By Marie Madeleine
On this fateful Passover, the day of the Lord’s crucifixion, I cannot help but reflect on His silence before Herod and Pontius Pilate and the futility of speaking words with the deceitful.
Brothers and sisters, heed the warning which follows. The words that roll off your tongue and out of your mouth can define the hour, the day, the outcome of your walk. My grandmother used to say, “Sticks and stones can break my bones; but, words can never harm me”, exhorting me in response to verbal bullying. She was a Christian who at times seemed an angel to me; but, she was wrong.
What could you possibly say that would cause the Lord to withhold His blessings? Or the evil one to obtain the legal right to torment you? A lot. Heed my words here; the Lord wished for me to write this today.
Invitations to the deceiver
When you use familiar words that give power to unknown forces, you not only lose the anointing of the Lord until repentance; but, you also invite familiar spirits, demons, the evil one to affect your walk, destroying what he may. You will not lose your inheritance in the blood covenant; but, trust me, you will be refined.
Think of how many times you have said the following:
“it’s in the cards”
“knock on wood”
“things come in threes”
“don’t walk under a ladder”
“don’t open an umbrella inside”
“cross your fingers”
“good luck”
“I wish….”
Children you must shed linguistics that give powers to the unknown. There is only one Power and you know Him. God is in control of everything. Do not make the mistake of thinking these are trifles; they are not. This aggrieves the Lord a great deal. In your hopes, always let prayers and supplications emanate from your lips; but, give no power to familiar spirits. When you make this mistake, the Holy Spirit which is in you will nudge, convict you; simply repent and it will be forgiven you. You may even have to self-deliver, casting out the powers you have invited in (that is whole other post!)
Invoking curses
The words you use can in fact invoke a curse on yourself. This is a delight to the evil one who will use his wiles to make sure your words come true, accusing you to the Lord, who by His grace will have to come to your rescue again and again (lest He lift His hand to teach you)! Have you ever caught yourself saying things like:
“What else can go wrong”
“I’ll bet this plane will crash”
“The enemy is winning”
Murmuring
If you speak of others unkindly, even perjoratively, this is murmuring. If you complain, this too is murmuring. Remember, you are in this world; but, you are no longer of this world. As a Holy Spirit-filled follower of Jesus Christ, the works of the prince of this world just roll off your back. You are human, still flesh, thus tempted at times; yet, the power of the Holy Spirit, the Helper, convicts you. There is more joy in you from above than there is strife and fear from below. Always be sure you have repented of the sins of your lips before you ask for anything; blessings come to those who do.
Boasting, exalting with your lips
Matthew 6:3-5
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Prayer in secret
Brothers and sisters, why do you think the Lord exhorts you to your prayer closet, quietly? Give no more ammunition to the evil one in these last days than is unavoidable. Plead the blood of Jesus and preface prayer with the name of Jesus; the evil one if nearby will flee. To ensure privacy between you and the Lord, so you may hear His voice, you can pray quietly in your thoughts and listen. The evil one cannot know your thoughts; only the Lord Almighty is omniscient knowing all things and all thoughts. This is a safeguard for you.
Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
1 Samuel 1:13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk
Praise and worship out loud
It is wise to preface all prayer with worship and praise invoking our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Declaring His supremacy and Godship over you and all. Again this will provide protection to your prayers, whether audible or secret. Do not forget that the evil one is targeting the Lord’s remnant, those of great faith who are obedient, repentant and prayerful. He seeks only to destroy knowing his time is short; unbelievers are already judged, lest the Lord have mercy.
So think about all that eschews from your mouth. There is Power of life and death in your words. Purify what comes off of your lips. Be the Light He has commanded of you.
Job 15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you.
Job 27:4 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
Psalm 34:13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Proverbs 4:24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you.
Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.
Proverbs 18:7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Leviticus 5:4 ‘Or if a person swears, speaking thoughtlessly with his lips to do evil or to do good, whatever it is that a man may pronounce by an oath, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty in any of these matters.
Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”