Wealth Is First in Your Tongue: Solomon and the Power of Words

Sermon outline

Solomon understood that words create life or death, so speak God's Word, bless instead of curse, and use your words to water your dreams, because wealth and riches are first in your tongue.

1. Words create life or death around us

   Under stress and the daily grind we speak negative things and then think someone else is cursing us, when we have spoken death into our own lives and are reaping today what our words sowed yesterday. Solomon collected 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs because he understood the effect words have on others. When God's Word grows in your heart it takes you out of the mould people put you in and reverses the curses spoken over you.

   Illustration: When he was growing up, teachers spoke words of death over children who were hyperactive, talkative or questioning, putting a ceiling on their lives, probably out of ignorance.

   “When somebody puts a ceiling on your life, it's a floor to your next level that raises you and lifts you up.”

   • 1 Kings 4:32
   • John 10:10

2. Solomon painted a picture of peace and lifted people up

   Solomon said God had given him rest on every side, with neither adversary nor evil occurrent; he did not say it was too good to be true. People travelled great distances, like the Queen of Sheba, because his words addressed their fears, spoke against their unbelief and gave them hope, and she noticed that everyone around him was happy. Television is full of psychics and fortune tellers, but the God of the future has already told you in His Word that you have a great future.

   Illustration: Joel Osteen's mother would call him back in front of his high-school friends to tell him he was a blessed person; he was embarrassed, but she knew she was creating a future. In the same way, we don't curse our children: we correct what is wrong, but we bless them.

   “Solomon knew that every time he spoke, he was creating something.”

   • 1 Kings 5:4
   • Philippians 4:6
   • 1 Kings 10:1
   • 1 Kings 10:8
   • Proverbs 8:6
   • Proverbs 10:11

3. 1. Words can poison: be sure of the facts

   Words can poison and destroy a young person's entire life. Before you spread gossip or a rumour about someone, make sure it is factual, because there are always two sides to a story; pause, consider and ask for the other side before you judge.

   “We don't destroy people with lies and maliciousness and gossip.”

   • Proverbs 7:21-23

4. 2 to 4. Right advice protects you; guard your mouth

   Right advice guarantees safety and protection, for in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Anyone who controls their mouth is protecting their own life, because we are made in the image of God, who spoke into chaos and created everything, so our words carry power. Those who talk too much will eventually be destroyed.

   “Any man who controls his mouth is literally protecting his own life.”

   • Proverbs 11:14
   • Genesis 1:3
   • Proverbs 13:3

5. 5 and 6. Your words make friends and reveal wisdom

   Right words can turn an angry man into a friend, and wrong words can turn a friend into an enemy, because a soft answer turns away wrath. Your words also reveal whether you are wise or a fool, and that is one of the things employers watch when they consider promoting you.

   Illustration: When we were younger we were always looking for a fight and thought we knew more than our parents; as you get older you realise you don't know that much.

   “Right words can turn an angry man into a friend, and wrong words can turn a friend into an enemy.”

   • Proverbs 15:1
   • Proverbs 15:2

6. 7 and 8. Right words breathe life and enlarge others

   Right words breathe life into your work, your marriage, your relationships and your finances: if you speak broke, you'll be broke, and what you criticise moves away while what you commend comes towards you. Solomon did not fight other kings but learned from them, and grew richer as people loved to give to him. The purpose of words is to educate, enthuse and enlarge those around you.

   “If you speak broke, you'll be broke. If you speak wealth, you will experience wealth.”

   • Proverbs 15:4
   • Proverbs 15:7

7. 9 to 11. Happiness, caution and deep waters

   Your personal happiness is influenced by the words of your own mouth, so you choose misery or happiness. The wise are sparing with their words. Right words are as important as water on the earth: the words of a man's mouth are deep waters and the wellspring of wisdom a flowing brook, and, like the rudder James speaks of, they change the whole course of your life.

   Illustration: Years ago, talking finances with a relative, he struck his desk and said he was tired of being broke and living paycheck to paycheck; something rose up in him, he got angry with poverty, and that was the day of his change. The children's presentation had shown that the Word of God is a sword.

   “Wealth and riches are first in your tongue.”

   • Proverbs 17:27
   • Proverbs 18:4
   • James 3:4
   • Ephesians 6:17
   • 2 Timothy 1:7

8. 12 and 13. Words cause failure and wound deeply

   Men fail because of the words they speak, for a fool's mouth is his destruction. Relatives who come for help day after day stay the same because their language has not changed; change your language to the Word of God and paint pictures of great things. Wrong words wound and destroy people and friendships, because a talebearer's words go into the innermost parts.

   Illustration: Asked why people leave a church, he answers: ask them; they opened their ears to tales and gossip and thought it wouldn't affect them.

   “If you change your language to the Word of God, you will start to see great things around you.”

   • Proverbs 18:7
   • Proverbs 18:8

9. 14 and 15. Your words decide which dreams live

   God has given you dreams, but your words determine which ones live and which ones die, so use your words to water them. The words you allow others to speak into you decide the wisdom you contain, so hear counsel and receive instruction. Solomon knew words were the difference between his present season and his future season.

   “You need to take your words and start watering your dreams.”

   • Proverbs 19:20

10. 16 and 17. Weigh your words before you speak

    Wrong words are the reason people fall into error. Good men and women study their words before speaking them; people get into trouble on social media because they text and tweet before they think, and words carry a spirit of life or of death.

    Illustration: After he left the government and went into sales, there were days with no customers, and the Lord told him to speak to it. Driving to work he would call customers from the east, west, north and south in Jesus' name, and two or three would come in each day, saying something told them to come, though similar businesses surrounded them.

    “Words carry a spirit. It carries a spirit of life or it carries a spirit of death.”

    • Proverbs 19:27