In 2007, a town just northeast of Los Angeles endured what has been called the Buckweed Fire. Nearly 800 square miles were burned to ash as this wildfire spread, destroying 1600 homes and taking 14 lives in its path. And it all started because a little boy was playing with matches.

THE WORD

"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." -James 3:5-6

The busiest days of the year for Emergency Rooms in the U.S. are New Years Eve and the Fourth of July. You can probably guess why. Those are the two days that tons of average, middle-aged, American dads attempt to put on a pyrotechnic masterpiece for the neighborhood! It’s always entertaining to watch... not the fireworks, the man setting himself on fire and losing fingers in the process.

It’s inevitable, when people play with fire, people get hurt. They underestimate the power of a small spark.

The Bible compares our words to small sparks that have the ability to cause great fires and therefore unspeakable devastation. See, what you MISJUDGE, you’ll MISUSE. When you think your words are “just” words, you’ll always be reckless with them.

Allow me to give you the bottom line at the top: Honoring God with your LIFE begins by honoring God with your LIPS. That may sound simple enough but the reality is, gossip is just as rampant in the Church as it is in the workplace, Christian leaders tear one another down just as much as the politicians do, and it's even become trendy to identify as a "Christian who cusses sometimes."

Over all I’d say we're fairly ignorant to the power of our words. The reality is, the UNTAMED tongue does UNSPEAKABLE damage… by speaking.

SEVEN WAYS THE ENEMY WEAPONIZES OUR WORDS:

1. GOSSIP 

“Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.”

-Proverbs 26:20

Gossip is fuel to a fire. We often justify gossiping by simply redefining what gossip is when we want to do it. Here's my attempt at a solid definition: Gossip is UNRESTRAINED conversation about someone who is NOT present, involving details that are not POSITIVE or information that is not PERMITTED. 

Read that again, pick it apart, and memorize it so that the next time you're tempted to gossip, you have a standard to abide by. If we shared the gospel as much as we shared gossip the world would be saved ten times over! If you want to gossip about something gossip about the gospel! Jesus loves it when we tell His business.

2. BOASTING

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches..."

-Jeremiah 9:23

Boasting is when the pride in your heart spills out of your lips. It’s an attempt to get others to attach your worth to what you do, have, or accomplish because that's what YOU attach your worth to. You’re worth too much to be trying to prove your worth with your words! Paul said I’d rather boast in my WEAKNESSES because where I am weak, CHRIST is strong!

3. CURSING/SWEARING

“Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing, my brothers and sisters this should not be.”

-James 3:10

To CURSE is to pass judgement on someone or something. Ever notice how many of today’s cuss words still invoke eternal concepts like HELL and DAMNATION? The only way you can pass judgment is to place yourself in the judgement seat. Growing up I didn't dare sit in my grandfather’s recliner. So the idea of even attempting to place myself on God’s throne seems heinous! No thanks, I’ll stay in my lane and sit in my seat.  

SWEARING is broken into two more specific categories: PROFANING and BLASPHEMING.

PROFANITY is making common WHAT is sacred and holy. Take sex as an example. While sex is a very sacred covenant, created by God to bond husband and wife together and produce life, our society has created a ton of verbiage and slang words that make light of it. Even when we use vulgar words, we have a natural (sinful) tendency to put the word "HOLY" in front of them... ever notice that? Interesting how our sinful nature is inclined to be profane.

BLASPHEMY is making common WHO is sacred and Holy. It’s taking God’s name in vain, and using His name as an expression of shock or disgust. Whether that’s the name of Jesus, the sacred name of Yahweh, or simply His title which is GOD. The reality is, His name is to be KEPT HOLY. Jesus was so certain of this, He made it a point to say it at the beginning of His model prayer for all of His disciples.

We have become so accustomed to using God's name as an expression, and then we wonder why, when we call on His name in prayer, it doesn't seem to have any power in our lives. It’s not because His name got weak, it’s because our faith IN His name got weak.

4. ACCUSATION/BLAME 

"…at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."

-Romans 2:1

The original sin in the garden resulted in immediate accusation. Adam pointed at Eve and even God when he said, "The woman YOU gave me told me to." (Bold move Adam.) Then Eve pointed to the serpent.

The enemy wants to cast blame on you through others and on others through you. Jesus took the blame of all of humanity on Himself. Let me remind you that the devil is called the ACCUSER. That's not some flashy, WWE wrestler name. That's his title and his mission. Revelation says he "hurls accusations at the children of God day and night." Whenever we cast blame and accuse others, we are partnering with his mission.

The devil doesn’t need our help, but he sure welcomes it. Don't fall for his scheme.

5. QUARRELING/ FRUITLESS ARGUMENTS

"Warn God’s people against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen." -2 Timothy 2:14

There is a place for disagreement, debate, and conflict. In fact, not seeing eye to eye is not only inevitable, it's pivotal in order to grow and become more mature in our relationships. The key is that we must not be more bent on BEING RIGHT in our stance than we are on BEING RIGHT with one another.

There's an old adage that says "UNITY doesn’t mean UNIFORMITY." We don’t have to agree on everything. The essentials must not be compromised but outside of the core doctrines of our faith, there is a lot of room for diversity of thought, practice, and opinion. The enemy would love to keep the church in petty arguments that bear no fruit. Stay out of the comment section!

6. GRUMBLING/COMPLAINING

"Do everything without grumbling and arguing…"

-Philippians 2:14

Grumbling is expressing discontent and dissatisfaction void of any solution. Complaining is never just an action, it’s an attitude. It's also contagious. Being disgruntled and having a bad attitude at best sucks the energy out of the room and at worse, causes everyone else to begin thinking the same way.

Remember, we are people who carry the good news. Jesus' glorious resurrection came on the other side of a gruesome death. Finding the good in all things and holding onto hope should be at the very core of who we are in Christ. Next time you want to complain, think of how you can bring the best out of it. That's what Jesus does!

7. LYING

"The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in people who are trustworthy."

-Proverbs 12:22

Another translation says that lying is an ABOMINATION to God. Christians often love to point out how the Bible calls homosexuality an abomination… but it also says lying is too. 

Jesus said in John 8 that when the devil lies, he "speaks his native language." That means when we lie, we speak the language of the devil too. If the truth sets us free, as Jesus says, then by default that means lies and deception will keep us bound.

CONCLUSION

When we lift up the praises of God, we build a throne for Him to inhabit. In other words, it's through the words of man that God establishes His kingdom and His will.

God INHABITS our PRAISE, RESPONDS to our PRAYER, and WORKS through our PREACHING. So, who do you think inhabits our gossip, responds to our complaining, and works through our arguing? The enemy recognizes there is power in your tongue. Do you?

Our words can either RELEASE Heaven or UNLEASH Hell.  The power that rests in the tongue will either INVITE the King or invoke the enemy. We choose. It's only by His Spirit that we can tame the tongue. Let's work on that this week!