Why are words so important? They convey a message. They are containers. They carry something when spoken. With your words you can love someone, even yourself. With your words you can condemn someone, even yourself. With your words you can edify, build up, encourage, speak life, or you can curse, criticize, tear down, judge, or speak death.
It is no coincidence that the word of God is listed in Ephesians chapter 6 as the sword of the Spirit. It is not just the word we read; it is the word that is spoken that is likened to a weapon. The word of God is pure. It is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It is sharp.
Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life. Proverbs 18:21 (TPT). Think about this verse. My words can bring life to dead things. Jesus did this.
There is a reason we use our mouth to confess Jesus as Lord when we get saved. Why? Because our mouth is connected to our heart.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:34-35, 34 Broodof vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
Look at how these are connected. The Passion Translation says in verse 34, “For what has been stored up in your hearts will be heard in the overflow of your words”.
As I was meditating on this verse over the weekend, I asked myself this question: What things are stored up in my heart? The things I have been meditating on will show up in the overflow of my words. Consider your heart as a storehouse. When your heart is full of something it will spill out in your words. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Here are some questions I wrote in my journal.
Do you have law in your heart, or mercy in your heart? Along these lines, the Lord just opened my eyes to see this more clearly yesterday. From Matthew 12:7 Jesus was talking to the Pharisees (the legalistic bunch) about mercy and sacrifice because they were accusing the disciples of not keeping the law. The Lord desires a flexible heart over an inflexible ritual. He desires mercy, compassion, a heart ready to forgive, ready to love, over sacrifice or sticking to the letter of the law. Apply this relationally.
Back to my questions.
Do you have criticism in your heart, or love in your heart?
Do you have doubt in your heart, or faith in your heart?
Do you have worry in your heart, or rest in your heart?
Do you have the words of man in your heart, or the words of God in your heart?
The things stored up in our hearts are likened unto treasure. It is either good treasure or evil treasure. Jesus also told us “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21.
Interesting.
I want to speak words of life, hear words of life, and convey words of life to the ones I love, even to myself. I haven’t been perfect at this but as I continue to feed my heart, words of life, they will spill out of my mouth. Revelation is progressive. We must do something with it before we get more.
This is what I am meditating on today.
This is so true! We destroy with our words and then complain about the fallout. Ultimately it’s not a word problem so much as a heart problem. Or maybe it’s a need to create a “cycle of life” where speaking God’s word, provides health and life to my heart, which in turn, then prompts me to speak words of life to myself and others, which then fills my heart up again
Thank you Lacey for sharing your revelations and God inspired thoughts with us