WATCH YOUR WORDS
Guard Your Heart — Part 3
This week we have been looking at Proverbs 4:21–24 and the powerful connection between what gets into our hearts and what eventually comes out of our mouths.
We’ve been reminded to let God’s Word fill our thoughts until it penetrates deep into our spirit. As Proverbs 4:22 says, God’s words “will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being” (TPT). Then yesterday, we looked at the importance of guarding our hearts by being careful about what we allow through the gateways of our eyes and ears.
Today, as we bring this three-part series to a close, Proverbs takes us one step further: guard your mouth.
Put a Guard on Your Mouth
Proverbs 4:24 says,
“Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips” (NIV).
The Bible has a lot to say about our words because our words matter. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “The tongue has the power of life and death” (NIV). Jesus also taught that our words reveal what is happening inside us: “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45, NIV).
That means our mouths can become a window into our hearts. So let me ask you a challenging question today:
What is your language like?
What comes out when you’re frustrated? Do you gossip? Do you constantly speak negatively? Do you use words that tear people down? Do you casually misuse God’s name? Do your words reflect the faith you profess?
Ephesians 4:29 gives us a powerful standard:
“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” (NIV).
That’s a challenge, isn’t it? But perhaps the answer isn’t simply to try harder to control our mouths. Jesus tells us that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. If we want our words to change, we need to allow God to change what is filling our hearts.
Fill Your Heart With His Word
David prayed,
“Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips” Psalm 141:3 (NIV)
What a prayer to pray!
“Lord, put a guard on my mouth. Help me know when to speak, what to speak, and when to remain silent.”
And this brings the whole series together.
Let His Word go deep. Guard your heart. Watch your words.
What we allow into our hearts matters because what fills our hearts eventually finds its way into our words, our attitudes and our actions.
So today, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to search us. Let’s fill our minds with Scripture, guard the gateways of our hearts, and become increasingly intentional about the words we speak.
Let’s choose words that bring life. Words that build faith. Words that encourage. Words that point people toward Jesus.
And when we get it wrong—as we all will—let’s be quick to repent, receive His grace and allow Him to transform us from the inside out.
Believe & Confess Meditation & Declaration
I am filled with God’s Word, and His truth is taking root deep within me [Proverbs 4:21–22]. I guard my heart because it is the wellspring of my life [Proverbs 4:23]. I choose words that bring life rather than death [Proverbs 18:21]. My mouth speaks words that build others up and benefit those who hear them [Ephesians 4:29]. The Holy Spirit helps me put a guard over my mouth and gives me wisdom in what I say [Psalm 141:3; James 1:5]. My words increasingly reflect the transformation God is bringing to my heart [Luke 6:45].
If this devotional has encouraged you, why not share it with a friend on social media or send it to someone by email? You never know how one simple word of encouragement might be exactly what someone needs today.
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