Change Your Words, Change Your Life

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Psalm 141:3

Do you know what the opposite of speaking well is? It is to curse. When our Lord cursed the fig tree, what did He say? Did He say, “I curse you, fig tree”? No, He simply said, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:14). And the next day, when they passed by the fig tree again, Peter said, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away” (Mark 11:21).

Jesus never used the word curse when He spoke to the fig tree, but He also did not correct Peter because he was right—the negative words spoken were tantamount to a curse. Oh, I hope you got that! Many times people don’t realize that they are unintentionally cursing themselves and the people around them with the constant flow of negative words that they speak about themselves and others. Words of defeat, anger, bitterness, and complaint are toxic. Change your words, and change your life. Flush out the negative words in your life with the words of God’s grace, love, and power!

And take note that when Jesus spoke to the fig tree, it did not wither away instantly. This was because when our Lord spoke to the fig tree, it first dried up at its very roots before death reached the leaves. So don’t be discouraged when you speak to your challenge and nothing seems to be happening. Believe that you are speaking directly to the root of the problem and that the outward manifestation of your faith is on its way!

I received this wonderful testimony from sister Lorraine, who resides in Darby, England. It shows you the power of praying or speaking, and how change begins from the very first day you speak:

My son and his wife have been married for ten years, and were trying desperately for a baby with no success. Six years ago, they began undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments and have had at least seven unsuccessful treatments.

Last March, my sister gave me a copy of your devotional and the entry for March 19 was about pleading the blood of the Lamb of God over all that is ours and our families’. The verse in the devotional was Exodus 12:13—“And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” And you shared that what the nine plagues could not do, the blood did.

I was thrilled when I read this. So I prayed for my son and my daughter-in-law, pleading the blood of Jesus over their situation, and I was just so excited because I knew that something had happened in the spirit. A few weeks after I prayed, my son called to say that his wife was pregnant. I told him that I wasn’t surprised, as I had prayed for both of them recently. So what six years of medical treatment could not do, the blood of Jesus did! We all celebrated and were so thrilled.

A few Sundays later, our son called to say that she was exactly eight weeks pregnant. And it was exactly eight weeks from the day I prayed. Hallelujah!

Whatever you may be believing God for, I want to encourage you to open your mouth to speak His Word. Pray to your Abba and proclaim the blood of our Lord Jesus over your situation! The presence of blood means that there has already been a death. It signifies that a payment has already been made.

Today we can stand upon the unshakable foundation of God’s promises because the Lamb of God was sacrificed at Calvary and His blood is on the doorposts of our lives. We can declare that no plague, no death, no punishment, no harm, no danger, no evil can come near our dwelling because the full payment for our sins has already been made by our Lord Jesus. What wonderful assurance and peace we can have today—all because of the complete and efficacious work of Jesus!

This devotional is taken from the book Glorious Grace—100 Daily Readings from Grace Revolution.