Text: Numbers 16:1-4, 31-35
Memory text:
“Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit.”
Psalms 34:12-13 NKJV
An anonymous quote says, “The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words.” How true is this saying! The famous Missionary to Africa, David Livingstone, because of the hardships that were inevitable at the initial stages of their mission work, left his wife in a secure place until he had prepared a home for her at Lake Nyassa. However, people began to talk unkindly, suggesting that he and his wife did not get on well together and that Mrs Livingstone was not a help to her husband. Troubled by these insinuations, Dr. Livingstone brought his wife back but unfortunately, she became ill and died. The danger of evil speaking! “You can be ruined by the talk of godless people, but the wisdom of the righteous can save you.” (Prov 11:9 GNT).
Evil speaking is from the Greek word blasphemia, a combination of blapto (“to injure”) and pheme (“a saying”). These two words, taken together, refer to words that wound, defame, or slander. It is to find fault with someone, to speak unkindly and unfavourably, to gossip maliciously about a person.
“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” (Eph 4:31). Evil speaking is speaking words that damage reputations and erode unity. It proceeds from an evil heart (Matt 12:34). We are to put off evil speaking since we now have a new nature in Christ (Eph 4:24).
The word of God commands, ’’do not speak evil of one another”…(Jam 4:11). This means, ‘Do not slander’. To slander is to act like the ‘devil’, which means, ‘slanderer’ or the ‘accuser of the brethren’ (Rev 12:9-10). It involves harsh criticism. Evil speaking is a condition of longevity, according to our memory text.
Ironically, evil words destroy not only friendships but ultimately the speaker. As the saying goes, “A fool’s tongue is long enough to slit his own throat.” Every evil speaking has divine consequence on others and on oneself, like the judgment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who spoke evil against Moses; and Nabal, who spoke unkindly to David! (Num 16:1-4; 1 Sam 25:10-11).
Friends, no one can enjoy victory over evil speaking without a new heart. Has your heart been blood-purged? Aside from the effects on others, evil speaking shortens the life of the speaker. Put off evil speaking today!
Prayer points
1. I put off every evil speaking from me, and I refuse to share identity with the devil in Jesus’ name.
2. I refuse to allow evil speaking in my mouth and to shorten my life in Jesus’ name.
Today’s declarations
1. Instead of evil speaking, I speak kind, considerate, soft, and loving words.
2. I will not speak evil of others, lest I cut short my life and that of others.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng