(Proverbs 16:24
Your words will either cause blessing or curses to come into your life. They will take you up or bring you down. You can change the atmosphere of your soul with pleasant words, such as: In my pathway is life and there is no death. (Prov. 12:28.) The joy of the Lord is my strength. (Neh. 8:10.) Because You are my Shepherd, I shall not want. (Ps. 23:1.) You will never leave me or forsake me. (Heb. 13:5.)
James 3:3-4 talks about how a bit is able to control a horse and how a small rudder is used to steer a large ship.
I remember as a little boy going to my grandfather’s house. We later went to a dairy farm that had several Shetland ponies in the pasture. I was about eight or nine years old, and a boy that age can’t just look at Shetland ponies without riding one of them!
I’ll never forget jumping on that little pony and grabbing hold of its mane. There was no bit in its mouth. That was one of the worst rides I ever had because I couldn’t control where the pony went. I was only able to get off the hard way. I fell off and hit the ground hard!
Some people’s lives are like that. It’s like they’re on a runaway horse. Their lives are spinning out of control. Why? They aren’t controlling their tongues.
If you get control of your tongue, you can direct your entire life the way it is supposed to go. Begin speaking the truth of God’s Word, and you will see your life driven by the Word of God instead of the storms of life.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Billy Joe Daugherty was founder and pastor of Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was also the founder of Victory Christian School, Victory Bible Institute and Victory World Missions Training Center. Five hundred twenty-three Victory Bible Institutes have been started in eighty-five countries around the world. He inspired individuals and ministries with his life, love and influence for more than 30 years.