1. Introduction:
· Joshua 3:5 - “Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you”.
· Sanctify = to separate, make clean, set apart for divine purpose.
· Wonders = things beyond natural ability, supernatural release of miracles.
· People of God called to position themselves for increase of the Supernatural.
· Joshua 6:10 - “… no word proceed out of your mouth until the day I say to you ‘Shout!’”.
1st miracle of possessing Jericho required mastery of tongue.
1st sign of Holy Spirit filling in NT – Spoke in tongues – praised God.
2. Your Words can Shape your Future:
· Words we agree with in heart and words we speak create our future.
· Psalm 34:11-13 - “Who is man that loves life…keep your tongue from evil”.
· Word pictures of tongue: Gangrene, Rust, Snake Venom, Fire, Arrows, and Wounds.
· Fear of the Lord that leads to life and prosperity seen in how we speak.
· We cannot have a good life if we cannot control our tongue.
· The words we speak either nurture or destroy relationships around us.
· Proverbs 21:23 - “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles”.
· Proverbs 15:4 - “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life – but perverseness with it breaks the spirit”.
Wholesome = healing - the tongue has power to bring healing, encouragement.
Perverseness = distortion, crashed dealing – tongue has power to wound
and hurt.
3. The Root of the Issues of the Heart
· Proverbs 27:19 - “As a water face reflects face so a mans heart reveals the man”.
- Water act as a mirror that reveals what we look like.
- What is in your heart reveals what kind of person you are.
- The overflow of the heart is the mouth – your words reveal who you are.
· Matthew 12:33-37 - “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”.
- Abundance = to overflow with what fills the heart.
- Treasure = things that you value, long for, hold onto, think on, store up.
- Whatever your heart holds and values will overflow out through words.
- Our words are so important that we are required to give account for them.
- Our words give expression to the life within and create our future.
· Proverbs 22:11 - “He who loves purity of heart and has grace on his lips, the King will be his friend”.
- Purity of heart overflows in grace – empowering words that strengthen and build.
- Our relationship With Jesus – the King of Kings is impacted by our words.
4. Diseases of the Tongue:
· Note: Problems in you body – Doctor looks at tongue (poor diet, infection)
i) Lying:
· Proverbs 6:16-19 - These things the Lord hates – Lying tongue.
· Lying = deliberately alters facts to misrepresent truth.
= withhold part of truth to create a false impression and deceive.
· Example: Genesis 20:1-12 - Abraham lied about his wife Sarah – created false impression.
· Heart issue: Fear; Hate (Proverbs 26:26-28); Hidden motive.
· Proverbs 12:27 - “lying lips are an abolishment to the Lord”.
· Jeremiah 9:6 - “Through deceit they refuse to know me”.
ii) Gossip / Slander:
· Psalm 15:1-3 - “… does not backbite with tongue,…take up a reproach”.
· Gossip = talk about someone else’s personal affairs.
- As the story is shared it is ‘colored’ by the person’s attitude.
- Those listening hear the words and pick up the heart attitude.
· Slander = False and malicious statements about someone.
- Words falsely spoken that misrepresent the person and damage their reputation or impart offence to the hearer.
· Proverbs 11:13 - “A talebearer reveals secrets but he who is of faithful spirit conceals a matter (doesn’t gossip or slander)”.
· Proverbs 6:19 - “Lord hates – false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren”.
· Example: Numbers 12:1-9 – Miriam.
· Heart issue: Bitterness; Pride; Envy; Rebellion
Ephesians 4:25 - “Putting away lying speech”.
· Proverbs 12:19 - ‘lip of truth shall be established forever but the lying tongue is but for a moment”.
iii) Flattery:
· Proverbs 26:28 - “a flattery mouth works ruin”.
· Flattery = excessive or insincere praise – often with hidden agenda.
- Person showers positive compliments but with hidden motives: ask for favor; obtain information.
· Proverbs 29:5 - “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet”.
· 2 Samuel 15-16 - Absolom.
· Heart issue: seeking approval, seeking recognition, hidden agnda.
· Isaiah 6:5-7 - “Isaiah’s lips cleansed through confession and encounter with God => empowered to represent God.