Proverbs 13:3 says, “Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.”

The way you speak determines the future you experience. This is why the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, shared this great verse with us. Let’s break it down…

1. Those Who

This principle applies to EVERYONE (those who). Anyone who wants to live life to the fullest must apply themselves to this truth. It is not just for the “positive people” in life, this promise is for ANYONE…even the most pessimistic of them all. To say that we are just negative by nature is an excuse to not live by faith. We must understand that we are ALL called to live in a way that speaks life and not death.

2. Guard Their Lips

Guard means to keep watch over, fortify, and to protect. We have to protect the way we talk, for the way we talk determines the future we experience. We must protect our words with the utmost care and intention. Guarding our lips means we have to be mindful and strategic about the words we use and the words we allow to come out of our mouth. There is POWER in our words. God used words to create the universe…He spoke in into existence. Our words have creative power to build up or tear down our future. And notice it says “their lips.” We are responsible only to our words, no one can guard them for us, it is our duty to keep watch over how we talk.

3. Preserve Their Lives

This means that the right words will literally preserve our lives. Preserve means to keep well, be healthy, or to keep alive. Our words can keep us spiritually well, healthy, and ALIVE! We can’t allow negative words that are fear-filled rather than faith-filled to bring death to our spiritual lives. This is the promise or product of speaking by faith and with faith. The result is a preserved life instead of decay and corruption.

4. But Those Who

Here is the condition. If you don’t choose to guard your lips then there is a penalty. So if we choose to not keep watch over our words and believe that they are incredible powerful here comes the flip-side to it. This is the part where Solomon is getting ready to tell us about those who don’t follow this principle.

5. Speak Rashly

Speaking rashly is about letting the tyranny of the moment dictate what we do. It is about being out of control with our words. This happens when we allow hurt, bitterness, or fear to control us. It is about being reactive instead of proactive with our words. Speaking rashly is to be without a guard allowing whatever wants to come out…come out. People with no guard have no power. Power comes from self-control.

6. Will Come To Ruin

The penalty for being unguarded and speaking rashly is ruin. And rest assured that when you don’t have a lip guard you WILL come to ruin. It is by God’s law that our lips determine our future. So when we don’t follow God’s leading with our words it WILL…not might…not maybe…not we’ll see…it WILL bring you to ruin somehow, someway. The good news is that we can right our wrongs by changing the words we use and by combating negativity with faith-filled words. The moment  you speak something negative or rashly, just cancel it out by immediately rejecting it and speaking with faith. Destroy the power of rashness by faithfulness to God’s promises.