Hung by the Tongue Book Summary
I Peter 3:10 Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongue from evil and their lips from speaking deceit.
Life and good days are promised to those of us who will dare to change our words. We are created in God’s image. There is no other species on earth that has the unique ability to speak and to create our own future. In Romans 4;17 God called those things that were not as though they were. We have this ability to believe, decide and to speak.
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Jesus related to a Kingdom Principle in Mark 11:23 which is a LAW that cannot be broken. A man or woman driving a speeding car around a curve might break a man-made law(the posted speed limit) and get away with it occasionally. However, there is a law of physics on that curve. It is not posted or known, but it cannot be broken or the car will flip or slide out of the curve.
We cannot break the law of Gravity and get away with it. Neither can we break the law of Having What We Say and get away with that.
Gal 5:7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.God tells us in Romans 12 to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed (changed by renewing our minds. We have a free will to declare a thing and it will come to pass. Sometimes we have allowed bad things to go unchallenged in our life. We will never rise above what we allow ourselves to think.
Be Careful What You Say to Your Children and Grandchildren
The most powerful words spoken over us have been from our parents. We might compare our mind to a computer. The computer is only the hardware. Our environment programs it as we grow up. Like a computer, viruses can attack. There is only one software to reprogram our mind. That is God’s Word.
Three Sources of Thought
1. Our five senses
2. The devil
3. God by His Holy Spirit.
“Thoughts are Seeds Planted in the Garden of the Mind.”
No matter what the situation might be, if you can put correct thoughts in you mind and get those thoughts to become an imagination and then a stronghold; that Word will burn in your mind and come out your mouth. It will direct your path.
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You Must Know God’s Will for Your Life.
He has a wonderful plan for you. Ask Him what His plan is. When He gives you a piece of the plan, take the step. He won’t show you the second step until you complete the first.
“If you do not know the will of God for your life, just how can you direct your faith? You cannot.”
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These Things Ought Not to Be
Mt 12:34-37 Jesus is teaching on words. He tells us our words will be composed from what is stored in our heart, good or bad.
Just as a fountain should not send forth both salt and fresh water, a man’s mouth should not speak both good and bad.
The HEART is the Combination of the Spirit, Soul and Body
There is a chain of command. God speaks to our recreated human spirit, our spirit speaks to the soul (mind, will and emotions) and the soul instructs the body.
“When our complete HEART is obeying God’s directions, we will produce God-directed words.”
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God Had to Shut the Mouth of Some
Joshua 6:10 The men were instructed to make no sound with their mouth until the 7th round around the walls of Jericho on the seventh day.
Zacharius’s mouth was closed until his wife bore their son, John the Baptist.
John 18:5-6 Jesus could not speak His name at the trial because it would have freed Him.
Do Not Tell the Devil What is Going On
The devil cannot read your mind. He can only hear your words. ONLY tell satan what you want him to know: “Jesus is Lord”, “I am an overcomer.”
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The Tongue Controls Your Life
Proverbs 12:18 The tongue of the wise is health
Samuel 3:19 says that God guards our words if they are correct.
James 3 likens the tongue to a rudder on a ship. The rudder controls the direction of the ship. The tongue controls the direction of your life.
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The Tongue Brings Increase or Decrease
Do not allow yourself to talk yourself out of your hair, teeth or sight.
Psalms 103:5 The Lord satisfies my mouth with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
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Make a Decision
I am purposed in my heart that my mouth shall not transgress. Ps 17:3
Eccl 5:6 Suffer not (permit not) your mouth to cause your flesh to sin.
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We are the Ministers of Life, Not Death
You can speak life to someone today. We must refuse to do otherwise. Be careful what you say to others and be careful what you hear from others because Mk 4:24 says it will be multiplied to you.
Hear Words of Life = Life Multiplied
Hear Words of the World = 0 x 100 = 0
Words produce faith good or bad.
Romans 10:17 Faith come by hearingStory of David and Goliath
Giant came out each day to speak words and put fear into the armies of God. He paralyzed them by his words.
Many problems we face come disguised as giants.
David had hidden the Word in his heart while singing and praising as he shepherded the sheep. These words of fear from the giant could not enter his heart.
We Too Can Build Ourselves Up by Singing, Praising, Studying God’s Word to Get it in our Heart
“Determine in your heart to confess the Word of God over every situation —- no matter how it looks.
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Christian Curses
Our words have power to bless or curse.
We have the power of Life and Death. The devil has only the power of death, and Jesus overcame that.
“Life and Death are in the power of the tongue.”
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The Courtroom of the Universe
Our earthly courtroom compares to Heaven’s courtroom.
1. Judge has reverence – Our Father God
2. Defense Attorney – I Jn 2:1 Jesus is our Advocate
3. Prosecuting Attorney – Satan, who is the Father of Lies
A Lie Can’t Hurt You Unless You Believe IT.
4. Jury – I Cor 6 We the saints will judge the world and angels
5. The Law – The Word of God
6. The Charges – even if true, REPENT and be forgiven
7. The Evidence – Our Actions – James 2:17 Faith without works is dead.
If you Were Put on Trial for Being a Christian, Would You be Convicted
Story of the Grain of Sand
Even though the tide comes in and covers the sand, it cannot stay. The little grain of sand says to the mighty wave that has covered him up, “you gotta go back, you gotta go back.” Jer 5:22 God has placed the sand for the boundary of the sea.
Job 22:28 We shall also decree a thing and it shall be established. When calamity comes we say:
You Gotta Go Back, You Gotta Go Back. I declare Victory.
8. Verdict – We are winners before the trial begins when we declare the word.
9. The Sentence Must be Carried Out – Heb 1:14 says the angels are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.
We have been given FULL PARDON.
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The Fear Factor
Fear can be acute or chronic. It can be good or bad.
Good Fear – The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom
Bad Fear – The Fear of Man Brings a Snare
366 times the Bible says “Do not fear.”
Fear can be a terrible task master. Fear and Faith come by hearing.
Faith = acting as if God told you the TRUTH. Faith will motivate you.
Fear comes by hearing: the bad news from the doctor, the news, the devil. It will also motivate you. This fear must be overcome. Fear will color what you see.
Both fear and faith produce.
Job 3:25 For the thing that I greatly feared has come upon me.We must choose to never give life to fears that attack us. We do not believe lies and will not allow ourselves to believe fears.
Go to the Word, read prayerfully in faith. God is faithful. He will give you a promise —> faith to say to the giant wave:
You Gotta Go Back, You Gotta Go Back!
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The Paradox of Fear
Fear will PREVENT us from speaking in faith. Fear will take us downward. We do not ever remain neutral.
As we grow older “the natural trend” is to grow weaker in strength. Our ability to “contain” (overeating drives, sarcasm, bitterness) grows stronger……UNLESS
We have conquered fear throughout our years through the Love of God.
I John 4:18 Perfect love casts out all fear. The Supernatural trend is for us to grow stronger as we grow older and greet death with a glorious smile.To Fear God is a wonderful Thing
Lk 12:4,5 Fear not man, but fear God.“To Fear God = to have a healthy affectionate ‘reverence’ towards Him, with an earnest desire to please Him, couples with a knowledge of danger if we become rebellion.”
Lack of Fear = story of Ananais and Sapphira. Without fear of God, we will do all manner of godless things.
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More Fearful Thoughts
Prov 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but he who puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe.To be free of fear does NOT mean to be stupid or foolish.
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Who is Not Affected by Fear?
No one is excluded as a candidate for fear.
“It is easy to be bold in worldly things (wine, women, song and sports) but very humbling to be bold in the things of God.
Christianity is Not for Sissies
We should fear a heart that is fearful of man and has no fear of God.
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Childhood memories
0-6 = the Formative Years —> children are serious, aggressive learners. They learn to speak their native language, to read and to write. During those years they are molded into the type of adult they will become.
7th Birthday – You as parents have completed their training
13th Birthday – All them to make small decisions and require them to be responsible for actions and duties.
Think About Your Childhood Memories
Prayerfully Ask God to heal, renew, restore you for a bright and new future.
Life is good in Christ. Don’t accept less.
Childhood memories and experiences CAN BE OVERCOME and redeemed through Christ Jesus if you renew your mind to the Word.