Proverbs 14:22-24 In a previous devotional we talked about the saying “Loose lips sink ships,” which was a by-word in World War II. Those who were working in the war effort were cautioned to be extremely careful about what they shared with others. They didn’t want any information to leak out to the enemy. We also have an enemy, and he uses our very own words as ammunition against us. We forget that the devil cannot read our minds, but he can give us thoughts and can hear what we say. A lot of the time we do his dirty work for him just by being careless in our words.
This proverb says that the talk of lips tends to poverty. Another proverb says he that keeps his lips keeps his soul from troubles. When we speak too much, we often let out information to the enemy that he will use against us. We serve a God who owns all the cattle on the hills and the entire universe. He is rich and wants to bless us with many of His resources, but often we rob ourselves of His blessings by speaking the wrong things. I have caught myself actually speaking curses over my own life by the words I say. I will say things like, “We’ll never have enough money to do this or that.” I also can bring poverty to my own soul by speaking things like, “I’m so depressed,” or “I’m an emotional wreck.” Pretty soon our souls will pick up on what we are saying, and the emotional area of our souls will respond to our words.
We can enrich our souls by what we speak also. David learned this lesson, and he often spoke to his soul: “Why are you cast down, O my soul; hope in God.” We can speak encouraging words to our soul when we feel down. The Bible teaches us to speak in faith and often calls for us to call those things that are not as though they are. The Bible says, “Let the weak say they are strong.” I’ve tried to practice this in my life, and if I am having negative feelings, I try to speak just the opposite. People sometimes feel this is not being honest, but when we are weak, in the Lord we are strong. When we are down, in the Lord we are joyful. When we are confused, in the Lord we have peace of mind. We need to speak what the Lord is in our lives no matter how we feel. Emotions are deceptive, and often the enemy wants us to wallow in our emotions rather than confess the Word of God in faith.
Many of the troubles we have are brought upon ourselves by what we speak. Make it your goal today not to speak any negative words. Ask the Holy Spirit to stop you if you begin to speak negatively. A prayer I pray almost every morning is:
Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You. You are my strength and my redeemer. Amen.
READ: Judges 19:1-20:48; John 3:22-4:4; Psalm 104:24-35; Proverbs 14:22-24
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