To Speak Life
What does it mean to speak life without believing in the false doctrine that believers should speak things into existence?
"And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell."
James 3:6
The surrendered life is aware of the absolute necessity to speak life in all circumstances. Not from a worldly point of view where you acknowledge your own goodness, abilities and pursue the need to fulfill your desires. But rather from a holy way of understanding, in which you acknowledge the Lord's goodness and grace by persisting in pursuing the things which glorify the Lord.
But because you are carnally minded and stuck in a secular and fallen world, by the actions of your hands and the words from your mouth, you either speak forth life or death. And even though your own free will is subject to God's sovereignty, your words and actions either advances the kingdom of light or the kingdom of darkness. So your actions and the words you speak is to your advantage or detriment. And the destruction sown by unrepented and unconfessed words and deeds containing death is a reality that manifests in the lives of all.
"But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers these things ought not to be so."
James 3:8-10
There is an undeniable importance to encourage yourself and others to speak life. Notably during trials and tribulations as the good habit needs to overcome and consume the bad habit of speaking death. And you accomplish this through sheer willpower, perseverance, obedience, and grace. It is important for Christians to put forward a more devoted effort to speak life as an example unto unbelievers. Because what good are the words spoken by believers if it is riddled with death? Proverbs 21:23 confirms that those who guard their mouths keep themselves from calamity. Speaking life is also the enlightened and faithful's contribution in countering and resisting the sheer volume of death sown by the deceived and unfaithful who are under the influence of ignorance and fear.
The yoke of sin and death has been a burden since the fall of man. And although Jesus conquered death by paying the price for all sins, holy living will always be a struggle until glorification is achieved at Christ's second coming. It is therefore imperative that believers realise that Satan does not relent on his contention for your soul when you turn to Christ. Truth is, he intensifies his whole campaign.
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Galatians 5:1
It is imperative for Christians to focus on what they say, what they listen to, their thoughts as well as their actions. Do your words contain life, or is it cursed with death? Are you surrounding yourself with people who's words bring forth life or people who's words bring forth death and destruction? Based on pure human nature it is much easier and natural to engage in speaking death due to the inherent wickedness of the heart.
The nine fruit of the Holy Spirit described in Galatians 5:22 manifesting in Spirit-filled children of God is a clear indication that life can only flow from the only Life-giver having a constant presence within you. And although unbelievers might experience some fruit of the Holy Spirit, they can never live and experience the fruit consistently. The same applies to speaking life.
"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:18
The words and deeds of unbelievers may at times seem positive and encouraging because it is directly influenced by their physical circumstances. Meaning, they are able to speak life because of prosperity or the lack of suffering in their lives. But they will never continue to speak life during severe calamity and adversity because the dependence on self and the world is too great to overcome trying circumstances through faith. And even though the most ardent believers may also go astray in tumultuous times, the moment they cry out, confess and repent, their Source of hope embraces them and guides them through the storm. By comparison, the way of the world is the only source of comfort for those who rely on the world. And it is a comfort which is only temporary at best.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them."
1 John 2:15
The people who conform to the world will not be able to engage in only uttering words containing life as their habit of speaking death is only overcome when they receive a literal breakthrough tangible in the physical realm. They rely on the comfort and contentment in their physical lives to motivate them to speak life, whereas those who conform to Christ depend on the indwelling Holy Spirit to overcome the numerous adversities and the accompanying temptations to speak death. People entangled in the world are willing to speak life, even with convincing aplomb, provided they have the securities creating comfort. They have yet to realise their only true security is in what they believe, and whether those beliefs have any godly validation.
"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
Multitudes seek physical breakthroughs in their lives which will enable them to speak life as if no hardship was ever present. The discomfort they experience from their circumstances is their real motivation. This rendition of speaking life is soaking in falseness as it originates from desires not sourced from undying faith and is true for both believers and unbelievers.
In the natural realm, the breakthrough you desire may be in the form of a promotion, a new client, an excellent harvest, a new job, healing, etcetera. But the Lord is championing that you first experience a breakthrough in your personal relationship with Him, by delighting in His presence in a place of inexplicable inner peace, trust and faith in him. Once you reach this level of fulfillment, you will not have this desperate need, born out of fear, to have your needs satisfied in the physical realm; and speaking life will become a heavenly habit.
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."
John 15:11
Although believers know the blood of Christ delivers them from all evil, you also need to take part in addressing negative influences by acknowledging God through your efforts and proclaim His unmistakable presence, power, and glory in everything you do. Because, when believers engage in the habit of speaking life continuously, much progress is made to convince a secular world of a divine plan and purpose for everyone and everything. This is part of the discipleship every believer is called to. Declaring to the world that an Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent God is in total and independent control. Many unbelievers may scoff at the belief in an all-powerful God due to the state of the world, yet believers find comfort in the following words from Scripture:
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9
Christians need to heed to that inner conviction, compelling them to be an inspiration by letting living waters flow from their everyday lives. When speaking life is possible through the wisdom you get from your daily meditation in the Word. And by understanding the nature, simplicity, and importance of true praise and worship and excelling in the ever-important gift of communicating through prayer.
"Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you."
Jeremiah 29:12
To speak life does not refer to the prosperity gospel, also known as the "word of faith" or "name it, claim it, frame it" doctrine in which people are encouraged to use the "power of faith" to create their own reality. This non-biblical doctrine is the belief in the power of positive thinking, in which whatever you believe, or think will happen, is what controls what will happen. It also does not refer to "positive confession" which is the practice of saying aloud what you want to happen, expecting that God will make it a reality.
It is preposterous to conclude you can use a personal creative force to attain your fleshly desires through prayer and declarations. Where you know what you want, you presume you will receive it, you visualise the appearance and then speak it into existence. And when this heretical doctrine fails to deliver results, the unsuspecting deceived are told their faith must have been insufficient. What is known as "positive confession" is a way in which the deceived demand their fleshly desires and turn God into nothing but a personal magician. And the main reason why this heresy is so devastatingly efficient is because a lack of knowledge in the Word of God is increasing and comfort Christianity is the outcome. This easy Christianity is as popular as ever because there is barely any sacrifice on the part of the believer and all your worldly desires are justified by misinterpreting the Word.
"The early church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity."
- Leonard Ravenhill
It is dangerous to suppose words have magical powers you can use to get what you want. Rather commit to a complete confidence in Jesus by rejecting any dependence on the world because the Word of God confirms Christians will have to endure hardships as described in 2 Corinthians 6:5 and 12:10. Material prosperity, according to Scripture, is not a given for believers as is popularly preached. Jesus never promised health and wealth anywhere in the Bible. Instead in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 He assured us He would supply us with sufficient grace during trials and tribulations. He also did not promise perpetual peace for believers in this fallen world, but rather cautioned that families would suffer turmoil when some followed Him and others did not. This is clear from His words in Matthew 10:34-36. In fact, John 15:20 confirms Christians can expect persecution, and this reality differs greatly from what is preached by the prosperity gospel.
But the prosperity preachers know the more attractive they make the message the more people will be lured to their churches. And more people means a greater offering, and a greater offering means a more comfortable preacher. A preacher who becomes significant not because of his knowledge and interpretation concerning the Word of God, but because his or her ability to generate wealth for the ministry.
The point is most Christians are not prepared to endure hardship and sacrifice. They want the good times and they want it now. And many preachers promise them they can have it as long as they first give to the church or ministry. In other words they deceive the congregants into believing that as long as they give they will receive. And naturally they take it a step further by also declaring that the more they give, the more they will receive.
According to them the Bible teaches that believers need to give to receive abundant health and wealth. But in reality the only people benefiting from this false doctrine are the ones promoting it. When you give with the expectation to receive, are you truly giving cheerfully from the heart as described in 2 Corinthians 9:7? Also Psalm 37:21 says the righteous give generously and it is their love for Christ compelling them to do good. Not their need for gratification or to be on the receiving end.
"We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
- David Platt
Churches where the congregants are promised health and wealth are much more popular than the churches teaching the truth in all its harshness. This is because their message is comfortable and more in line with easy Christianity. The worldly become despondent when you point them to the hardship and the real sacrifice involved in following Christ. They would much rather embrace the false teachers who proclaim they can heal them of sickness and disease and show them the money.
Your best life is not now as this life is cursed by sin ever since the fall of man. Your best life is yet to come and contrary to popular belief it is not a walk in the park to qualify. There are serious conditions involved but they are all meticulously explained in Scripture. The important thing to remember is that it is the Lord who draws His children through the Holy Spirit. You do not choose God, He first chooses you and then softens your hardened heart in such a way that you long to except Him. This is so that no sinner may be able to boast. All you need to do is cry out and believe by grace through faith for your journey to commence.
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day."
John 6:44
As a saved sinner you need to ask for help and trust the Lord will provide a way. Because establishing the good habit of speaking life is done by growing in holiness through perseverance and persistence. This holy habit will produce abundant blessings but bear in mind, your blessings are not dependent on the strength of your faith, it rests on His unfathomable grace and the sincerity of your relationship with Christ. And being blessed does not refer to receiving "things" but rather refers to complete fulfillment and inner happiness.
Jesus conquered death so you can have an expectation at everlasting life by being the sacrifice for your sins. He did not offer himself so your sole purpose can be to attain health and wealth in this life. Your performance in this swift dress rehearsal called life, will establish your position throughout eternity and it will determine whether the Lord grants you entrance into His perpetual peace, love, and joy. Only true followers of Christ will gain access and they are the ones who reject the world in favour of their Saviour. They are the ones who are prepared to die to self so Christ can become their all in all and number one.
"For many are called but few are chosen"
Matthew 22:14
Exodus 33:19 declares God blesses whoever he chooses to bless and heals whoever he chooses to heal. The words sown by you affirm your commitment to the Saviour on account of who He is and not based on what He can do for you. It is vitally important that the words coming from your mouth must always confirm and acknowledge the one and only Loving, Gracious and Sovereign God. To speak life not because your earthly comforts make it possible, but to be compelled to speak life because you have an irrefutable conviction that your Saviour is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the King who was martyred and killed so you may have life abundantly. Unshakable faith needs to become a contagious state of heart and mind through which an unbeliever may heed to the drawing of the Spirit. Also, envisage that this is the essence of everyone's calling and commission. And that is to point an unbelieving and fallen world to an undeserved eternal life by faith through grace and repentance with a conviction that manifests through holy living.
"Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Ephesians 4:29
Besides God being omnipotent, He is also fair, just, righteous and His love for you is immeasurable. As you know from Scripture His thoughts and ways are higher than yours, therefore you know He may allow the Enemy to oppress you from time to time. However, you must find comfort in knowing any oppression will always be to your benefit as long as you put all your trust in Him. By speaking life and by praising God, even in the face of severe calamity, you glorify God. And when your life glorifies His presence, you actively take part advancing the kingdom of God. The moment you endeavour to attain a mind like Christ you will be able to embrace the habit of uttering words containing life. This breakthrough will send you well on your way to becoming the son or daughter Almighty God planned and purposed for you even before creating the universe.
"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folley to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
An important objective in your journey with the Lord, should be to plant habitual life-giving seeds within your heart through immovable convictions. In doing so, you will become conscious of the fact that the Lord and His Word form the undeniable foundation of all life. If you need to turn back to Christ, do so by immersing yourself in the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you through the pages. Whatever you do, rather put all your trust in the Lord than in man. For all men will dishearten you at some point due to their weak and wicked nature. Endure in all circumstances, so the words from your mouth and the actions from your hands can break through the layers of demonic rock the enemy establishes with relentless vigour to frustrate your access to the Saviour. Then will you find the abounding liberty calling you to serve righteously and leave you with an overwhelming peace, and an expectation, reflecting hope to the hopeless.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
Galatians 6:9
Plant the seeds of love for your fellow man through your words and deeds, and the united family of the kingdom of God will receive blessings through your unshakable belief in One who obediently accepted undeserved humiliation. So all may pursue their expectation at everlasting life. For if you are unable to trust in the Lord's love, sovereignty, and providence, what else is there to live for other than trying to ensure that your desires are fleetingly fulfilled through the arrogance of self-propelled power? To even imagine there are people who are convinced this life is a frantic chase to accomplish earthly pursuits with no eternal value, is a thought which brings a profound heaviness to one's heart. It brutally reminds me of a past, I too, received deliverance from.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21
The Father knows all the intricacies of your heart, and the words you speak reveal your hearts' intent. Engrave the scroll of your soul with Christ's passion to let your heart become like His. Allow the Potter to mould and shape your heart, so you may endure this fleeting and fallen state with great humility and gratitude. Above all, be watchful of the snare to have the weaknesses of the flesh dictate to the supremacy of the spirit. And every time the temptation lingers to conform or relent to the world, guard your mouth and your mind and heed to the following words in Scripture:
"I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Matthew 12:36-37