Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue

I cannot speak for anyone else, but for this writer, this verse in Proverbs 18:21 has been somewhat of a challenge over the years. Why? Because if one takes these words literally, then some if not many will believe that we can produce death or life with our words. Is that true? Can we do that with our words? What is the writer Solomon telling us in this verse?

First of all, I would like to convey what he is not saying. This verse by no means is saying we can literally bring about life and death by our words. Our words do not have that kind of power. Only God has that ability. God is the one that calls things which do not exist as though they did (Romans 4:17).  So, the power of positive confession although popular is not Biblical.

To help define this verse, we need to look at other verses. Please remember that the best interpreter of scripture is scripture. Here is what we read in Proverbs 15:4, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” In Proverbs 10:11 we read, “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.” In that same chapter, verses 20-21 we read, “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom.” Here are a couple more: “There is one who speaks the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Proverbs 12:18). “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 12:22a).

The tongue or better yet our words do have great power and influence. What comes out of a person’s mouth proceeds from the heart or our innermost being (Matthew 15:18).

So, if you are one that is negative, pessimistic, and egotistical, that is what will proceed out of your mouth. This is also what will govern your behavior. Your tongue will be an instrument of death to those whom you hate. But be careful, the same hateful speech you vomit out, will find its way back to you in judgment. Conversely, for those that are tenderhearted, encouraging, loving and truthful as we already read, that person’s words will be invigorating, edifying, refreshing. They will enjoy the fruit of their lips.

So, by no means is the writer trying to say that if we speak positive things over our lives, that is what we will receive. To me that is New Age Mysticism. Or if someone attempts to speak evil over someone’s life so that person’s life is cursed – that sounds like Voodoo.

Our words can and do affect lives positively and negatively.  But it is essential that we do not take the phrase “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue” too far. This is not nor has it ever been about positive and negative confession. No one ever receives what they want by “speaking it into the atmosphere or universe.”  I was foolishly taught years ago if you positive confess something over and over, eventually it will come to pass. God never commanded this. Jesus commanded His disciples in Mark’s gospel to, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22).

We petition God for what we desire, and if we trust and believe what we have asked Him for, we will receive it if we do not doubt. But it is important to know that it is not in the eloquence of our speech, or in the intensity, volume or cadence of our tongue that is going to move God to act on our behalf. God will only grant a prayer request that will honor and give Him glory. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” We must analyze our motivation for prayer. Are we simply praying to get what we want, or are we praying to lift up the name of Jesus? We should always pray because it is our way to commune with the Father and to give Him praise; acknowledging the Lord as our all-in-all for only He can meet our every need and desire.

Concluding, death and life are in the power of the tongue is an eye-opening truth revealing to all what our words can do positively and negatively. Remember what Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt 12:34;Luke 6:45). So, what are you filling your heart with: good or evil things? That determines if your tongue is a tree of life or is a fire full of deadly poison ignited by hell (James 3:6-8).