REFLECTION: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21
APPLY: Your words are powerful – in a powerfully positive, or devastatingly toxic, way. The confessions of your mouth are potent – defeatist or hateful recriminations, directed inward, can hinder – even short-circuit – the good things that are in the process of manifesting in your life.
A statement – whether responsive habit or a learned response – perceptively analyzed will often fall into one of two categories: a positive assertion (blessing) or a negative one (curse).
For example, ‘today is going to be a great day!’ is a positive affirmation of what the speaker expects; directed heavenward, it becomes a prayer or a reminder of what the speaker may believe the Lord has promised.
“I always mess things up” on the other hand, is the expression of a negative expectation – maybe rooted in experience – of an undesirable pattern to which the speaker fears s/he is captive. Carelessly repeated in frustration this easily becomes a self-fullfiling prophesy.
It may seem like a little thing, or seem like a form of superstition, but it is not. This is a scripturally based principle. Press through the ready skepticism or the self-consciousness that would have you continue in this carelessly harmful practice, when simply being aware of the power of your words and choosing to express things in a factual – yes – but positive manner will, by Grace, have far reaching ramifications.
PRAYER: Lord please help me as I guard my heart and my mouth, that I may bless my life and not curse myself, not even inadvertently. In Jesus potent Name, Amen.