As Christians, there are three areas where we especially need to be very careful to exercise discipline and self-control: our thoughts, our emotions, and our words. Words are containers full of power. We unleash power in our lives by what we speak with our mouth. Our words can unleash either negative, destructive power, or positive, creative power.

We have the power to make our lives either happy or depressed and miserable by what we speak to ourselves and to others. We can make others want to be around us, or make them want to keep away from us, depending on how we speak. Sometimes we have just let ourselves get into bad habits of nagging, gossiping, being negative, backbiting, murmuring, and complaining. We need to learn to discipline our words. The words we speak today, we will be living tomorrow.

Proverbs 10:19 tells us that if we refrain our words, or restrain our words, we are wise. Restrain our words means to keep them under control; to be prudent and disciplined; in other words, not letting our mouths run wild. When we talk too much, we almost always get ourselves in trouble. Pr 10:32 also tells us we should know what is acceptable speech, and what is not acceptable.

It is no wonder that so many Christians are not walking in victory. With our words, we give Satan power over us. James 3:9-12 tells us good and evil should not both be coming out of our mouths. When we have undisciplined mouths and loose speech, we open the door to the devil, and give him a stronghold in our life. If we can learn to control our words, especially when we're angry, we can defeat the devil.

From "Discipline And Self Control" by Joyce Meyer