June 2024 - Brenda H. Price

How often do we let words just fly out of our mouths, failing to think about the power they carry. In our last blog post we briefly talked about the authoritative position God has strategically given every believer. So why is that important? Because of the authority God has given his born-again believers, our words also carry power and authority. Jesus reminds Joshua and each one of us of what we should be allowing to come from our lips.

Joshua 1:8 (KJV) reads:

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

It’s very clear what we should be speaking. The book of the law is the Word of God. That’s what we should be meditating on day and night. It’s easy to tell what a person has been feeding their spirit-man, by listening to what comes out of their mouth. Listen to what Jesus tells the Pharisees in the book of Matthew:

Matthew 12:34 - O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

The words that come from out mouths either justify or condemn. And the only way we can consistently speak the Word is by meditating on it day and night. What we put in us will inevitably come out of us. Our words are powerful. I constantly remind my friends of this truth and even myself.

God commanded Joshua to not only meditate on the book of the law (the Word), but to also do what the law says to do. It’s not enough to be hearers of the Word, we must live by it and do what we are commanded to do. Meditating on the Word will get it in our hearts and our spirit. From there is will proceed from our lips. Here are 3 tips given in this passage of scripture:

1. Meditate on the Word - First, meditate on the Word both day and night. Allow the Holy Spirit time to teach you. We must not be so quick to skim over the scriptures, just to say we have read them. To do so is to imply satisfaction with just the milk and not the meat of the Word. I’m sure Joshua as a busy leader had every reason to be pulled away from time in the Word and from God’s presence. But God commanded him not to forsake:

a. his time of meditation and

b. his acts of devotion

2. Don’t let the Word Depart out of Your Mouth - Secondly, was instructed not to let the Word Depart out of His mouth. All Joshua’s orders to the people must be aligned with the law (the Word). As ministers what we teach and preach must be according to the written Word of God, as well as Holy Spirit inspired. No need to add or take away anything that is already written in the scriptures.

3. Live It! - Thirdly, Joshua must live it. We must live by the very words we preach or teach. We cannot be just hearers of the Word, but doers also. No man’s dominion sets him/her above the law of God.

Ask yourself, what is the source of the words coming out of my mouth? Is it gossip, slander, or backbiting? Or is it the Word of God and words that edify and encourage? Pause and think about that!