I Don't, Do You?

The Bible speaks powerfully about the necessity of bringing the tongue under submission to the Holy Spirit - Jesus, in fact, said that the words of our mouth were related to what was contained within our
hearts; i.e. our words are indicators of what's in our souls. In James 3, we can read:
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

No man, or human being, can tame the tongue - that is straight from the Word; but the good news is that the power of the Spirit can bring the words we speak under the submission of the Lord.  We just have to release His power and recognize our capability.  And, if we are convinced of our true identity in Christ, then our words can line up with that.  If we speak in a manner that is consistent with who we are in Christ, then ultimately we will act in accordance with that.  Conversely, if we speak in a contradictory manner to who the Word says we are, that can reverse the course of our lives and have negative consequences for our spiritual lives.

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Jesus addressed the relationship between the heart, or the human spirit, and the mouth in Luke
chapter 6:
43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Words matter.

As someone who deals professionally in the commerce of words, I have experienced that firsthand - and to a certain extent, it is something I face every single day.

And so do you.

The right word or words spoken at the right time in the right way can alter a situation, they can change the course of a conversation.  And, if we truly believe what Jesus said about words being indicators of what's in our hearts, then we can see there is a relationship between our convictions, the words we speak, and the way we act.

CBN.com has a story about a recent survey that I find intriguing.  The "Healthy Living" column by Lorie Johnson says that:

Research shows a remarkable difference between the words, "I can't" and "I don't" when faced with temptation. The way we frame that refusal determines whether we follow-through on it.

In a study of nearly 500 participants faced with various temptations, a mere 10 percent had the strength to resist when they said the words, "I can't," compared to an astounding 90 percent who said, "I don't."

The test subjects were divided into two groups, the "I can't," group and the "I don't" group. Each group used their phrase for nearly two weeks when faced with all types of temptations, such as eating unhealthy food and skipping workouts. The "I don't" group won in a landslide.

Johnson quotes study co-author Dr. Vanessa Patrick, associate professor of marketing at the University of Houston: "Saying, 'I can't' signals that you're giving up something desirable, but saying, "I don't" gives you a sense of empowerment.  

The author points out, "That sense of self-control that comes from uttering out loud or even thinking the words, 'I don't' helped study participants achieve a number of personal goals."  She keys in on the concept of "self-talk," in other words what we tell ourselves about ourselves.

I agree with her - I think there are some powerful truths here about the words we speak, even to ourselves.  It is clear from this study that two little words were instrumental in changing behavior.  I think that the words, "I can't" are defeatist in nature and address what we cannot do.  "I don't" are words that speak to our identity - who we are.  And, if we believe there are certain things that we have the capability to accept or refuse to act on, this survey shows us that how we use corresponding words can help bring about the desired result. 

This is apparently a secular survey, but there are principles that correspond to the Bible.  For instance, Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.  He also said that by your words you will be justified or condemned.   And, regarding self-talk, we have to be careful with the messages we are sending to our minds.  If we see ourselves as more than conquerors through Christ and that we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, we can determine the course of our lives.  We teach ourselves, empowered by the Holy Spirit, how to resist temptation and embrace the power of the new creation.

We have enormous capabilities as believers in Jesus Christ - we can be challenged to think and speak in a manner consistent with who we are, and that can play a key role in determining how we will act. If we don't see ourselves (or tell ourselves) that we are children of God, deeply loved and endued with special capabilities as the result of our new nature and the indwelling Spirit of God, then we are in danger of defaulting to the whims of the flesh.  The Spirit is activated as we place ourselves in agreement with God's Word.