by Kayla Kennada
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21
This profound truth reveals a fundamental principle: our words carry tremendous power to shape outcomes. We stand at a daily crossroads with two options to choose. We can speak life with positive words into our circumstances—bringing hope, healing, and positive change. Or, we can speak death through negativity, complaints, and destructive speech. The latter hinders faith from receiving the promises the Word has ready for us.
The Weight of Our Words
Scripture consistently warns against the destructive potential of unbridled speech. The Bible addresses complaining, speaking ill of others, gossip, slander, and careless words. These are not minor character flaws, but are serious spiritual issues with real consequences. This “death speech” doesn’t just harm others; it ultimately returns to affect us.
Proverbs 18:20 reveals this principle of reaping what we sow through speech: “A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth, and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.” The imagery is vivid—we will inevitably “eat” the fruit of our words, whether sweet or bitter. Our speech creates a cycle that comes full circle, blessing or cursing our own lives.
Guarding the Heart, Transforming Speech
How do we break free from destructive speech patterns and consistently speak life? The answer begins in the heart. As Jesus taught, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).
First, we must saturate our hearts with God’s Word. David understood this principle when he declared, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). When Scripture fills our inner man, it naturally flows from our lips, transforming our default speech patterns from death to life.
Second, we must practice intentional speech. This means pausing before we speak, asking ourselves: “Will these words bring life or death? Will they build up or tear down? Do they align with God’s truth and love?” This moment of reflection can be the difference between words that heal and words that harm.
Living the Life-Speaking Life
Speaking life isn’t merely about positive thinking—it’s about aligning our words with God’s truth, speaking His promises over our situations, encouraging others with His love, and choosing words that reflect His character. When we speak life, we participate in God’s creative power, becoming agents of hope and transformation in a world desperate for both.
The choice is ours daily: Will we speak life or death? The fruit we eat tomorrow depends on the words we plant today.
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