The Power of the Tongue

By Janice M. Geolin - December 20, 2019

I took over the task of watering the plants in the morning since the day my friends left the flat for the holiday. To be honest, I only saw it as a chore needed to be done quickly. I didn't even notice that there were two withered plants until it was brought to my attention by a friend who I was on a video chat with on the second day of the little assignment. You see in the picture below both plants A and B are in a similar unappealing (brown) state.

On the morning of December 18, I spoke to Plant A while watering:

"You will live and not die."

Now, get this...I haven't talked to plants like that before and still don't. And I don't exactly remember what drove me. I also did not do anything extra like giving it more water nor did I feel anything special when I released those words. I just expected that it will have to live as I said.

The next day as I was about to water them, I could not believe my eyes! I placed the two plants next to each other to see the drastic change that took place! You see brown parts on plant A but see how the leaves are turning green from the bottom all the way up over the next few days. Meanwhile, plant B that I haven't spoken life to remained in its state.

Whether you are a believer or not, there's no denying the existence of the power of the tongue. And no, I'm not writing this to tell people to start conversing with shrubs, but to raise awareness and to encourage using our words wisely.

Proverbs 18:21: "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue."

Jesus demonstrated that when He cursed the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22 and how quickly it withered away! Similar to what Jesus was speaking in Luke 6:28, Paul to the church in Rome says in Romans 12:14, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."

For out of the same mouth come Blessing and Cursing.

To speak life is to bless and to speak death is to curse.

Ever since I committed my life to Christ and knew for myself the reality of being born anew into God's kingdom, and the assurance of His acceptance, I have been in such a crazy adventure of discovering who He is and who I am in Him. I remember few years ago as a babe in the faith how I would have night dreams of me laying hands of on the sick on the street and see them getting healed. Or tornados coming at me, snakes attacking, etc.. but as I speak Jesus' name, they disappear. I didn't even think that was Him directing and revealing to me the authority He has and that He wanted me to understand that.

Several years later, God opened my eyes that there is so much more than just knowing Him mentally. Bless Him for having His way, and I saw myself starting to walk in the power and direction of the Holy Spirit (both in freedom of sin and spiritual gifts for His kingdom's purposes). Oh, I remember after my younger brother was baptized, I had an intense dream wherein I saw the devil sat on my chest strangling me. But at the name of Jesus, he fled. And I was then able to move and wake up.

Even with those past dreams and going out preaching the Gospel to the lost and healing the sick since that time, I haven't really given the "speaking life" aspect or the power of the tongue that much thought as I do now after the plant experience. But speaking life to a discouraged soul, a malfunctioning body part, speaking death to illnesses or curses would be pretty much the same thing as speaking life to a dead plant, wouldn't it?

So from a withered state to being alive the next day? It really shouldn't catch me off guard to think that miracles follow as I testify of Jesus for 3 years now. But wow I was still at a loss for words. The visual captivated my attention so much that it made way for things to come to light! (Not that I would consider experiences above scripture, but it did give me some insights.)

I know some of you might probably be thinking right now, "Uh-oh, that sounds very new age!" Maybe even NAR or whatever white magic casting spells and magical words cult. Before you run with that thought, allow me to share with you just a couple of things. I truly believe that the end results could not justify unscriptural means. And miracles performed in Jesus' name do not necessarily mean it has God's endorsement. And I could talk about the plant experience in so many different angles, but I am just going to focus and share how it spoke to me as a believer, a channel through which the power of the Holy Spirit flows. :)

Sometimes we can easily give up thinking nothing is happening especially when there's no instant physical evidence after praying over or speaking life to people's soul/spirit/body. But seeing that plant coming to life indeed encouraged me!
It could be a good visual for people who say unbelievable things over themselves or other people. So imagine when you say, "You're always a troublemaker" to a 4-year old kid and wonder why that kid grows up a trouble maker. Or you saying to yourself, "There is no cure for this type of disease." and wonder why you're still not healed.
Whether we realize it or not, many times we are believing when we don't think we are. And there are times we are not believing when we think we are. And sometimes we think we know what believing is because there is a certain feeling that goes with it and until we get that feeling, we feel like we don't think we have believed. But feeling and believing have got nothing to do with each other.

Here's a photo of the plants 9 days later.

(Updated on December 27, 2019)

So, what happened to the other plant? I honestly felt bad for the other plant. So I did the same few days later. But when I was speaking life to it, my eyes and thoughts were fixated on the withered branches that were broken. Days have passed and I did not see any changes. And at that moment, I was then reminded how easily unbelief comes in when we fix our eyes on or trust more the things we see. It also reminded me that when we lay hands, we don't lay hands to check if we could do it, we lay hands because we believe He is able and He already paid the price. And when we believe, we receive.

And that's how this experience brought to light the power of tongue visually. I believe when we are on the journey of faith, we start small and then He takes us deeper and on to new adventures. It's like reading the Bible, as we read the verses in different season (all seasons are equally good and important), it becomes more life as we live it. And as we live it, we get to a point where we understand it in a deeper way. And what motivates us is that we are born anew able to commune with an omnipresent God that we may be able to do the works and take on the paths which He planned beforehand so we may walk in them in the light of His word and under the direction of His Spirit.