of Psalms also encourages us to run to our gracious God for help.
Psalm 138:8 (AMP)
The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me; Your [unwavering] lovingkindness, Lord, endures forever— Do not abandon the works of Your own hands.
In a Truth Study on “words,” we must look at God’s words or God’s Word. The Bible contains the words of God and the will of God. There has been a great deal written on the integrity, the authority, and infallibility of the Bible. This study aims to look at words in general and how a Christian can use God’s Word in their own lives.
Throughout the Bible there are verses about the Bible. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible with one hundred seventy-six verses. The author extols the virtues of Word of God and explains how useful it is. Consider verse eighty-nine.
Psalms 119:89 (NASB 1995)
Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.
Psalms 119:89 (NLT)
Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.
The Bible is the first word and final authority for the Christian.
The Apostle Peter makes the claim that the prophecies of scripture originated from Holy Spirit thereby verifying His direction in the creation of the written word. Holy Spirit supervised and managed the entire process of getting the Word of God into our hands.
2 Peter 1:20, 21 (NASB 1995)
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2 Peter 1: 20, 21 (Easy-to-Read)
20 Most important of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in the Scriptures comes from the prophet’s own understanding. 21 No prophecy ever came from what some person wanted to say. But people were led by the Holy Spirit and spoke words from God.
After the Last Supper and as Jesus was being betrayed by Judas, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. The prayer is recorded in John 17 and is called His “Highly Priestly Prayer.” In this prayer, He defined the Word of God as truth.
John 17:17 (KJV)
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth
John 17:17 (AMPC)
Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.
We are always on very solid ground when the words we speak are God’s Word. Declaring the Word of God out of our mouths is powerful. Romans 10:9, 10 speak of “confessing with our mouths Jesus is Lord” in the salvation experience. Often people think of “confession” as in confession of sin. Confession of sin in in encouraged in 1 John 1:7-9. But the phrases “thou shalt confess” from verse nine in the King James Version and “confession is made” from verse ten (in the KJV) are translated from the Greek word “homologeo” (Strongs G3670) and have meanings that include “to say the same thing as another,” “to agree with,” and “to assent.” Homologeo breaks down to “homo” or “same” and “logos” (logeo) meaning “word.” We can confess God’s word and say the same thing as God.
There are over seven thousand promises from God to us in His Word. Using our mouths to speak or “confess” (homologeo) those promises is immeasurably powerful. Consider what God told the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 1:12 (NASB 1995)
Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.”
Jeremiah 1:12 (AMPC)
Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.
God is paying attention to His Word coming out of our mouths with the intention of performing those words. When we say what God says, He is committed to fulfilling those words.
Consider the person who has a financial need. Here is one of many of the promises of God to meet our needs and be our Provider.
Philippians 4:19 (NKJV)
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
When you agree with this and confess it (homologeo, say the same thing), God has obligated Himself in Jeremiah 1:12 to perform Philippians 4:19. He will supply the financial need with His own wealth.
What if someone has a wayward child? The promise of God is to make our children His disciples. Isaiah states clearly that our children will be His disciples.
Isaiah 54:13 (NKJV)
All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children.
When we confess or speak the verse aloud, God, Who is watching over those words, will perform them.
Not only is God watching over His Word to perform it, but He also boldly states that when His Word is sent out, it always accomplishes what it is sent to do.
Isaiah 55:11 (NASB 1995)
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire,
Isaiah 55:11 (AMPC)
So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
As children of God and heirs of God (John 1:12, 1 John 3:1, Rom. 8:15-17, Gal. 4:4-7) His words on our lips have the same assurance of fulfillment. When we agree with God and confess His word, the words we speak from His Word carry the same authority and achieve the same victorious results. The Apostle John confirms this in the book of 1 John.
1 John 5:14, 15 (NASB 1995)
14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
1 John 5:14, 15 (AMPC)
14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
If God has made us a promise concerning a certain challenge or situation we face, and we ask Him to fulfill that promise to us, He will hear and answer. We are not trying to get God to do something He is reluctant to do if He has already promised it.
In the Truth Studies on the Prayer of Supplication and the Prayer of Declaration, we learned that we could ask God to fulfill a promise He has made to us and that we can declare, with thanksgiving, that God is fulfilling a promise to us. In either case we have assurance that if our words of prayer agree with God’s promises to us, He hears and will answer.
Here is an example of using God’s Word in prayer concerning a situation we face.
A person has an opportunity to interview for a job that they would love to be hired for. They believe that this is where God is leading them and that they should be hired for the job. They know the God promises favor and grace so Psalm 5:12 and John 1:16 are verses they want to stand on in prayer.
Psalms 5:12 (NIV)
Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
John 1:16 (NASB 1995)
For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.
Using the Word of God and having confidence in its authority and integrity, a prayer of supplication might be:
“Father, I thank you that by the blood of Jesus, I am made righteous. I ask that you surround me with your favor as a shield. I also ask that out of the abundance of the grace Jesus has shown me, He would grant me great grace as I interview for this position. Lord, I thank you that as I base my request on Your Word, You hear and will answer my prayer.”
A prayer of declaration might be just a little different but contain the same scriptures.
“Father, I thank you that by the blood of Jesus, I am made righteous. I thank you also that you surround me with your favor as a shield. Thank you for the abundance of grace Jesus has shown me and that He grants me great grace as I interview for this position. Lord, I thank you that as I base my request on Your Word, You hear and will answer my prayer.”
Remember that He is watching over His word to perform (Jer. 1:12) and when His word is sent out it always accomplishes what it is sent to do Is. 55:11).
God’s word coming out of our mouths is the best way to prevent foolish or ill-conceived conversation. Recall the Apostle Paul’s instructions to the church at Colossae.
Colossians 4:6 (NASB 1995)
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
If you will allow Holy Spirit to counsel you before you speak, He will give you the right biblical truth to share and your speech will be full of grace, seasoned with salt, and it will be the best response.