LIFE or DEATH

Rom 12:14 Bless and do not curse.

In Rom 12:14 Paul the apostle is teaching us how we should speak to others but we can also apply this scripture to ourselves and it’s called,‘Self Cursing or Self Blessing‘. Self cursing is where we speak negative words or phrases over ourselves; we say such things as,” I’m stupid, I’m an idiot, bad things always happen to me, I’ll never succeed, I don’t believe it, I’m gutted,broken hearted or devastated.”   These are just a few of the many curses we speak over ourselves and they are words of death.

Instead we are to speak blessings over ourselves. To bless means to speak well of so we must learn to think and speak well of ourselves and of who we are In Christ. ” Thank you Lord that in You I am strong, I will overcome my weaknesses, I am a new creation and am righteous, holy and without blame before you, I’m free from all guilt, accusation and condemnation, I’m forgiven and cleansed from all my sin, I am healed of all sickness and disease, I am fully accepted by you and live under the canopy of your unconditional, unchanging and eternal love. You are for me not against me and you work all things together for my good. I’m victorious an overcomer and more than a conqueror.”

We can replace every curse with a blessing and instead of speaking death we can speak LIFE to ourselves. Jesus said in Jn 6:63 “The words that I speak to you, they are spirit and they are life.”   (KJV)

Meditation point: “Lord, point out to me and help me address any words of self cursing and death and replace them with words of self blessing and life.”

Struck Dumb

Luke 1:18  Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.”  (The Message Bible)
Zechariah and Elizabeth had been praying for a child; one day the angel Gabriel visits Zechariah and tells him their prayers have been answered and his wife Elizabeth will give birth to a child and they are to call his name John (the baptist). But Zechariah begins to question Gabriel,”Are you sure, my wife is past the age of childbearing”.

At this response Gabriel strikes Zechariah dumb and tells him he won’t be able to speak until John is born. Why is this?   It’s because Zechariah was speaking doubt and unbelief and God cannot work in an atmosphere of doubt and unbelief. His words would have kept Elizabeth’s womb closed and thwarted the plan of God for their lives.

Whereas when Gabriel visited Mary to tell her she would give birth to a child (Jesus Christ), Mary’s response was to say,” Let it be done to me according to your word“.  Mary was speaking words of faith and trust in God’s word and created an atmosphere within which God could work and sure enough the Lord Jesus was born.

Every day you and I are faced by problems,difficulties and pressures; and we have to choose. Are we going to speak with a Zechariah spirit or a Mary spirit. A Zechariah spirit is a victims approach to God’s Word resulting in a defeated, depressed Christian lifestyle whereas a Mary spirit is a victors approach to God’s Word resulting in a successful, overcoming Christian lifestyle. 1 John 5:4  This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. (KJV)

Meditation Point:  When I’m faced with a problem, do I speak my own words of doubt and unbelief or God’s words of faith and trust.

WORDS

Prov 15:1  A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire. (Message Bible)

The Book of Proverbs is the wisdom of God and  gives  advise on the proper way to use  our tongue, so let’s look at some of those ways. The scripture  says that a gentle tongue diffuses anger. Why is this?  Picture yourself talking to a person. You have to confront them about negative behaviour. If we speak words of sharp criticism, pointing out their faults and failures, they will immediately put up barriers and resist what we are saying; this is a natural defence that people erect at the first sign of aggression.  Our cutting words will also stir up anger in them and the conversation will descend into a quagmire of accusations.

Whereas if we speak to the person in gentle non aggressive language, directing our words not to their character but to their behaviour we will see their defences come down and the way is now open for us to find a solution to the problem.

Gal 6:1  Friends, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of humility, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.   Paul teaches we can only speak gentle words when we adopt a spirit of humility. This is a way most of us would rather not take because we have to be vulnerable. But if we will humble ourselves and put our trust in God,  He will work through our humility to resolve the situation.  And when we do His grace will flow and bring reconciliation and healing.1 Peter 5:5 All of you be clothed with humility, for”God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”   (NKJV)

Meditation Point: God’s Word tells us that confontation can only be successful from a spirit of humility and fully trusting God.

BIT & BRIDLE

Ps 39:1 I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle. WEB.

Jam 3:3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. NIV.

To control the direction of a horse we put a bit and bridle upon it. The bit goes in the horse’s mouth and the bridle comprised of a head set and reign’s is attached to the bit; so when a rider wants the horse to go left they pull on the left reign which applies pressure to the bit signalling to the horse which way to go.

Scripture teaches us that the word of God acts like a bit & bridle and as we respond to the pressure of that word by speaking it out,  it will control the direction of our lives. So how will we know when to speak out (confess) God’s Word. It works like this; When the truth of the circumstances around us contradict the truth of God’s Word, we are to choose to speak God’s truth.

An example: Because of foolish decisions we go into debt. We confess our wrong to God and receive His forgiveness and grace. We now have a choice to either speak God’s Word of provision or speak the negative words of our situation. Remember it is our words that operate the Spirit realm for good or bad. We have the power in our tongue to speak life or death. As we hold to speaking God’s word despite the contrary circumstances and pressure to capitulate we will over time see God’s provision; and understand that the word’s of our mouth have directed the course of our life.

Meditation Point: Speaking & holding to God’s Word despite contrary circumstances will bring breakthrough in our lives.

THE TONGUE

Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it.  AMP

The key word in this scripture is ‘POWER‘. Although the tongue is a small member of the body God has given to it the power to determine life or death.  In delegating to a policeman the authority to direct traffic, we would gladly say we’ve given him the power of life and death. He’s responsible to direct the traffic so no one dies and everyone lives. When he holds up his hand the traffic stops. 

When he points with his finger the traffic changes direction. 

When he waves with his hand the traffic moves forward.   

We’ve given to the policeman the power of life and death. Therefore the words we speak hold within them the power to direct the traffic (course) of our lifestyle; and the scripture goes onto say we will eat the fruit (live in the consequences) of our words for good or bad. So if we’ve been speaking words of defeat, failure or loss, we will eat the fruit of our words which is hopelessness, confusion and death. But if we’ve been speaking words of success, victory and accomplishment, we will eat the fruit of our words which is hope, direction, vision and life.

Meditation Point: The power of my tongue directs the course of my life.