The Tongue, Part 1
The human tongue can either be used to bless or to curse, to be on fire for the Lord or to be set on fire by hell. In the book of Proverbs and Psalms we see scriptures regarding both our mouth and our tongue.
First, let’s look at what we don’t want our tongue to do. James has much to say about the tongue. Look at chapter 3, verses 5 and 6. The tongue is considered a little member of the body and it can boast of great things. Even so, a little spark is a small thing, but it can set ablaze much wood or a great forest. We have all seen the damage that forest fires do to acres and acres of timberland.
The tongue can set so much on fire when we use it to speak the wrong thing. With the tongue, we can set into motion much iniquity, contaminating and defiling ourselves and the lives of others. The entire cycle of our life can be ruined by a fiery tongue. James says that a tongue which speaks evil is set on fire or ignited by hell.
But our tongue as Christians should not be one which sets on fire a world of iniquity and is ignited by hell, spewing out bitter poison and anger and animosity and cursing and slander. Our tongue should be a gentle tongue, tempered by the Holy Spirit to speak forth blessing.
No man can tame the tongue, but God can. He is the master at tongue taming. The Holy Spirit teaches us how to give a soft answer to turn away wrath. He teaches us how to be gentle in our words and comforting with the words of our mouth.
God demonstrated the power of the tongue set on fire by heaven on the day of Pentecost when they were assembled in the upper room, waiting on the Holy Spirit to come to them. When He came, He demonstrated Himself as visible tongues of fire, flames of the white-hot fire of the Lord God of heaven, the pure power of Almighty God.
Yes, our tongue is to be used by the Spirit of God to speak and bring into existence great and marvelous works of the Holy Spirit, which the Lord Jesus Christ released by His resurrection, and which the Father ordained before the foundation of the world.