Warriors Arise: November 7, 2023
Matthew 5:22 “...But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire..."
Jesus is serious! He tells us what the consequences of our words will be. Those who call someone a fool are in danger of hell fire. That seems so to harsh; however, what is Jesus trying to communicate.
What you and I say to one another matters. We are not to be loose with our words. There are consequences to the spewer of these words. They are not consequences to be taken lightly.
Several years ago, fear and trembling hit me regarding my words when I read Matthew 12:36. I couldn't believe I would be held accountable for every idle word I had spoken. I decided at that point, I didn't really need to say anything unless I was certain it would be beneficial. Which is all well when I am not emotionally pushed, stretched or provoked.
However, there are times when I am pushed, stretched and provoked. Am I responsible when I have been provoked? Shouldn't there be an excused usage when I am provoked? According to Jesus, I am still accountable for every word that proceeds out of my mouth. Which is why we need to commit to our behavior the following verse.
James 1:9 This you know, my beloved. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
There is nothing wrong with someone being slow to speak. They just might be getting their thoughts in order, their emotions under control, and sorting through exactly what needs to be said.
My children have watched me in this. They will want me to quickly render judgement and if I do not act soon enough then they will jump in to speak on my behalf. It wasn't that I was going to let the situation wash wash like water under the bridge, but I wasn't going to respond in such a way as to cause the fire of hell to be heaped upon me, either.
Let us all commit to being quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
Father, I ask for You to come and minister Your life to me. I pray my brain engages before my mouth takes over. I pray I would not respond without thinking. I want to listen better and ask clarifying questions. I want to be precise with my words and allow anger to dissipate before it gets to the boiling point. I pray I would back off when Holy Spirit comes in to make me aware of what I am saying. I pray I would be wise in my actions and specific with my words to really speak to the depth of the situation. I pray for resolve and restoration in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
Join together as Believers in Jesus Christ to pray and to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
Comments