School of the Bible - Online Study - "What Does the Bible say About the Power of Words"
Presented by: Pastor Gloria Kennedy
USE WORDS TO UPLIFT
Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 (VOICE)
21 Words have power in matters of life and death, and those who love them will savor their fruit.
Proverbs 18:21 (MSG)
21 Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
Proverbs 18: 21 (CEV)
21 Words can bring death or life! Talk too much, and you will eat everything you say.
Proverbs 18:21 (AMP)
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
Clearly we see from scriptures the impact of words. Words have the power to build up or words have the power to destroy. Many times people complain about a matter, never realizing the impact their own words have had on the situation.
A Tree Known by Its Fruit
Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) -
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart[a] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Matthew 12:33-37 (MSG)
33 “If you grow a healthy tree, you’ll pick healthy fruit. If you grow a diseased tree, you’ll pick worm-eaten fruit. The fruit tells you about the tree.
34-37 “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season. An evil person is a blight on the orchard. Let me tell you something: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.”
Matthew 12:33-37 (Voice)
33 Good trees produce good fruits; bad trees produce bad fruits. You can always tell a tree by its fruits. 34 You children of snakes, you who are evil—how could you possibly say anything good? For the mouth simply shapes the heart’s impulses into words. 35 And so the good man (who is filled with goodness) speaks good words, while the evil man (who is filled with evil) speaks evil words. 36 I tell you this: on the day of judgment, people will be called to account for every careless word they have ever said. 37 The righteous will be acquitted by their own words, and you evildoers will be condemned by your own words.
Matthew 12:33-37 (AMP) - Words Reveal Character
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is recognized and judged by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35 The good man, from his [inner] good treasure, brings out good things; and the evil man, from his [inner] evil treasure, brings out evil things. 36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. 37 For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.”
The Matthew Henry Commentary says: Christ speaks here concerning other wicked words, the products of corruption reigning in the heart, and breaking out. Jesus knew their thoughts, and here he spoke with an eye to them, showing that it was not strange that they should speak so ill, when their hearts were so full of enmity and malice; which yet they often tried to cloak and cover up. Our Lord Jesus therefore points to the springs and heals them; let the heart be sanctified and it will appear in our words.
(1.) The heart is the root, the language is the fruit (Matt. 12:33); if the nature of the tree be good, it will bring forth fruit accordingly. “Either make the tree good, and then the fruit will be good; get pure hearts and then you will have pure lips and pure lives; or else the tree will be corrupt, and the fruit accordingly. Unless the heart be transformed, the life will never be thoroughly reformed. Words show the root of bitterness that is within you and others.(2.) The heart is the fountain, the words are the streams (Matt. 12:34). Evil words are the natural, genuine product of an evil heart. It is the character of an evil man – he has evil in his heart and it comes out.(3.) The heart is the treasury, the words are the things brought out of that treasury (Matt. 12:35); and shows our true character. It is the character of a good man, that he has a good treasure in his heart. Believers know they have been created in the image of God and should be good and do well.
Christ speaks here concerning idle words, and shows what evil there is in them (Matt. 12:36, 37). It concerns us to think much of the day of judgment, that that may be a check upon our tongues. Think about this. Scripture says for every idle words, or discourse, that men speak, they shall give account. That is clear that God takes notice of every word we say, even that which we ourselves do not notice.
Do you still think words are not powerful? Scripture shows us that God takes notice of what we say, vain and idle talk displeases God. Think of the impact that has in your everyday life and your eternal life.
These idle words are the same with that foolish talking and jesting which is forbidden, Eph. 5:4. We must shortly account for these idle words; they will be produced in evidence against us, to prove us unprofitable servants, that have not improved the faculties of reason and speech, which are part of the talents we are entrusted with. We must repent of our idle words, and our account for them will be balanced by the blood of Christ, thank God.
Walk in Love
Ephesians 5:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
Be Imitators of God
Ephesians 5:1-4 (NASB)
1 (A)Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and (B)walk in love, just as Christ also (C)loved [a]you and (D)gave Himself up for us, an (E)offering and a sacrifice to God [b]as a (F)fragrant aroma.
3 But (G)immorality [c]or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among [d]saints; 4 and there must be no (H)filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which (I)are not fitting, but rather (J)giving of thanks.
Wake Up From Your Sleep
Ephesians 5:1-4(MSG)
5 1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
3-4 Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.
Be Imitators of God
Ephesians 5:1-4 (AMP)
5 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
3 But sexual immorality and all [moral] impurity [indecent, offensive behavior] or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as believers our way of life, whether in public or in private, reflects the validity of our faith]. 4 Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God].
Ephesians 5:1-4 (AMPC)
1 Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].
2 And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a [a]slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.(A)
3 But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [[b]of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God’s consecrated people).
4 Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God].
We come to God as sinners; but He wants to transform our habits, attitudes, and practices into the ways of Jesus: to live, forgive, and love as He did.
Ephesians 5:1-4 (Voice)
1 So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children, 2 and live in love as the Anointed One loved you—so much that He gave Himself as a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing God.
3 Listen, don’t let any kind of immorality be breathed among you. Any demoralizing behaviors (perverse sexual acts, uncleanliness, greediness, and the like) are inappropriate topics of conversation for those set apart as God’s people. 4 Don’t swear or spurt nonsense. Don’t make harsh jokes or clown around. Make proper use of your words, and offer them thankfully in praise.
There is so much in these four scriptures. For this study we are focusing on verse 4 in particular. It says what we are to speak. We are to use proper words and offer thanksgiving to God. In part 2 we will address how we curse and bless out of the same vessel.
Refrain from idle, useless, words. Words are containers. They have the power to assassinate another person’s character or even your own. Words are mightier than the sword, but the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, the Bible is the mightiest weapon of all.
The Bible has been defined as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Every answer we need in life is found in the Word of God. Study these scriptures over and over and each time you will get further insight that God wants us to have. We will never exhaust the Bible. It is forever teaching us about what God wants from us and shows us clearly how to please Him.
Words -- use them to edify and not to tear down. Use your words to build up, elevate someone else and never forget that you were created in the image of God as well. Speak edifying words over YOU.
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