What You Say is What You Get!
Speaker: Pastor Darin Browne
James 3:1-12
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 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. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
LAST WEEK
Last week we looked at the power of words, for good or for evil. We discovered that words are like scripts that you act out from, scripts written by someone else, your parents, a boss, a teacher, but ultimately the devil. We learned that you could spell words, so words are actually spells, and they form sentences which sentence us to a miserable life, but that the spells can be broken by the gospel, and the scripts can be rewritten by Scripture!
This passage in James teaches us that what we say can affect everything, in our life and in the lives of others around us. We think we can say whatever we feel, just explode and let words fly, but what we say always has consequences. James is not being like a mother who hears her kids fighting and says, “Kids, be nice,” he is suggesting that your whole life is deeply affected by words.
SPEAKING IN TONGUES?
James describes our tongues as like the bit in a horse’s mouth, or the rudder on a ship. Our tongues determine where our life is going. And like a small spark starts a forest fire, so our tongues can cause untold damage, because words have power. Let me ask you, are you speaking the gospel, or some other evil spell?
As Pentecostals, we love speaking in tongues, because it is the Spirit praying while our mind is unfruitful. But I have heard some believers speak in tongues very spiritually, but when they get back to English, they do nothing but complain, moan and criticise!
James 3:8-10
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.
Our tongues are restless poison, and as we said last week, we are reading from an evil script. How many times have you said something nasty and thought, “Where did that come from? The tongue produces good, and evil, but we must ensure it is the good!
Today, let’s look closely at the words we user and their consequences.
1: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR WORDS
James 3:2
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
The Greek for the Word “perfect man” is TELEIOS, from which we get English telescope, and it means maturity, the end or the long view. James uses it several times, and he is saying that your long view, long term destiny depends on the words you speak, because words are powerful. Bridle them, and you control your whole body and your ultimate destiny. Stakes are high!
You create words by spelling them, so words are, in fact, spells. With them you can create or destroy. You can build up or tear down. Your tongue might be small, but with it you can praise God, or curse man. Your words have power, and their effect is far reaching, changing the destiny and direction of lives.
2: THE POWER OF OUR WORDS
James 3:3-4
If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Our tongue is small, even hidden (unless you are poking it out at someone), but it causes an incredible effect. Think about the illustration James used, the tiny bit in a powerful horse’s mouth, and the tiny rudder guiding a huge ship. Both speak into controlling direction. Your tongue can set the direction, the destiny, for you and others also. Words have power, and you can speak evil spells, or gospels.
Two men who made words their weapons faced off in World War Two. Churchill made inspiring speeches, steadying his nation in the face of overwhelming evil, and Hitler inspired hatred and the destruction of over 40 million people in the war. Words are powerful tools, for good or for ill.
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
WORDS ARE POWERFUL
Words are so powerful and so potentially constructive, or destructive, words can be folly to those perishing, or the power of God. Jesus said…
Matthew 12:36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment 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.”
Think about words you have said. You will give an account one day for all of them.
I heard the story of a lady in a small-town church who was an insatiable gossip, and had said terrible, critical things against her pastor. Eventually the Holy Spirit convicted her, and she apologised to the pastor, and begged forgiveness. He said, “of course” but he asked her to then go to the town bluff, split open a pillowcase, and throw the content to the wind. Feathers went all over town. Then he asked her to pick them up.
The tongue is small but has great power. Words have power, but also consequences. And once words are out, you cannot take them back.
3: THE INCONSISTENCY OF OUR WORDS
James points out the absurd situation with our tongues and the words they utter.
James 3:8-12
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. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
James is kind of doing an analysis here and asks, “How can the same tongue that speaks words of love and care utter curses and obscenities? How can we praise God one minute, and curse each other the next?” You don’t get fresh and salt water from a spring.
We even have inconsistency in the words we speak to ourselves! When we are trying to do something, “come on, you can do it,” quickly becomes, “you blew it, idiot!”
That’s why Israel’s greatest king, David, cried out to God saying…
Psalms 141:3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
We need to guard what we say, to ourselves and to others, and be careful. Before we speak, we should ask the three questions. Is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?
James 1:26
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
Watch the inconsistencies of your words. Don’t praise God one minute then criticise the next.
4: THE SALVATION (WISDOM) OF OUR WORDS
James 3:15-17
This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
James goes on to talk about two kinds of wisdom, from above and from beneath. Wisdom from above is God’s wisdom, God’s power, God’s word, and they bring purity and life, but the world’s wisdom brings death and destruction, again from our words, or the script we read from. Remember, we spell out words, so words are spells, either evil spells or the gospel.
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
YOUR SPEECH
Is your speech bringing life or bringing death? Is it wisdom from above, or from beneath? Are your words seasoned with salt, gracious and encouraging, or does your tongue leave a trail of destruction in its wake? I love a good steak, but it is especially good when it is seasoned with garlic and salt. Salt is a flavour enhancer, and your speech should be an enhanced thing too.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupting 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.
Proverbs 15:4
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
I have personally suffered at the hands of words spoken by others, even those in leadership. There have been times that I have let words break my spirit because that’s the power words have.
I want you to stop and think about the words you have spoken over the last little while. Have they been full of grace, or have they hurt others, even broken their spirit.
WHAT YOU SAY IS WHAT YOU GET!
I would hope that every word you say brings life and hope to others. But what about words you say to yourself? Do you speak words of life to yourself, or criticism, putting yourself down?
Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:
What does your internal speech say about you? Is what you say to yourself bringing life or death to both you and those around you? Remember, we spell words, so they are spells, either good or evil. Our words form sentences. Are you sentencing others to destruction? Are you sentencing yourself to failure?
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
So many Christians I hear, including myself at times, put themselves or someone they love down with their speech.
1 John 3:19-22
By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns (Greek: KATAGI-NOSKO, to accuse, blame, find fault with) us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
Do you accuse, blame, find fault with yourself? What you say is what you become, so I want to challenge you this morning to change the words you use when you talk to yourself.
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR WORDS
1: DECIDE TO CHANGE
Only you can change the way you think and speak. Your tongue reflects your heart.
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
So, the first step is to decide today to choose life and choose words of life. Decide to make the change and change the words you pronounce over yourself. “Story of my life?”
2: BELIEVE GOD’S OPINION
So many people have so many opinions today, Facebook, Instagram, you have to cut through the rhetoric and believe that the only opinions and words that matter are God’s, not man’s.
Isaiah 55:8-9
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.
God thinks a lot more highly of you than you do. He created you; He died for you, He values you and to truly prosper, you must believe what He says about you. Stop believing the opinions of others and listen to what God thinks about you.
3: MONITOR WHAT YOU SAY
Luke 6:45
for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Ask someone you trust to help you monitor how you speak, and the words you use. We Aussies have the tall poppy syndrome, especially with regards to ourselves. Putting yourself down is not humility. Pronouncing evils spells with words on your own life is foolishness!
4: FILL YOUR MIND AND HEART WITH GOODNESS
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
I want to again encourage you to read God’s Word, every day, come to church, connect with Christian friends. If you fill your mind with junk, TV, Facebook, the internet, evil content, then it affects you and your thinking, and as a man thinks, so is he. But if you fill your mind with goodness, you will change your thinking and therefore your life.
Sometimes we need help to go deeper, that’s what church is here for. Inner healing can help you journey into changing your words.
God’s Word, the gospel, breaks the evil spell you and others have spoken over your life. God’s Word, Scripture, changes the script you are living your life from.
Even as Christians, I know many have struggled with what they say to themselves about themselves. They know God forgives them, but they cannot forgive themselves. They know God wants to bless them, but they don’t believe they deserve it.