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Ephesians 4:29-32
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
This passage teaches about what we are to say and not say. The tongue is a tool that I have found hard to tame. It is something that I am now using for evil by complaining instead of being thankful and prayerful. Why is that?
To complain is to feel there is no answer to the issue at hand. To be thankful is to believe there is a solution.
To live for Jesus is to live in thankfulness. I made a post not long ago that said that I wanted to give thanks in all problems that arise and look to God for the answer. Then why am I complaining? It is because I am not paying attention to what I feel is the correct way to live.
Prayer with thanksgiving keeps us awake. You can't be thankful for a problem if you are not awake spiritually.
How do you stay awake? If you have a need and are bringing it to God you are awake. If you are meditating on the Word of God you are awake.
The Scripture says that we are not to let an unwholesome word come out of our mouth. Instead we are to give a word that will encourage others.
If we are facing a problem and we keep from allowing unwholesome words to be spoken we are more than ½ way there. When there is a problem we need to speak the solution. And Jesus is part of the solution. Giving praise to Jesus and asking for His help will bring an answer.
Live in expectation of the answer.
Don't quench the Holy Spirit. The first word concept to stay away from is bitterness. What is bitterness? In my own words it is being angry about a hurt from the past and not getting over that hurt and lashing out when the issue comes up.
Wrath in my own words wrath is anger expressed with emotion.
Vines hot passion.Anger is tricky to deal with. Jesus was angry with the money changers and the Pharisees. But we would be hard pressed to use anger as well as Jesus did.
Be angry and do not sin. Anger will come. There is energy with anger. Use anger to get some work done. Don't let the sun go down on your anger.
Anger is expectations gone wrong. If we are content in Jesus and not look to others to provide what Jesus has promised then we can sidestep anger with the peace that comes from relying on Jesus. So contentment is a countermeasure to anger. With contentment there is not the passion for things that God has not given us yet.
That is not to say there is no place for anger. Let anger energize you to work and pray. Not to lash out against the offending person.
Forgiveness is a key part in dealing with anger. Be always ready to forgive. Realizing that Jesus has forgiven us. God deals with us as we forgive. If we fail to forgive we block the flow of the Spirit that comes to us.
Clamor - I remember a person that I worked with who seemed to be upset with politics often. He reminded me of myself at times. Clamor is the tumult and cry of disagreement. Instead of clamor we should be looking for the word that will give grace to troubled hearts.
Our words are not to be angry, resentful, bitter, and with clamor but peaceful and insightful for accomplishing a needed activity.
Emotions cloud our thinking and are good but must be managed. As I wait on God He will show me what to say. It may be that He will not show me what to say. Then I should be quiet and not say anything.
Malice is the effort to hurt others. A Christian will not be effective if he is looking to hurt. Our effectiveness is with love of the Spirit. God is love and if we are of God we will love others and help them with practical insight.
One of the disciples was seen by Jesus with no guile. That is what we are to do with others.
Instead of unwholesome words we should speak words of encouragement. Words that will help others and give them grace. Kind words, tenderhearted words and forgiving words.
How can we stop speaking words that tear down and speak words that lift up? I think at first we need to be awake. If we watch what we say and have an attitude of trying to build people up instead of going with the flow and complaining that is a step in the right direction. Prayer before the day will go a long way in making us people of encouragement. Prayer changes things. It does not always work at first as far as seeing an instant change. But it will change our heart.
If we pray a prayer of repentance and mean it and seek to change our actions and words. God will answer.
If we don't watch our speech it will grieve the Holy Spirit within us. If we are awake and careful we will not want to grieve the Holy Spirit. When I grieve the Spirit I know it quickly. I strive to be quick to repent.
2 Cor 3:17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Freedom does not come from complaining but from faith and belief. Helping others takes faith and belief. Tearing them down does not take any spiritual talent.
The key I think in controlling our tongue is to speak according the to the need of the moment. Don't react to what is said by your feelings or going with the flow but by the nudging of the Holy Spirit.
From my understanding of Eph 4:29-32 my role is not to criticize or complain or create clamor but to speak words that will edify and give grace.
This is also in my thoughts? I am not to think bad or worthless thoughts but pray.
I am countering my bad thoughts with prayer then I am able to react with positive words when I speak.
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