A person’s words have enormous influence for good or evil and are a sure indicator of the person’s character. The impact of our speech cannot be over emphasised, for the Bible makes it clear that a man’s speech has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21), and is also capable of bringing success or misfortune to the speaker, as shown in Proverbs 12:13-14, which says:
“The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth…”
Job 19:2 reveals that a person’s speech can destroy others, but it also has the capacity to give life to its hearers (Isaiah 50:4). You can easily identify the righteous by their speech. In Isaiah 50:4, this category of people are referred to as “the learned”. ‘Learned’ in this sense does not refer to legal practice, it rather refers to those who are knowledgeable in God’s word. Such people do not speak carelessly. They understand the weight of words and use their words effectively, knowing that someday, they will have to account for every idle word they have spoken. Whenever they open their mouth, a bit of what is stored within them comes forth, in line with Matthew 12:34b, which says:
“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

For those who are genuinely saved, our speech and actions are controlled by God’s word that is hidden in our hearts. Psalm 37:30-31 says:
“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.”
When God’s word fills your heart, your mouth will open in wisdom. This is why the righteous take out time to hide God’s word in their heart, and their words are like food to the hearers. If you sit by a righteous man for counselling, what you will hear within a few minutes will put you on the right path. Even the foolish hear the words of salvation from them. The sick receive words of healing, while the hopeless receive encouragement from them. You cannot listen to a righteous man or woman and not be impacted. No wonder his mouth is called a well of life (Proverbs 10:11). There is a fountain of goodness in the righteous, so that whenever they open their mouth, living waters flow out of it. The righteous is a source of inspiration, and his words feed the faith of others, directing them to the path of righteousness. You need to be conscious of the manner of speech you produce. As a child of God, please watch your tongue. Wise children of God must learn to use the power in their tongue effectively to pull down the strongholds of the devil in their lives and family. I pray that your tongue will begin to yield fruits of peace and prosperity from this day in the Name of Jesus.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.