Words have power. If you don’t believe that, then why speak at all? Do you consider a mute person to have a better, more productive life than you? No, we consider such a person as having a defect. The best way to control your words are by controlling your thoughts.
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (NKJ)
An out-of-control mouth is proof of uncontrolled thoughts.
James 3:2-10 For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (NKJ) 3 By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in different directions. 4 It takes strong winds to move a large sailing ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any direction. 5 Our tongues are small too, and yet they brag about big things. It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! 6 The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person’s entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures can be tamed and have been tamed. 8 But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison. 9 My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. 10 We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn’t right. (CEV)
James 1:22-26 But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: 24 For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what manner of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. (NKJ)
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (NAS)
Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (NKJ) issues = source
Ephesians 4:17-24 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto licentiousness (evil vices), to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that you have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That you put off concerning the former way of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (NKJ) vanity = aimlessness due to lacking purpose or any meaningful end.
Galatians 5:16-17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would. (NKJ)
Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (KJV)
Romans 8:1-8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (NKJ)
Proverbs 14:12;16:25 There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (NKJ) loins = Greek = osphýs (os-foos’) “the seat of generative power. “To smite the loins” referred to a fatal blow – “forever ending” anything that would (could) come from the slain.
Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. (Berean)
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (NKJ)
