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Guarding Your Mouth and Mind: Biblical Keys to Thought and Speech · Fostering Faith

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Welcome back to Fostering Faith. I am going to
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be your host Tracie and thank you guys so much
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for tuning in and we are in the month of June,
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wisdom and proverbs. And so in this episode,
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we're going to be talking about guarding our
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mouth and mind. And a proverb teaches us anything
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it's about this. A wise life requires a guarded
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mouth and a disciplined mind. And so you could
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not have a peaceful life with an unguarded mind
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and you could not have a healthy life with an
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unrestrained mouth. You cannot have a wise life
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with impulsive thoughts and restrictive speech.
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The book of Proverbs talks about your mouth more
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than almost anything else and your mind more
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than you realize. Because your words and your
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thoughts determine your direction, your relationships,
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your spiritual growth, your emotional stability,
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your identity, your reputation, your peace. your
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ability to hear God. And in this episode, I want
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to show you how to guard your mouth and your
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mind in the world that normalizes verbal chaos
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and mental exhaustion. And so the mouth is a
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window to the heart. And so Jesus says out of
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the outflow of the heart, the mouth speaks in
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Luke 6 45. And so the mouth reveals what's on
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your heart. Have you ever heard of like the Freudian
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slip? And so it shows bitterness, it shows insecurity,
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it shows pride and fear and anger, self -righteousness,
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compassion, humility, faith, hope. Whatever dominates
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your heart leaks out of your mouth. And this
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is why Proverbs repeatedly warns, those who guard
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their lips preserve their lives in Proverbs 13
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.3, meaning your words can protect your life
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or can ruin it. And that's why your words matter
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spiritually. Your words can build or break you,
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can heal or hurt, can bless or curse, can encourage
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or discourage, can unite or divide, bring peace
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or stir conflict, speak life or speak death.
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Proverbs 18 -21 isn't poetic. It's just literal.
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Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
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What you say creates an atmosphere around you.
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Some people wonder why their lives are in tension.
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but their words create tension. Some people wonder
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why they feel hopeless. It's because they speak
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hopeless. And some people wonder why their homes
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feel chaotic, but their words are chaotic. Your
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mouth is the thermostat. It sets the climate
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of your relationships. And I think that three
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most dangerous types of speech and proverbs are
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one, reckless words. Proverbs 12, 18 says that
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reckless words pierce like a sword. These are
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words that we throw around quickly, sarcasm that
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wounds, anger that cuts, criticism that bruises,
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impulsive reactions, emotional outbursts or crash
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-outs, unnecessary commentary, venting without
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self -control. Recklessness and reckless words
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are like stab wounds, but wise words heal. And
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then two. Gossip and slander Proverbs 16 8 28
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says gossip separates close friends Gossip does
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three things it kills trust Spreads poison and
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destroys unity. You cannot have wisdom and gossip.
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They're spiritually opposite Take a minute. When
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was the last time that you gossiped? When was
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the last time that you said something that you
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heard without actually knowing the facts? When
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was it said when was this? When was the last
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time that you said something about somebody that
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was hateful? When was the last time that you
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spoke out of emotion? When was the last time
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that you said something like, oh, I shouldn't
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have said that? Or you spoke too fast. You didn't
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take that to God. And so these things are what
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kills our relationships. Three, complaining and
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negativity. Proverbs warms about grumbling spirits
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because they bind you, they blind you to blessings
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and magnify your problems. Complaining convinces
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your mind that your life is worse than it actually
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is. Negativity is a thief of gratefulness. And
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so many times in scripture, we have the people
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that were going to go into the problemless land,
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but they grumbled and complained. They went out
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of Egypt, God gave them out of Egypt. And then
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they grumbled and complained. They didn't have
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no manna. They didn't have the meat. And so God
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gave them what they asked for. And so many times
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that we grumble and we complain. And where are
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we at? We look at all the things that we don't
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have. Versus the things that we do have I think
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there's a song about it that we complain about
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what we don't have and we don't we forget to
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look at what we do have and so we The negativity
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is the thief of gratefulness. And so that's why
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it's so important We've said this time and get
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on this podcast a grateful heart will change
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your attitude and so just getting up in the morning
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and just Entering his courts with Thanksgiving
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thanking him for everything that you can be grateful
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for and it really will change your perspective
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on things and again I was him turn to my dad
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and whenever he was going through his hip surgery
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it had to be painful absolutely and he was groaning
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and complaining and pain and at that point there
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was nothing that we could do he had his medication
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we were waiting on surgery and I said you know
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what dad no I said we're not gonna grumble we're
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not gonna complain because that's just gonna
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make us think of the pain. So let's give thanks.
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And so let's say, thank you, Jesus. Thank you,
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Jesus. Let's thank you that we're in the hospital.
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Let's thank him for the pain medication. Let's
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thank him that we're going to have surgery here
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in a little bit. And so let's change this reflection
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of, yes, I fell and broke my leg. But I'm so
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thankful that I get to have surgery. I'm so thankful
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that I'll be up walking. So let's turn. that
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negativity into something that we're grateful
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for because that grumbling and that it will just
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feed and fester and you'll turn into that negative
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person and so you potentially know people in
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your life that are complainers and grumble and
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they complain about everything. Do you want to
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be like that? Are you that person? Are you that
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reflection of potentially what you grew up in
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and your parents were like that, your grandparents
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were like that and so you are a negative Nancy
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or a Karen or like whatever is negative out there.
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Are you a positive folly? Do you look at the
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brighter side of everything? Do you know someone
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that is just always constantly in a good mood
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that is thankful for everything? Who do you want
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to reflect? And so looking at those people that
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are in your life, again, it goes back to our
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other episode about your friends. And so are
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your friends grumblers and complainers? Are they
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always nagging about their kids? Are they always
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nagging about their husband or their wives or
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whatever? And then you join in and then it's
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like this whole down roll and then you go home
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and you look at your kids and you're like, hi,
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I don't like you. And you look at your husband
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or your wife and you're like, oh my gosh. And
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so that negativity will just feed into all the
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areas and then you're grumbling and complaining
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about your job and versus, oh my gosh, like I
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prayed for this job. Oh, I forgot that I have
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a paycheck that comes in every two weeks or a
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week or a month. And I'm so thankful that I have
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this opportunity to serve Christ where he has
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me. And so look at the where we're complaining
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and where are we negative? And it is just so
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important. And the wise person. Speak slowly.
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And so my husband's favorite book is James, and
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so James 1 19 repeats the wisdom principle straight
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from Proverbs. Be quick to listen, slow to speak,
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and slow to become angry. Slow speech is spiritual
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maturity. Slowness gives the Holy Spirit room
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to work. And slowness saves relationships. Slowness
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is wisdom in motion. And so how many times have
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you just had to hold your tongue because you
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could have just popped off and knew exactly what
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to say, just to cut the other person's throat,
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but you didn't. That's a win. Slow speech is
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spiritual maturity. And just because you wanted
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us in that email, because you wanted us in that
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text, you didn't. You deleted it. That's great.
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That's a win. That's a win. Now, if you retyped
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it, now that's a whole different story, but at
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least you deleted it once. And again, it's about
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progression and not perfection. And that slowness
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can save a relationship because you could have
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spattered off something and that could have went
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down another whole rabbit hole. But that slowness
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gave the Holy Spirit to zip your lip and say,
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you know what? You did the same thing. You were
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acting just like them just two weeks ago. Where's
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your grace? Where's your mercy? And he will correct
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you. He will give you speech. He will give you
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exactly what you need to say in that moment.
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And so the mind is an invisible battlefield.
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And now we shift. To our mind so we just worked
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on our mouth and now let's work on our mind if
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the enemy can influence your thoughts He can
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influence your life The mind is where temptation
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temptations begin insecurity grows lies form
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anxiety spreads Identity is getting shaped and
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fear multiplies Faith is activated in your mind
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truth settles in your mind and spiritual battles
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are won or lost and Proverbs says this so powerfully
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In Proverbs 23 -7, it says, a man thinks within
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himself and so he is. And so what are you thinking
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about yourself? Negative or positive? Your life
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also moves in the direction of your strongest
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thoughts. And so if your thoughts are anxious,
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your life will feel chaotic. If your thoughts
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are negative, your life will feel hopeless. If
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your lives and your thoughts are fearful, your
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life will feel small. If your thoughts are godly,
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your life will feel grounded. And so what are
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your thoughts right now? What are you anxious
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about? What are you negative for? What are you
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fearing? Are your thoughts godly? Look at that.
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Take a pause and just sit with that. Write them
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down. And that way you can go back and or just
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pause this episode. Absolutely. Pause the episode
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and go and sit with God in these moments. Oh
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my gosh, like... I need to take inventory of
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my thoughts. I need to take captive those thoughts.
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And we talked about it before. You have to replace
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a lie with the truth. And how many times in Scripture
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does he said, do not be anxious, do not be nervous?
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Like 365 times in Scripture, he says, do not
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be anxious, do not be nervous. What are those
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thoughts? Are they actual truth? Are they in
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Scripture? Is this what God actually said about
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you? Did he say that we should be hopeless? Did
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he say that you should live fearfully? No, he
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didn't. Jeremiah 29, 11. the enemy Has a primary
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weapon of suggestion and that the mind is where
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Satan whispers you're not enough You're failing
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No one cares You're alone You're not loved You're
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always behind You won't overcome this You should
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just give up now These aren't bad thoughts. They
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are spiritual lies dressed as emotion. And Proverbs
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teaches that we must guard our minds because
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thoughts become beliefs and beliefs become choices.
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Choices become habits and habits become lifestyles
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and lifestyles become destinies. The battle of
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your mind is for your future. And so how do we
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guard our mind and mouth? And so here's some
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tips that I feel. can help you. One, filter your
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thoughts through scripture. Ask, is this true?
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Is this biblical? Does this reflect God's character?
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If not, reject it. Throw it out, water it up
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like a piece of paper and throw it in the trash.
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And if you need to, write that thought on a piece
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of paper. Whatever you're thinking about yourself,
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literally do it. Write it on a piece of paper,
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water it up and throw it away. Throw it away.
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Reject it. It's very cathartic. It's very much
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a literal thing that you can do and that way,
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you know, it's garbage. It's in the trash and
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so you're done. Two. Capture negative thoughts
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immediately. Don't let them take root and replace
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them with scripture. Don't let that negative
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thought take root. Don't go there and ruminate,
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ruminate, ruminate. Think about it. Think about
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it. Think about it. No. Take it immediately.
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Take it. Take that thought captive. Limit the
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voices that pollute your mind. Whether that's
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social media, whether that's a toxic friend,
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an unhealthy show that you're watching, critical
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environments, garbage in, garbage out. Four.
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Practice silence and solitude. Wisdom grows in
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a quiet heart. Sit with God. You don't have to
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talk all the time. And then get used to the whole
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awkward silence. It's not awkward. It's allowing
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God to speak into your life. Five, surround yourself
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with the wise people. Wise voices produce wise
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thoughts. Speak life intentionally. Every day,
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choose to bless and not curse. Seven, pause before
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speaking. A five second pause can prevent a five
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year wound. Before you speak, take a deep breath.
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Count out five. Count out five. One, two, three,
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four, five. If you need to repeat that 25 times,
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then do it. But what you say can have lasting
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impacts. Eight. Don't react emotionally. Wisdom
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responds and foolishness reacts. Take time. Don't
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react based on anger. How you feel because your
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emotions are like the wind. they are going to
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change. Nine, pray over your mind daily. Invite
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the Holy Spirit to renew your thoughts every
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day. Renew my mind, metanoia. Renew my mind.
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Renew what how I'm thinking. I want to think
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the way that you think. I want to see the way
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that you see. I want to hear what you hear. I
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want to have those ears that hear your voice.
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Make me deaf to what is not serving me. And ten,
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my favorite, memorize scripture. Truth renews
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the mind faster than anything. Memorizing scripture
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is so important. And I was just bragging on my,
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on Gia's old school at New Horizon. And they
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memorize scripture every week. And whenever she
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was in kindergarten, they had to memorize, I
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think it was Luke 2? like 1 through 30, the whole
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Jesus story, they memorized it and she still
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knows it. So to this day, and it's so important
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that we just hold those truths on because we
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can take that in that moment whenever we don't
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have the Bible out. We don't have a Bible in
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front of us. No way. I remember that. No, that's
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not what Proverbs said. Hey, that was taken out
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of context. And that way when someone tries to
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beat you with scripture, you can take that and
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be like, no, I've already studied that. I've
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spent time with God. And this is actually what
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that means. You've taken that out of context.
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And so it's so important that we know what scripture
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says. We know the context behind it and who said
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it, why they said it. And it's just so important
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to spend that time in scripture. And so we know
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what it actually means. And so your mouth and
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your mind are spiritual steering wheels. Your
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life will always Follow the direction. And so
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what are you looking forward? Are you driving
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down a rocky road? Are you driving down this
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highway? And the car is steering itself. And
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so your life will always follow the direction
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of your mouth and your mind. The words that you
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speak and the thoughts that you entertain. If
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you want a wise life, discipline your speech.
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If you want a peaceful life, you have to discipline
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your mind. And wisdom is formed internally before
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it shows externally. and just the roots of bamboo.
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And so it's growing down deep. It's growing three
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years in the ground before it shoots up. And
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so if you are utilizing the workbooks that we
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hope you are on fosteringfaithmedia .com, the
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workbook assignment for this week is where do
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you guard your, where do I need to guard my mouth
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or mind more intentionally? And so overreacting,
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is that an area? Places where negative thoughts
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creep in, thought patterns that drain them. conversational
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habits that you need to break, relationships
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affected by careless speech, and specific lies
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that you've believed. What are those areas that
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you need to guard your mind or your mouth in
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this week? And what are your habits? And so pick
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one habit that you will begin this week to guard
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your mouth and mind. Is it the five -second pause
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before you respond? Is it the no -gossip rule?
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Is it declare scripture daily? Limit your social
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media. Replace one lie with truth. Practice gratitude
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more intentionally. Guard morning thoughts. Guard
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your evening thoughts. Is it speak blessings
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over your home? One shift of your mouth or mind
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reshapes your entire atmosphere. Please take
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that into account how you talk today, how you
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think today. Today's Thursday and so you have
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a reset potentially. for this weekend and that
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way you can go into next week better than what
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you were this week. And again, it's about progression
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and not perfection. And so if this message inspired
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you, send it to a friend, share it on social
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media, leave us a comment and let's grow together
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and let's foster our faith. And so we would love
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to pray for you this week. Dear Heavenly Father,
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thank you so much that you are allowing us to
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guard our mouth, renew our mind. Thank you that
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we speak life and wisdom and truth. Thank you
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for the silence that lies. And that's just sitting
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with you. Thank you that for every calm that
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you've given us for every fear Thank you that
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you're purifying our thoughts. Thank you that
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you're teaching us Thank you that you are allowing
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us to speak life into people. Thank you that
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you're filling our mind with peace Thank you
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for our mouth that just brings you praise Thank
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you for everything that you do in Jesus name.
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I pray Amen. Amen. And so turn in next week because
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we are gonna be talking about wisdom for your
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future We love you guys. Stay tuned for next
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week