We all know sticks and stones don’t hurt as much as another person’s words. If you didn’t know, then now you know. If you did know, then you know how your tongue is a lethal weapon and you will use it to lash at others, cutting them to shreds. Or perhaps you have been the victim of said lashing. But maybe we have more self esteem than that. Other peoples words have little to no bearing on us. In that case, our own words become our own mortal enemy– they betray us, often inflicting more damage to our psyche than our baby boomer parents. Yes, those poisonous words in our mouths serve more evil than good and cause more sabotage than anything else we do. Therefore the power of words shouldn’t be taken lightly; especially the power of our own words to ourselves. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. – Joshua 1:8 Joshua was the leader of Israel after Moses. He was the apprentice of the man that saw God face to face. He was the spy who witnessed first hand how words led to the demise of his mentor and to the entire first generation of Israelites leaving Egypt. What was probably racing through his mind as he began the Israelite conquest of Canaan– “you will never be able to conquer because God isn’t with you a like He was with Moses.” He probably doubted himself with the task at hand. He knew he wasn’t as educated, he wasn’t as prepared and he wasn’t as big as his enemies. He was just a slave boy when he left Egypt. He wasn’t a former Prince of Egypt. God tells Joshua an interesting thing: he says, “you may not have the words to make yourself prosperous in what you are about to do, but I do.” God tells Joshua, “repeat my words, let what I say I am dictate who you are and what you are capable of doing.” In doing so, he reminds Joshua, that the Book of Law starts with how God, his God was capable enough to create the universe. If words like these remind us to rely on a power not out own, what is it that we can’t do? If in my mouth are the words of God that create and finish, and this is what we tell ourselves, who are we to fear? A lot of us have a problem. We have damaging words, cheating words, broken words in our mouths. Those words cripple us and harm us at every facet of life. It’s time to stop damaging ourselves with the words of a liar in our mouths. It is time for us to keep the words of God in our mouths and recite them. To remind us of the glory and honor of who God is and what we are to become because of it. In your mouth right now should be the words of a loving God, who saves wretched souls like us. Be encouraged, have God’s words in your mouth.