Illustration Courtesy: Biblical Counselling Coalition
A few weeks ago, I was approached by someone interested to explore possibilities to work together. This seemed like a God ordained connection to me, so I agreed to meet. What I did not anticipate was that the agreed meeting was an attempt by the said person to go on a full- fledged series of false accusations, words of condemnation, slandering others we commonly knew… They began to elevate themselves as model character and pronounce judgement on everyone else… Needless to say, I was rattled during and after the call but was too numb with shock to react. As I grappled with the weight of it all and took this matter before the Lord, He spoke with me through this message and He laid upon my heart to write and share it with you.
Proverbs 15:4 says:
The tongue that heals is a tree of life,
but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.
Other translations say this:
A [a]wholesome tongue is a tree of life,
But perverseness in it breaks the spirit (NKJV)
The soothing tongue is a tree of life,
but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. (NIV)
Kind words heal and help;
cutting words wound and maim. (The Message)
A soothing tongue [speaking words that build up and encourage] is a tree of life,
But a perversive tongue [speaking words that overwhelm and depress] crushes the spirit. (The Amplified Bible)
Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. (Good News Bible)
We all have encountered people like this in our lives! Just when everything seems to be going very well, we meet them unexpectedly and it leaves us crushed.
What just hit me, we wonder?
My friends, there are a few things God spoke to me about this that I would like to share with you:
First of all, we need to determine the source: who is this speaking? Is this a trusted voice? Is this someone with good intentions in mind? Is this someone who knows me well? These days everyone thinks they have a say in our lives to speak whatever they like. But we must determine whose words we will allow to influence us.
Proverbs 27:6 says: Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
Secondly, if this is someone who does not know you well enough, who does not qualify as a trustworthy voice, then you put what you hear through a second filter that I would like to call the character filter that is based on Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Is what they are saying true?- If yes, it is time to take it before the Lord and repent of it and come clean. For the Lord forgives freely!!
Is what they are saying noble?
Is what they are saying right?
Is what they are saying pure?
Is what they are saying lovely?
Is what they are saying admirable?
Is what they are saying excellent and praiseworthy?
God does not want you and I to dwell on things that do not pass the Philippians 4:8 filter!!
Thirdly, if what has been spoken over you/ to you/ with you does not pass any of the above, there is still another filter you need to go over, the Christ filter:
Romans 8:1 says:
“there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
Condemnation is from the enemy. When we speak words that do not edify another, we are allowing the enemy to work through us to crush the spirit of another.
Revelations 12:10 b says: “the accuser of our brothers has been thrown out: the one who accuses them before our God, day and night.”
False accusations were hurled even on Jesus. He was quiet when people said baseless things against Him. He did not defend Himself. God was His defender! And God is our defender too!
Finally, I want to encourage your heart with the following verses:
Proverbs 17:22 says: “a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
The same God who sent His Holy Spirit over the valley of dried bones- of an entire army that had lost hope and felt crushed in their spirit in Ezekiel 36 and caused them to stand up and rise to their feet is here today for YOU!
Psalm 34:18:
The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves those crushed in spirit.
I don’t know what you are going through today that has crushed your spirit. But I want to gently speak God’s love upon your hearts. He sees your pain, your tears and your hurt and He is very near to you today. He is here to save you and redeem you from that difficult situation and breathe a fresh release of His love upon your aching, wounded heart.
God wants to restore you back to your feet and make you arise from the hopeless situation you are in. Take hold of Him today. God loves you unconditionally and eternally.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You were there when those hurtful words were hurled on me. Baseless words that were lies to derail me from what You started in me. Lord, I do not want to give any more power to them in my life. I give my dry bones into Your loving arms today. I know and believe with all my heart that You will heal my brokenness and cause me to arise again. That You will equip me to stand again and to hope again. Thank You Holy Spirit for the work You are doing in me so that I may be a useful vessel of honour and worth in Your Hands. I am delighted to do Your will and to walk in Your ways all the days of my life. Fully, freely and totally surrendered to you Jesus!! In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Here is one of my favourite songs to encourage you today: