Do you speak life or death with your tongue? Many people talk without thinking, and by so doing, heap the very things that they don't want upon their lives. However, taking time to think before speaking will help you to choose the right things to say per time. Truly, death and life are in the power of the tongue

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit - Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV).

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live - Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV).

Introduction

Many of the challenges people have are because they spoke death over their lives or families. And interestingly, this effect still takes its toll on the person(s) even when they really didn't mean it. Also, people carelessly make exclamations of death just because it's slang, yet it speaks in their lives. For instance, people say things like, "It bored me to death" or "He makes me sick". However, ignorance is not an excuse, for you will eat the fruit of your lips. This is why you must make sure that you don't speak anything associated with death but life.

It's Your Choice

You're made a creature of choice. And God has set life and death before you, so choose life that you and your family may live. So, every time you want to say anything, consider your options well to ensure that you chose life. Truly, your today's events are the results of your choices yesterday. Therefore, be slow to speak but quick to hear.

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath - James 1:19 (NKJV).

Life is in the power of the tongue

Now that you know you can speak life as well over your life and reap its fruits, consciously choose things associated with life and continuously say them. For example, speak success, breakthrough, good health, victory, abundance, and blessings. Hence, don't leave your life to chance and circumstances; let your words full of life override pronounced deaths around you. For instance, if someone declares that everyone in your environment will be down with flu, counter it immediately with health words.

The Word Of Life

Jesus Christ is the word of life, and He has come to give you life in abundance. Also, the words He spoke are words of life. Therefore, when you accept Christ's words and chose to speak only His words, you will certainly be speaking life. And, the good news is that the bank of the Lord's words, the bible, is with us. So, study the scriptures and speak accordingly, and you will be speaking life over you and your family.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life - I John 1:1 (NKJV).

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly - John 10:10 (NKJV).

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life - John 6:63 (NKJV).

The Israelites

They were careless with their words and spoke death in the wilderness for themselves and God did to them as they said. For, they said that they preferred to die in the wilderness than to fight and possess the Promised Land. And God said that He would do to them as they said to His hearing, and it was so.

And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above - Numbers 14:2, 28-29 (NKJV).

Caleb

Caleb is a good example of someone who quickly countered words of death that were spoken around him. While the other ten spies were speaking words of fear and defeat, he quickly spoke words of hope and victory. And God honoured his words, such that out of his generation that spoke death, he alone with Joshua survived the wilderness.

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it - Numbers 13:30 (NKJV).

Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in - Numbers 14:30 (NKJV).

Conclusion

Surely death and life are in the power of the tongue. Everyone has equal opportunities to choose life rather than death. So, no matter the pressure to choose death never yield to it, for you will eat of its fruit. Rather, speak life and hold onto your declaration in faith and that situation will soon yield to your declaration.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love, and Christian living for a more fulfilling life. Want a more fulfilling life?