Whats coming out of your mouth?

A few weeks ago I was playing in a squash tournament in Prague. This monthly tournament was part of what the European’s like to call Extra League. This meant that each province sends three of their best players to compete against one another. I was replacing one of the girls who had been injured and was given the third spot on team Ostrava. I was excited to be part of a team and was lookingforward to having Crystal (changed name), my friend and previous National Champion as a coach during my matches. However, after my first match I found myself re-calculating the cost of putting my trust in the hands of someone who had little faith in me. Here’s what happened. I had just walked off the court after loosing the first game 11-3 to a woman who was playing for team Prague. I was frustrated with how I was playing but ready to receive some tips from my coach within my ninety second break. I squeezed by a few people to get to where Crystal was standing and leaned in. Here is the ‘advice’ I recieved; “You known Jaycee” she said “the other girl is really good and has been playing squash for a really long time” She continued “A while back she was one of the top players in Czech Republic. So just go out there and have fun, don’t expect to win and just save your energy for the next girl you are to play” The other girl beside her also chipped in “Ya don’t feel bad, she is a really good player”. My head was still hung, and I dared not open my mouth lest my wrath be unleashed. I looked away and then looked into her eyes as I started to walk towards the court and said “But I want to win”. As soon as I stepped back on court, I replayed that conversation over and over in my head. “Why would she say that to me?” coming from a coach myself I knew not to intimidate the kids I teach before they step onto a court. Then I started to think “well if Crystal can tell by watching me that I’m not good enough to win then maybe I’m not”. “Maybe I should just not try, like she said”. Before I knew it, the second game was over and I had lost it 2-11. This time, I walked off the court in the opposite direction to clear my head. I sensed God speaking to me saying “I believe in you Jaycee, when nobody else does, I do”. I finally snapped out of my trance and repeated a few positive affirmations to myself as I stepped back onto the court for the third game. This time, I made fewer mistakes and played the way I knew I could. Even though I ended up losing the match in the end I knew there was a valuable lesson to be learned by this experience. Although I did not hold Crystal accountable for my loss, she later apologized and realized that she was in the wrong for saying what she did at that time. I contentedly forgave her, However, on the trip back home I was left with the sinking feeling that this was not the first time I had allowed someone to affect the way I see myself or my future by their negative rapport. I was suddenly reminded of several different situations where I allowed people to speak defeat over all areas of my life without defending myself and sticking up for what I believe in.

“Let no one deceive you with empty words” (Ephesians 5:6)

Accepting words of disbelief from another person like giving the devil free access  to plant seeds of doubt and fear inside of you heart. This is the very reason why you will not walk in victory and not inherit the promises of God. Looking back now, I wish I would have said “No, actually I reject that advice Crystal. No hard feelings but I am going to go back on that court, I am going to work my but off, I am going to play my absolute best, and I am going to win”. When we do not reject the empty words that people say to us we are walking on thin ice as far as our faith is concerned. Being a female, this can be more difficult because it is in our nature to be caregivers and a part of this role is to give/take advice from one another. However, the Bible says that both death and life are in the power of the tongue and we shall eat the fruit of our words. (Prov 18:21) So the next time you are in position to give advice or even talk about future events with your friends make sure that you aren’t speaking death/the curse into their life. Here are some examples of what that might sound like in random conversations with friends or strangers:

“Oh I also have the same New Year’s resolution to lose weight but it is going to be so hard to lose weight in the winter, I swear its just so hard, there is just so much irresistible food and don’t you just feel a lack of motivation to get up and leave the house in the cold weather?”.

 “Oh, I heard you just graduated from Commerce. Oh ya well I hear it is super hard right now to get a job in the Marketing industry. Ya that recession is just ruining so many opportunities for graduate’s these days”

“Oh you just tore your Achilles? That will defiantly take like 5 months to heal. You probably won’t be able to work out for another 6 months. My cousin Anne tore hers a year ago and now she has to get surgery and can no longer play sports”

 What do all of these conversations have in common in terms of the feeling you are left with afterwards? Fear. As you may know, Fear is the opposite of Faith and talking fear only weakens your faith in what you hope for and what is rightfully promised to you by God. As important as it is not to speak fear into other people’s lives, it is just as important to not accept the curse when people speak it into your life. Instead of passively getting in agreement with the empty words from others, you need to reject it. Now maybe you do not feel comfortable rehearsing the word of God to everyone you encounter, and in some instances it simply isn’t appropriate. However, God says “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses therefore choose life”(Deut 30:19). Ladies, in every conversation there is either a blessing or a curse being spoken over you and you must wake up and choose life. If you don’t choose, the person speaking the curse will choose for you. Which was the case when I did not reject the defeat that Crystal spoke over me during my match. Here are some examples of how you can overcome the curse talk going on around you by using the Word of God, or by simply resisting the curse:

 “You know I believe I have been given the spirit of self-control and so therefore I no longer am a slave to food and it doesn’t really have control over me the way it used to. I am going to reach my goal of loosing weight and I am not even going to miss all that Christmas baking, because I enjoy eating healthy and working out. I’ve made up my mind that I am going to enjoy every moment of reaching this goal”

“ I am going to receive the promises of God because I believe God has got a great plan for me, to prosper me, and to give me a hope and a future. I just know that I am going to be blessed in finding my dream job, and I am going to be happy while I wait for God to reveal that Job to me”

“I hurt my ankle the other day, but it wont take long before it heals. In fact, it feels a whole a lot better than it did yesterday and tomorrow it is going to be fine and I’m believing that by next week I will be back on the treadmill”

 “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” (Eph 4:29)

 Just as we need to speak the fruit of life and blessings into our lives and reject the curse-talk that other people unknowingly speak over us. It is also just as important for us to do what Paul says and build others up according to their needs so that they may be blessed. I am so sick of hearing people shout each other down, instead of saying something that could build one another up. I have included a few examples of what this may look like:

“I believe you will succeed in loosing that 10 pounds, you are a strong willed daughter of the Most High and I believe you can do all things that you set your heart to, even in the winter”

“Congratulations on graduating from Commerce. That is so amazing, I bet God has great plans for you. You just hold fast to Jeremiah 29:11  and know that God is going to prosper you in all that you set out to do”

“I’m sorry to hear about your ankle, I will pray for you. In fact, let me lay my hands on you and pray for you right now. Let’s believe God for your healing”

Wow. Imagine if you were surrounded by a group of friends who were always speaking blessings over you instead of the curse. Imagine if you could build everyone around you up with the fruit of life in your mouth. I can understand why most of the world does not understand the ‘fruit of our mouth’ promise from God, but as Christians we should know better. There should be no excuse as to why we are STILL talking the curse, or allowing the curse to take root in our lives from the words of others. As sisters in Christ we need to build and encourage one another in our faith and be stong enough to reject the curse that disguises itself under the surface of our everyday conversations. We need to do some spring cleaning in our hearts and wash away all the words of doubt and disbelief that have been choking out the blessing in our life and the lives of others.

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” - Hebrews 10:23

 We need to hold fast to our confession. What is your confession? What are you hoping for? What are you believing God for? Whatever you want to come to pass, you must confess it with your mouth. Do not forget though “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”, so it goes both ways sister! Get your mouth set on the right thing. If you are ready for a transformation then I encourage you to say this prayer:

Today I am going to start speaking differently. I shall not allow any words of corruption, emptiness, unwholesomeness, lack, sickness, poverty or fear come out of my mouth but I will guard my heart and choose my words wisely as I know they hold power. I will not allow anybody else talk doubt or disbelief into my life, and I will stand firm in my faith and resist the temptation to agree with what they are confessing. I will only confess things that are true, noble, reputable, compelling and gracious, the best, the beautiful and things to praise in the Word of God. I shall not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but will be transformed by the renewal of my mind. I choose to speak words of life and speak the blessing in other people’s lives. I choose to build others up by my words as I am unashamed of my faith. I will confess everything that I hope to come to pass and even if I cannot yet see the fruit of my confession, I know that I will receive it because I am walking by faith and not by sight. Thank you Lord for increasing my faith today. Amen!