It’s a simple message: “Watch your mouth!”

Have you ever said that to anyone? Or has anybody ever said it to you?

Most of us would probably agree that we need to think more before we speak. James 1:19 tells us to: …Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak… (The Amplified Bible).

Why? Because our words have power. The Bible says the power of life or death is in the tongue (see Proverbs 18:21).

So, what are you talking about? I think the three things we talk about more than anything else are what we want, what we think, and how we feel. And a lot of us spend more time thinking about what we’re going to put into our mouth than what comes out of it.

We need to be aware of what we’re saying because it’s what comes out of us, not what goes in, that makes us unclean (see Matthew 15:11).

Our words reveal what’s in our heart. They reveal the true character and level of spiritual maturity of a person. If you pay attention to what you’re talking about, you’ll learn some things about yourself.

The book of James has a lot to say about the words of our mouth. In James 3:2, we’re told that anybody who can control their mouth and never say anything wrong can control everything else about their life. This means that what we say determines our direction in life – it either agrees with what God says and what His plan is, or it doesn’t.

James 3:4-10 expounds on this. It compares the tongue to a bit in a horse’s mouth. The bit, a small piece of metal, in the mouth of a horse can turn the whole animal around. And a rudder on a ship, which is a huge vessel, determines which way the ship goes. Both the bit and rudder are small compared to the horse and the ship that they control.

Our tongue does the same thing for us. And because of it, our mouth is the biggest problem we have – not finances, people, jobs, or the world.

The bottom line of these verses is, the tongue determines the outcome of your life. Even though it’s tiny, it can cause huge problems. It’s frequently used by Satan to cause great harm. And the tongue can be tamed by no man, so we need God’s help.

I believe the Holy Spirit tries to help us and give us guidance. It’s that uncomfortable feeling that you get in your gut before you say something you shouldn’t. When I start talking about something I shouldn’t, I feel it right away.

Now, the Holy Spirit won’t make us do the right thing, but He’ll remind us what’s right when we need Him to. And when we’re prompted by the Holy Spirit not to say something and do it anyway, we’re basically saying, “I have conviction that this is sin but I’m going to do it anyway.”
We need to be accountable for the words we speak. Confess your faults to someone you trust. Tell them when you say things you shouldn’t have said. When we make ourselves accountable to someone else, it helps us behave better.

 I also want to encourage you to pray some scriptures over yourself. Here are a few that David prayed:
Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my…Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 141:3  Set a guard, O Lord, before my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
Psalm 39:1  I will take heed and guard my ways, that I may sin not with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth as with a bridle…

I’m so grateful that I’ve learned scriptures about the power of the words of my mouth. Before I understood this, I didn’t think much about what I was saying and how it was affecting my life.
So I’ll ask you again: What are you talking about? Do you really know what you’re saying? Ask God to help you be accountable for the words of your mouth. He alone has the power to tame your tongue!   

For more on this topic, you may order Joyce’s four-CD series “Tests, Trials, Temptations and Triumph” by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org.

Author/teacher Joyce Meyer has been helping people overcome life’s problems through biblical keys to practical Christian living since 1976. Her radio and television programs are broadcast throughout the United States and much of the world. For additional information, you may contact Joyce Meyer Ministries at P.O. Box 655, Fenton, Missouri 63026 or visit www.joycemeyer.org.