Learning to Tame the Tongue
David Wilkerson's sermon emphasizes the critical relationship between our hearts and the words we speak, urging believers to seek God's help in taming their tongues through intimacy with Him.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the profound connection between our words and the condition of our hearts, reminding us that our speech reveals our inner selves. He highlights the biblical truth that while taming the tongue is a daunting task, it is essential for living a life pleasing to God. Wilkerson urges believers to seek intimacy with Jesus, as this closeness brings about transformation and conviction regarding our speech. He stresses the importance of accountability for our words, as they will be judged, and encourages prayer for the right words and thoughts. Ultimately, he calls for a heart aligned with God's holiness to produce good fruit in our speech.
Text
The words we speak reflect what is in our hearts. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). Your tongue speaks only what is in your heart.
Remember when you said something naughty as a child? Your mother was quick to correct you and perhaps discipline you in some way, right? But now that you are an adult, you must take seriously the admonition of the Scripture that we are to tame our tongue. "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8).
As Christians, we must face the indisputable fact that the heart is unclean, defiled, and often we speak ungodly things. "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:35-37).
Those are the words of Jesus and we need to take them to heart. Anyone who wants to live pleasing to the Lord must constantly go into his presence until he obtains a vision of God's holiness. All healing, all true blessings, all victories begin at his throne, which is where we see God in his holiness.
The secret to victory over anything in your life is closeness to Jesus -- intimacy with him -- knowing him! Drawing near to his presence will reveal what is in your heart. If you gossip or allow unkind things come out of your mouth, go to the Lord and ask him to help you. And ask the Holy Spirit to put conviction on you each time you start to say something careless, unthinking or unkind.
May the prayer of your heart be, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).
Sermon Outline
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I
- The connection between the heart and the tongue
- Scriptural references to the tongue's power
- The need for self-examination
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II
- The challenge of taming the tongue
- The nature of the tongue as described in James 3:8
- Consequences of idle words
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III
- The importance of God's holiness
- Seeking intimacy with Jesus
- Prayer for guidance in speech
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IV
- The role of the Holy Spirit in conviction
- The necessity of accountability in speech
- The impact of words on our spiritual life
Key Quotes
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” — David Wilkerson
“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” — David Wilkerson
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Regularly examine your heart to ensure your words reflect God's truth.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance to help you speak with kindness and truth.
- Cultivate a closer relationship with Jesus to transform your speech.