How to Change Your Future

Few people realize the power they release just by speaking words. Proverbs 18 talks about the power of the tongue, both for good and for evil, and how we can unleash that power to effect good in our lives.

“A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]” (Prov. 18:20, The Amplified Bible).

If you don’t like the way your life is going right now, you are going to have to change. You see, God isn’t going to change. The devil isn’t going to change.

If the world changes, it’s only going to be for the worse. But you can change.

You can begin to spend more time with God. As you draw closer to Him, in prayer and in His Word, your lips will begin to speak right words that will bring good things to pass in your life.

We know that our words have the ability to affect our future because the Scriptures say our tongue determines whether we reap death or life: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]” (v. 21).

You can cause either blessing or cursing to come into your life through your tongue. With that one little member of your body, you can set into motion spiritual laws that will affect the course of your life either for good or for evil (see James 3:1-12).

It’s up to you to discipline your tongue and cause it to agree with God’s Word. When you speak God’s Word, you bring good into your life that neither the devil nor the world can stop.

Now you can understand why “he who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles” (Prov. 21:23). Troubles can be the bitter fruit a person must eat (or the unpleasant consequences a per son must experience) when he doesn’t discipline his mouth to agree with God’s Word.

The Bible says a fool is someone who speaks whatever is on his mind: “A [self-confident] fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to himself” (Prov. 18:7).

WHAT YOU SAY IS IMPORTANT Obviously, words are very important to our success in life. We have already seen in Proverbs that there isn’t much promise for a fool. But the Bible says even the fool has more hope than someone who is hasty with his words (see Prov. 29:20).

If you love life, you will guard your tongue: “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile” (1 Pet. 3:10, KJV).

Whether or not you believe words are powerful doesn’t change the facts. What you say with your mouth does sow seed, and one day you will reap the harvest of that seed.

So if you aren’t happy with the way your life is today, put the Word of God in your mouth, and you’ll see His desired results come to pass in your life.

When we speak God’s Word, we know we are going to come out right in the end. Make your words agree with what God says and with what you want to come to pass. If you don’t want poverty and lack, don’t speak it into your life with your words. Your faith is released through your words.

At times, it may be hard to speak a positive word. For example, when the pressure is on and the bank account is low, you may become discouraged. You may be tempted to start talking lack and defeat. But don’t give in to that.

Just remember that God is your Source, and He always provides. As the psalmist wrote: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Ps. 37:25).

GIVE YOUR ANGELS WORDS TO HEARKEN TO! God gives His angels charge over you to protect you, keep you and minister to you. They have been charged to hearken to God’s Word spoken in faith (see Ps. 103:20).

However, you have to put God’s promises of deliverance in your heart and in your mouth to give voice to the word the angels need to protect and deliver you. You have to refuse to speak words that are contrary to what you believe.

Jesus taught that your future is stored up in your heart: “‘For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him'” (Matt. 12:34-35, NIV). In fact, He said what you believe in your heart and say with your mouth, you will have in your life (see Mark 11:23).

I know it is difficult for some to believe that our words carry this kind of power and authority. But here are two more places in Proverbs where this wisdom is given:

“The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth” (Prov. 12:13-14, KJV).

“A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction” (Prov. 13:2-3).

Make it a practice to speak only words of faith. When you are under pressure, it will be tough, but you can do it!

With practice it becomes normal to you to speak faith words instead of unbelief. When you answer every doubt and fear with what God’s Word says about your situation, your angels will hearken to the voice of His Word and minister for you if you are an heir of salvation (see Heb. 1:14).

If you don’t like the way your life is going right now, change your words. Discipline your tongue to agree with God’s Word.

Don’t give in to discouragement. Continue to confess God’s Word–regardless of what you may feel or see. In time you’ll reap a harvest of blessing, peace and abundance from the seeds of faith you’ve sown.

It’s up to you to discipline your tongue and cause it to agree with God’s Word.

Excerpted from Hidden Treasures: Abundant Living in the Riches of Proverbs by Gloria Copeland, copyright © 1998. Published by Harrison House. Used by permission. Gloria is internationally known as a popular Bible teacher and best-selling author. She and her husband, Kenneth Copeland, host the Believer’s Voice of Victory television broadcast, seen across the nation and around the world. Copeland’s latest release is Are You Listening? from Harrison House.