This week, I want to talk about the importance of what we say. During our MorningStar Fellowship of Ministries Retreat this June, I shared a sermon called “Tongue Tamers,” which I believe was a word from the Lord that is important for both those who are currently involved in ministry and those who want to be found worthy of that calling.
James 3:1 says, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” He's saying that if you ask for a ministry gift, you sometimes don't know what you're asking. The higher level of responsibility or calling that you're given in the kingdom of God, the more accountability you're going to have to have in the day of judgment.
The next verse, James 3:2, says, “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.” When this verse says a person who “does not stumble in word” is “perfect,” that means they are mature or complete. In other words, spiritual maturity and progress are measured by your ability to control your mouth. True spiritual growth and true spiritual maturity depend on the tongue.
People struggling with addictions—porn addiction, alcohol addiction, etc.—often want to try to overcome those things individually. I believe James is clearly telling us that there is a root addiction from which all of the other ones come. If you can get control of your tongue, then you'll also “bridle the whole body” and get control of that other thing. However, you do have to start with your tongue.
The Bible also says, “The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body” (see James 3:6). That means if you get this wrong, you’ll get everything wrong. I believe this is why the predominant sign that people have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. God wants to take control of your tongue, because it requires you to yield to Him that most untamable part of your body. James 3:8 tells us, “No man can tame the tongue,” but the Holy Spirit wants to.
Anyone who has been in the church or in a corporate work environment has likely encountered people who are self-seeking or envious of others’ gifts or accomplishments. James 3:16 says, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” Whoa. When there's self-interest or you're envious of what somebody else has, it causes your heart to judge them and your attitude or actions to be different towards them. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
I am not referencing any one specific situation, but there has been a gate of hell opened up in the church world and especially in the charismatic church world. It has become trendy for Christians to attack and trash and belittle and scrutinize and dig up dirt on each other. Some people have built entire online ministries on critiquing others. I believe this will keep happening if people do not stand against it.
Standing against backbiting and gossiping is especially important for intercessors and prophets. Your entire ministry relies on your mouth and the words you speak. You can't effectively speak life over, pray for, or prophesy to people in church when you are going to murder them in your conversations outside of church. You cannot be a gossiper or loose with your tongue, because gossip will render your intercession and your prophetic words as ineffective. Your prophetic words will fall to the ground, and your prayers will not go any higher than the ceiling.
Before the MFM Retreat, I had a dream where I saw a person I knew was a prophetic voice and intercessor. They were prophesying words over people in the congregation, and I saw the letters of the alphabet coming out of their mouth as they spoke. However, before the intended target could receive a word for healing or deliverance or a breakthrough, the letters fell to the ground. Then, they spoke from a stage, and again there were letters coming out of their mouth as prophecies falling to the ground. Then, I saw them on their knees praying. Letters of the alphabet were going out of their mouth, and they fell to the ground before reaching the ceiling. When I woke up, I asked the Lord, “Can you please give me an understanding of this dream?” And then He began to give me this message.
Why would God entrust somebody with more of His power to release through prophecy or more of His power to produce effective prayer if they will use that same mouth to criticize, to gossip, to whisper, and to backbite? “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?” (James 3:10-11).
I say this in the fear of God: Engage only in matters that you're called to and do not feed into social media hysteria and other forms of gossip. If you want God to speak to you and you want the mind of Christ, you don't have the time, the bandwidth, or the brain space to lend your mind to gossip. Choose for your words to be ones that bring blessing and not cursing.
