In Genesis Chapter 1, God spoke and Creation came into being. In Chapter 2, God spoke and gave Man one simple rule. In Chapter 3, Satan spoke, Man responded, and sin came to be.
If we had just shut our mouths and ignored that evil serpent, we would have been fine. We didn't. We talked about it. Satan talked to Eve, Eve talked to Adam, Adam lied to God.
When words are many, sin is not absent.
This does not mean, of course, that we should live our lives with our hands over our mouths. We are to praise God with our lips, honor Him with our mouths, and speak His Word to the world. We are to use words to build up and encourage, or to reprove and correct in love.
And then shut up!
Our problem, my problem, is that Satan loves to talk. He understands the power of words. He understands that our tongue, in the words of James 3:6, is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
The more I talk, the more the fire spreads.
People love to talk.
As with most things, this is neither good nor bad in and of itself. Communication is key to relationships, and relationships are key to life. The problem comes when we let Satan do our talking for us.
King David understood this. In Psalm 141:3 he says, "Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Why would David ask God to set a guard over his mouth if there was nothing to guard against? David understood the tools of Satan, and that one of his greatest tools is our very own tongues. People love to talk. So does Satan.
What could go wrong?
Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
This jewel of wisdom comes from Jesus Himself in Matthew 12:34. He goes on to say that good things come (out of the mouth) from the good stored up in a man's heart, while evil things come (out of the mouth) from the evil stored up in a man's heart.
What goes in will come out.
I've used this expression from a friend before, but it bears repeating: Garbage in, garbage out.
Satan loves garbage.
When to talk, and when to shut up.
What's the condition of your heart? Are you full of God's love and wisdom? Have you stored up His Word in your heart? Are you right with God? Then speak, and healing waters will flow.
On the other hand, if you are you angry, frustrated, bitter, hurt, jealous, envious, or otherwise full of garbage, shut your mouth. It is at those times that many words will simply multiply sin.
Let God be your guide. If the Spirit is telling you to speak, then by all means raise your voice. If, on the other hand, that still, quiet voice inside you is saying to hold your tongue, grab hold of that glowing ember of evil and tie it in a knot.
As Solomon said in Proverbs 17:28, Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Want to keep Satan at bay?
Hold your tongue. It's one of the greatest weapons he has.
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