Setting the direction of your life / James Bible Study (Part 8) / Chapter 3

James 3 underscores the importance of controlling our speech, recognising the profound impact our words can have for good or for ill. I’m speaking over you power, blessing, healing! Speak it out! If you believe it and speak it, and don’t doubt in your heart, you will have power with God, and God will begin to work! Jesus said it! We’ve got to begin to understand the positive! Too often we fill our minds with negatives! Our speech sets the direction of our lives. 

'When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

'All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.' (James 3.3-8, NIV)