```CONTROL YOUR TONGUE.
Compiled by Israel Ayanwuyi, in August 2018.


You are reading this? Then you are most probably not among the 774 million people in the world who can't read and write—There are people in the world who do not have this privilege of reading and writing!

Then how would you use this precious gift by God to bless people's life by controlling your tongue? Think about it.


Controlling of tongue is a way of maintaining an integrity or dignity with people in words that proceed out of our mouth especially as a Christian and all time Armour bearer.

The Bible says "WHOEVER GUIDES HIS MOUTH AND TONGUE KEEPS HIS SOUL FROM TROUBLES". - (Prov 21:23).

The way that we tame our tongues is by partnering with the Holy Spirit; this issue cannot be solved or transformed by mere will, power or strength. The Bible says "By strength shall no man prevail" 1 Samuel 2:9.

How do I do this?

1. Dedicate your heart, mind, and tongue to the Lord, daily.

Seek holistic purity. Pray that God would protect your mind from thoughts that lead to words of destruction because HE is the only one who can help you. Hebrews 13:5.
When we choose praise, we “sacrifice” slander, gossip, fear-based words, and the language of hell. Luke 6:45 says that, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of!” Fill your heart and mind rightly.


2. Pray that God would give you an awareness/consciousness of your words.

Someone once said, “Taste your words before you spit them out!” Acknowledge your need for God’s grace to help you remain conscious of your words. Be intentional. If you’re supposed to speak up, do it with boldness. If you are supposed to remain silent, do it with boldness. Psalm 19:14- “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength”. Take responsibility for the words that proceed out of your mouth with the love of Christ.


3. Surrender up your “interest” without complaint.

You and I are not entitled to the act of complaining, especially not in front of your friends, coworkers, and strangers. No one enjoys hearing it, and the people that seem to don’t have your best interests in mind. If people don’t engage you or agree with you when you complain about yourself and others, it is because you are making them uncomfortable.


4. Ask for forgiveness for any unloving words or attitudes

“Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way” James 3:2. Spend some time with the Lord repenting and asking for forgiveness regarding language or words that you have spoken that are offensive.


5. Practice speaking words that will encourage, comfort, edify, and inspire

Ask God to guide you to speak words that will honor Him and accomplish His purposes. The goal is to SPEAK LIFE . This means that you try practicing Ephesians 4:29 which says, “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”. To encourage means to give support, confidence, or hope. To comfort means to soothe, console, or bring freedom from pain. To edify means to cultivate, develop, and build up. And to inspire means to motivate, excite and energize.


At times, being silenced is the only way or best option to control our tongues and here I listed few time or incident we can take note of, to keep silent to avoid misconceptions, evil words or tarnishing of one's image. Read below WHEN to be silent.

1. Be silent In the heat of anger - (Prov 14:17)
2. Be silent When you don't have all the facts - (Prov 18:13)
3. Be silent When you haven't verified the story - (Deut 17:6)
4. Be silent If your words will offend a weaker person - (1 Cor 8:11)
5. Be silent When it is time to listen - (Prov 13:1)
6. Be silent When you are tempted to make light of holy things - (Eccl 5:2)
7. Be silent When you are tempted to joke about sin - (Prov 14:9)
8. Be silent If you would be ashamed of your words later - (Prov 8:8)
9. Be silent If your words would convey the wrong impression - (Prov 17:27)
10. Be silent If the issue is none of your business - (Prov 14:10)
11. Be silent When you are tempted to tell an outright lie - (Prov 4:24)
12. Be silent If your words will damage someone else's reputation - (Pro 16:27)
13. Be silent If your words will damage a friendship - (Prov 16:28)```

What is thy reward?

Closing at work after a tiring day early this week, I decided to trek since the distance between home and work is just approximately 15 minutes. After about 5 minutes trek from work, I saw two friends of mine running very fast with one leading the race and the other, trying to catch up. After observing these two friends, I noticed the one leading the race was carying some sort of loads and from my observation, I noticed some group of people waiting to receive the loads from him but the other friend behind was not carrying anything, he was only running.

Afer delivering the loads, out of exhaustion he quickly found a place to sit while he breathed heavily. After some seconds or maybe a minute, the loadless-running-freind arrived the same location of delivery, breathing heavily also.
Meeting the two friends at the spot, I greeted them and seeing their present condition, I asked if their is any help I could offer?

After a short while, the guy that ran with the loads asked his friend why he had run since he wasn't carrying anything, afterall he was the one that needed to deliver loads, but for him, what was his purpose for running? He said, "You could have enjoyed a slow walk indeed."

The question asked made me wonder why he had run without purpose, he wasted his energy upon nothing. He followed his friend without thinking if what he was doing was necessary.

He failed to ask questions like,
Do I need to run or walk?
Is it my race?
What would my reward be?
What joy would I derive from my running?
What would my achievement be?
Am I needed?

He failed in all these and he wasted the energy he could have channeled towards something else.

Be ye wise!
Ask yourself questions before you do anything.
If you must run in all the things you do, what reward awaits you?

05-2018
© AYANWUYI, Israel Temitope. 
Please share with others