Latest Devotion
Power of Life and Death
By: Jenny Hinners
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)
This year, the Lord has been reminding me about the impact and power of my words. Like most of you, I have a few ongoing battles in my life. God showed me how my own speech had given the enemy a foothold in those battles. I learned I needed to take my speech to a whole new level because unseen forces are listening.
Our opening verse says we have the power of both life and death in our tongues. Our tongues have also been given authority, and it is part of God’s design for His children. He has equipped us to be a royal priesthood in Jesus' Kingdom, and we are called to use our speech to praise Him (1 Peter 2:9) and encourage others (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
God has authority over darkness, and in His power, we are able to rebuke the darkness from our enemy, Satan. As Christ followers, we shouldn't have any human “enemies,” but if unsaved people don't like us, Jesus says we should love and pray for them instead of cursing them (Matthew 5:44). But it's our choice. We can choose to either bless or curse others with our speech. But we must also be aware that God will hold us accountable for every word we speak.
...everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. Matthew 12:36
Scripture also calls God's Word our sword – and we are told to use it as a weapon against the schemes of the enemy (Ephesians 6:17). But if we're not careful, we can be our own worst enemy by aiming words (our sword) at ourselves! Pause, and think about anything negative that you may have carelessly spoken against yourself. Things like:
- Abilities: “I can’t do _____”
- Physical health: “I’m sick and tired.”
- Mental health: “______ is driving me crazy!”
- Finances: “I can’t afford it”
Be careful with your words! They might give the enemy a foothold to use your negativity against you. We must be careful, and make sure our words aren't in agreement with Satan's goals – to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10).
Change your speech, and it will change your life! Get started by eliminating “I can’t” from your vocabulary. Then be patient with the process – you may have a few slip-ups, but in time, you will have victory with the Lord’s help!