The Power and Purpose of the Tongue: Speaking Life and Blessing

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of the Tongue Reflects Our God-Likeness

From the very beginning, God created the world through speech—He spoke, and it was so. As image bearers, humans are given the same unique ability to speak and to name, enacting our God-likeness in the world. Our words have the power to create, to bless, and to call forth life, making speech a foundational aspect of what it means to be human. The tongue, though small, wields immense authority and is central to our calling as those made in God's image. [06:16]

Genesis 1:1-5 (ESV)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Reflection: In what ways can you use your words today to intentionally create life and blessing in someone else’s world, reflecting the image of God in you?

Day 2: The Tongue Reveals the Condition of the Heart

What comes out of our mouths is a direct overflow of what fills our hearts. If our hearts are full of goodness, our words will bring life; if they are filled with anger, jealousy, or bitterness, our speech can destroy and de-create. The tongue is a spiritual indicator, revealing the true health of our inner life, and calls us to examine not just our words, but the state of our hearts from which they flow. [09:03]

Luke 6:43-45 (ESV)
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Reflection: What is one emotion or attitude in your heart that you notice spilling out in your words, and how can you invite God to transform that area today?

Day 3: Blessing and Cursing—The Weight of Our Words

With the same tongue, we can praise God and curse those made in His image, but this should not be. Our words have the power of life and death, and every person we speak to is an image bearer of God. To curse, slander, or speak ill of others is to forget our own identity and theirs, and we are called instead to bless, to desire and speak God’s best over others, even when it is difficult. [15:27]

James 3:9-10 (ESV)
With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

Reflection: Who is one person you find difficult to bless, and what would it look like to actively pray God’s best for them this week?

Day 4: Tighten the Reins—Intentional Restraint and Silence

The Bible calls us to keep a tight rein on our tongues, to be quick to listen and slow to speak, and to know when to remain silent. Words can be tempting, like choice morsels, but careless speech can destroy. Practicing intentional restraint—refusing to gossip, complain, or speak negatively—creates space for blessing and honors others as image bearers of Christ. [36:00]

James 1:19 (ESV)
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Reflection: When are you most tempted to let your words run unchecked, and how can you practice intentional silence or restraint in those moments today?

Day 5: Fill Your Heart with God to Overflow with Blessing

If the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, then the key to life-giving speech is to fill our hearts with the things of God. Abiding in His word, drawing near to Him, and allowing His Spirit to shape us will cause our words to overflow with blessing, encouragement, and life. As we submit ourselves to God, our speech will reflect a heavenly accent, marking us as people who bless and not curse. [38:43]

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can fill your heart with God’s word today, so that your speech overflows with blessing to those around you?

Sermon Summary

Words have extraordinary power. From the very beginning, God created the world through speech—He spoke, and it was. As image bearers of God, we too have been given the ability to speak and to name, to amar and kara, and this is a foundational part of what it means to be human. Our tongues, though small, wield immense authority; with them, we can create and bless, or we can destroy and curse. The tragedy of the fall is that sin has corrupted this gift, making our speech not only powerful but also dangerous. The tongue, as James says, is a fire—a world of evil that can set the whole course of one’s life on fire.

What comes out of our mouths is a direct reflection of what fills our hearts. If our hearts are full of light and goodness, our words will bring life and blessing. But if our hearts are filled with bitterness, anger, or jealousy, our words can wound, de-create, and tear down. We all know the pain of words that have crushed our spirits, and many of us still carry wounds from things spoken over us long ago. Yet, we are called to remember our true identity: we are made to bless, not to curse; to build up, not to tear down.

James challenges us not to let praise and cursing flow from the same mouth. To curse, in the biblical sense, is not just to use bad language or cast spells, but to speak ill of others, to grumble, to slander, or to wish harm. This is not just a problem “out there”—it is a temptation within the church, among brothers and sisters. When we speak against others, we forget who we are and who they are: fellow image bearers of God.

The way forward is to intentionally lay our speech on the altar, to “tighten the reins” on our tongues, and to fill our hearts with the things of God so that blessing overflows. Sometimes this means choosing silence over gossip or complaint. Sometimes it means repenting for words that have wounded. Always, it means seeking to create a culture of blessing—a greenhouse where people are nourished and lifted up by the words spoken over them. In Christ, there is healing for wounds caused by words, and there is power to speak life, hope, and blessing into the lives of others.

Key Takeaways

1. The tongue reveals the heart’s condition Our words are a spiritual index, exposing what truly fills our hearts. If we find ourselves speaking harshly, gossiping, or tearing others down, it is a sign that our hearts need renewal. True transformation begins not with the tongue, but with the heart—filling it with God’s presence so that life-giving words naturally overflow. [10:33]
2. Blessing and cursing shape spiritual reality To bless is to speak God’s intention and favor over others; to curse is to wish harm or diminish their worth. Both are powerful, and both are choices we make daily. When we bless, we call out the gold in others and participate in God’s creative work. When we curse, we de-create and wound, often forgetting the divine image in those we address. [15:27]
3. Intentional restraint and silence are acts of worship Holding our tongues—choosing not to gossip, complain, or slander—is not weakness but spiritual discipline. It is an act of worship, honoring both God and our neighbor. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is to refrain from speech, allowing space for God’s Spirit to work and for our hearts to be aligned with His. [36:00]
4. Healing and repentance are always available Many of us carry wounds from words spoken over us, but in Christ, there is resurrection life and restoration. Likewise, when we recognize the harm our own words have caused, repentance is the path to freedom. God invites us to bring both our pain and our failures to Him, receiving healing and committing to speak life from this day forward. [41:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[03:03] - Anchors, Altars, and the Power of Speech
[04:16] - Speech in Creation: Amar and Kara
[07:09] - The Fall and the Problem of the Tongue
[08:24] - The Tongue as a Spiritual Indicator
[11:04] - Examining Our Speech and Hearts
[12:18] - The Divine Authority to Name and Bless
[13:22] - Cursing and the Image of God
[15:27] - The Power of Blessing and Cursing
[17:07] - The Posture of Our Souls: Bless or Curse
[19:12] - Reorienting the Heart Through Prayer
[21:34] - Handling Conflict and Slander Biblically
[24:17] - The Lasting Impact of Words
[28:10] - Healing from Wounds and Repentance
[31:08] - The Practice and Power of Blessing
[32:54] - Creating a Culture of Encouragement
[36:00] - Tightening the Reins: Restraint and Silence
[38:43] - Filling the Heart with God’s Word
[41:20] - Responding: Healing, Repentance, and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

James 3:1-12 (ESV) — > Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Luke 6:43-45 (ESV) — > “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV) — > Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Observation Questions

According to James 3, what are some of the images James uses to describe the power and danger of the tongue? ([03:53])
In Luke 6:45, what does Jesus say is the source of our words? How does this connect to the idea that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”? ([09:03])
What does Proverbs 18:21 say about the impact of our words? How does this relate to the idea of “blessing” and “cursing” in the sermon? ([15:27])
In the sermon, what examples are given of how words can either “create” or “de-create” in the lives of others? ([12:46])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think James is so strong in his language about the tongue, calling it “a fire, a world of evil”? What does this reveal about the seriousness of our speech? ([07:42])
The sermon says that our words are a “spiritual index” of our hearts. What does it mean for our speech to reveal the true condition of our hearts? ([10:33])
How does the biblical idea of “cursing” go beyond just using bad language? What are some ways Christians might “curse” others without realizing it? ([14:20])
The sermon talks about the need to “tighten the reins” on our tongues and sometimes choose silence. Why might intentional restraint be considered an act of worship? ([36:00])

Application Questions

Think back over your week: were there moments when your words brought life to someone, or moments when they may have wounded? What was going on in your heart at those times? ([11:04])
Are there any words spoken over you—maybe years ago—that still affect how you see yourself today? How might you bring those wounds to Jesus for healing? ([24:17])
The sermon challenges us to create a “greenhouse” culture of blessing in our church and homes. What is one practical way you could intentionally speak blessing over someone this week? ([32:54])
When you feel the urge to gossip, complain, or speak negatively about someone, what could you do instead? Is there a specific situation where you need to “tighten the reins” on your tongue? ([36:00])
The sermon suggests that sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is to remain silent. Can you think of a recent situation where silence would have been the wiser choice? How might you prepare yourself to choose silence next time? ([36:00])
Is there someone you need to seek forgiveness from because of words you have spoken? What would it look like to take a step toward repentance and restoration this week? ([41:20])
What are some ways you can fill your heart with the things of God so that your words naturally overflow with blessing? Are there specific habits or practices you want to start or renew? ([38:43])

Sermon Clips

God, the creator of the universe, speaks, amar, and names kara, and then he makes us in his image, in his likeness. And the first way that we enact our God likeness as humans is we speak and we name. In other words, one of the primary ways that you enact your God likeness, your image bearing in the world is through your tongue. [00:06:16] (30 seconds) #SpeakLifeCreate

So I want you to have very clearly in your mind this morning that as the framework, the power of the tongue, the fact that our speech is such a foundational aspect to our image bearing. It is one of the primary things that makes us like God. This is foundational and it's a fundamental part of what it is to be human made in God's image. [00:06:45] (25 seconds) #ImageBearingSpeech

If your tongue is a good indicator of your heart, how are you doing? How's your speech been this week? Have you been kind in the things that you've said or degrading? Have you been crude or have you been encouraging? Have your words been uplifting and empowering of others or crass and critical, tearing people down? Have you sometimes refrained from speaking in order to listen? Have you supported others this week with your words or have you accused them behind their back instead? [00:11:04] (41 seconds) #ReflectKindness

God created you with the power, the ability and the calling to name, to speak and to name. You have this divine right and authority and power. When you speak life over others, it brings forth a very real blessing. It tangibly creates something. It brings something beautiful into being. But the same is also true. When you speak words that crush the spirit, they also enact a very real power to destroy, to tear down and to decreate. [00:12:22] (36 seconds) #SpeakLifePower

The reality is, the tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18, 21, it says, your words can bring life or death. You can amar and kara, speak and name. You can create. And so if the tongue is core to your image bearing, if you're using that tongue for harm, then the truth is you've forgotten who you are. [00:15:21] (25 seconds) #WordsBringLifeOrDeath

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