January 15 - Daily Devotion | The Power in the Tongue

The Power in the Tongue

"People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring." James 3:7-12 NLT

It's interesting how James speaks of the doubleminded, untamable tongue - highlighting selfishness in the lack of self-control - emphasizing how our speech is often self-serving desiring power.

He says with one breath we are praising God, but then with the next we are cursing our brother or sister who was created in the image of Christ. One moment holy, the next moment unholy. One moment honoring God with the power of our tongue that defeats the enemy, while the next moment using the power of our tongue to align with Satan against our fellow Christians whom we are jealous of or have an issue with.

We Christians can be very doubleminded when we desire power.

James tells us in James 4:8 that those who are doubleminded, having divided loyalties between God and the world, need to purify their hearts. It is a heart issue. Evil hearts demand their own will and way, but purified hearts sensitive to the Lord desire God's will to be done.

The desire for power over mankind and the outcome in their life is witnessed in the cursing individual. Cursing is desiring one's own will over another. It is often the outcome of a bitter, resentful heart. Those who are bitter tend to be bitter due to either feeling wronged or having unmet expectations. Those who struggle with resentment have often experienced some type of loss that was not expected. Therefore, when people are experiencing bitterness or resentment, they often feel out of control and thus desire control over the person whom they are deeming at fault. One way, unfortunately, Christians have sought power over others is by cursing them, enacting spirit to obtain their will over this individual. As if God doesn't see, and apparently deaf to God speaking out regarding it. And He speaks.

See, cursing is the opposite of prayer. We are called to pray without ceasing 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which leaves no room for cursing. Prayer is talking to God and asking for God's will to be done, while cursing demands its own will to be done.

We know cursing is taking place in the Christian church, though often hidden, because James mentions it here in James 3, but Paul also mentions it in Romans 12 when speaking to Christians.

In Romans 12:14 NLT, Paul says, "Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them." Here Paul tells Christians to not retaliate against those who hurt you, with cursing. Basically stating, "When you are hurt by people do not spiritually demand your own will regarding them. Ask God to bless them." Leave the specific details of blessing in the hands of God.

Moreover, Jesus warns in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:22 NLT, "If you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." Jesus, thus, emphasizes how spiritually demanding your own will regarding someone will harden your heart to the voice of the Lord as you align with Satan. You will create a path that is headed to hell, and you will continue on it if you refuse to repent of your sin. Compromise is subtle, yet very destructive. It truly robs people of years of their life.

Therefore, when you curse people, desiring they suffer for whatever your reason or purpose is, you show to not be filled with the Holy Spirit bearing the fruit of love. You are not loving that person as God commands, nor are you loving God by obeying Him. Satan wants people to suffer, however Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, came to bring the abundant life - John 10:10 and we Christians participate in that abundance by using the power of our tongue to pray for our fellow Christians regardless of our feelings for them, refusing to curse them.