Our words have tremendous power. God used words to create the universe; by them, He spoke the world into existence. 

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)

“The tongue has the power of life and death…”

What a terrifying and amazing tool we have right in our mouths! Our tongues have the power of life and death. Nothing else in Scripture (apart from God Himself) has this kind of authority: not money, not our thoughts, not even our actions. We need to be very, very careful about the words we say. 

With our words, we can elevate others’ faith or annihilate it. Our words have creative and destructive power. Words always have consequences, whether good, bad, or indifferent. Words affect outcomes and create self-fulfilling prophecies. The impact of just one word can reverberate in the mind of another person for a lifetime. Think about how often you play back words in your head long after a conversation has ended. Author Napoleon Hill said, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” Words are like seeds that will eventually produce sweet fruits or bitter roots. We must be very cautious and very intentional about the words we communicate.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.