What Your Words Reveal About Your Heart

Ephesians Study
Chapter 4

Ephesians 4:29-32
Amplified Bible:

29 Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]. 

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin]. 

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. 

32 Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.

These verses really show us a pattern:

• Words need to bless others.  They are evidence of who has our allegiance.
• They are connected to our relationship with the Holy Spirit and our calling and redemption.
• They are connected with the awareness of the oneness of everyone.  Freely we have received, freely give.

Science has now proven the effect on the body, mind, and spirit of words spoken to and by us.  Some words can be a curse.  Some words can be a blessing by building up.  Even body language speaks loudly to us for good or bad.  

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. “ Proverbs 18:21 KJV

Luke 6:45:  “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”  It is more than just a good idea to speak honorably; it is a cosmic law.  

We show by our words  who has our allegiance.  Our words show where our heart is.  

James 3:10 (KJV)  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Taking this a step further, let us remember that before a word is spoken, it has been a thought in our mind.  The battle is for our minds…mind control.  When we find that our thoughts are not those that build up others and ourselves, then we are to take every thought captive unto the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).  I want to take this as a command and as a promise.  God’s bidding is His enabling.  

We are to build up others with our words.  Our words are to be a blessings to others…and even our thoughts.  A negative thought can weaken the self and the one about whom you are thinking. Here is just one website that gives some specifics of our thoughts.  There is so much information available to us, and we are blessed to know these truths.   http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/how_negativity_affects_the_body.htmla

These verse are a great example of the scriptures ability to go deeper.  Jesus said, “You have heard it said…but I tell you.”  If we let the example of Christ witness to us, we will see that He was not just speaking of surface relationships and behaviors.  He was telling us about the spiritual implications…if you think it, you have done it.  This is exactly what science is validating.  

Paul speaks as a spiritual father.  We are standing in a place of intercession for all of us.  This is about the other and ourselves.  Our words are to build up.  That doesn’t just mean the other.  It means in building up others (obedience), we are also building up the self.   Love others as you love yourself.  The relationship with the Holy Spirit and our fellowman and ourselves is respected when we understand and apply the fullness of these scriptures.  

Prayer for the end of the year:

Holy Father in Heaven,
Your love surpasses all love and compels us to come up higher.  This agape love of wonder, worship, and sacrificial giving of Yourself invites us all into your fullness of doing and being.  As is done in Heaven, so be it on earth in each of us.  The great I AM — the always present One — is with us.  Teach us to be always present with You.  Live in us.  Love through us.  As You do so, fill us with delight to know Your will.  May our obedient witness be salt and light to all those in need, and may it speak over us of Holiness unto the Lord.  May we internalize living in the fulness of communion with you.  May we daily live by the power of Emmanuel, God with us.  In His name.  Amen.