Part 2- Not Slanderers: Guarding Your Words

Welcome back to a woman of the word. This is part two and in part one We talked about what it means to be reverent in behavior and to carry a posture that reflects God's presence in every area of your life not just inside the church but in every area of your life and Today as we go a step deeper because how we live on the outside always starts with what comes out of our mouth We're gonna talk about the second part of Titus chapter 2 verse 3 to 5 and the part spoke about not being Slanderers, okay So Titus chapter 2 verse 3 starts off by saying that the older woman likewise that they be reverent in behavior And then it goes to not slanderers now This is where it gets serious the Greek word translated slanderers here is that diabolos and that is the very same word used in scripture For the devil the accuser the one who tears down Paul is not exaggerating He is making a very pointed statement when a woman Gossips when she tears someone down with her words when she uses her tongue to damage another person's reputation She's doing the enemy's work a woman of the word guards her mouth. She covers faults She prays a person's name instead of repeating what she heard about them She understands that I'm just being honest is not a silence to wound someone the Holy Spirit teaches restraint over time He turns our words into instruments of mercy not weapons of destruction The Bible talks about how life and death are in the power of the tongue We find that in Proverbs chapter 18 verse 21 which says death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it would eat its fruit and then there is The story of Miriam in Numbers chapter 12 Miriam was a prophetess a leader Moses own sister And yet she spoke against Moses and criticized him and the consequences were swift Numbers chapter 12 verse 10 says when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle suddenly Miriam who was Moses's sister Became leprous as white as snow. She was anointed. She was gifted a slander Coster and this is something that we do not take lightly This is not something to take lightly because think about it Moses own sister who was a prophetess who was anointed who was gifted Slander Coster because she slandered because she went against Moses with her words She was full of leprosy and this is the way that we should literally take what being Slender is means we should not be a woman who slander We have a lot of woman in the body of Christ who are slandering other

Woman a lot of woman in the body of Christ who are slandering churches slandering their husband Slandering their children and we may be thinking that we're not because we think we're just being honest We're just telling the truth But that's not being honest when you are using your words to tear somebody down that is not being honest Your words should be used to lift someone up your words should be used to edify Someone your words should be used to speak life into someone your words should be used to pray for someone I want to give you an example Let's say you have your mom and you know Your mom loves to gossip and you call your mom because you have to check on your mom. That's your mom You love your mom But the moment she starts gossiping about your sister who is also your family member because remember we're talking about Moses Sister who was a prophetess that was talking wrongly about Moses Literally had to pay the cost because of her slander, right? And so we have to take this lightly not out of a demonic fear, but out of a holy Reverence fear for the Lord We should not be gossiping with her mom the moment your mom turns around and starts talking about your sister For instance, you should politely lovingly say mom. I do not want to gossip I do not want to say these things about my sister. She is not on this call It is not right and this is the way that you teach Woman this is the way that you show Woman what it means to be a woman of the word because this is big Remember what the Greek word for slander is diabolos Literally the same word used for Satan So when you gossip and slander someone's name and gossip about the person you're operating Just like the devil and I do not think we should take that lightly at all We do not want to be a woman who operates just like the enemy a woman who does not slander She covers faults and praise names instead of repeating them when someone tries to pull her into gossip She redirects with grace just like what I was talking about with your mom Do not redirect her with condemning her and say mom. I don't want to talk about this No, you redirect her with grace

Even if it's a friend you have a friend who likes to gossip and all the friend likes to do when you get around her It's just gossip about people you have to read your friend in the right way and say hey we should not be talking about this person let's pray for them instead and you don't judge them right you you can teach them and help them but you don't become self-righteous right because you can also fall short there's there's scripture that talks about you who are mature in something and knows about something you you are to correct that other person but with compassion have a compassion for them knowing that you too were in that same position one time right you two also dealt with this as well and so you correct them with grace and you pray you yourself do it and when you start doing it and you and that starts being your nature your nature starts being I will not gossip you will naturally not want to gossip you will naturally pray for the person instead of repeating it and yes you can gossip with your husband you can literally gossip with your significant other you can gossip with your husband you can gossip with the one that you are wanting the flesh with you think that you're just being honest about what you discerned but truly you are gossiping about someone you're slandering them a life and death is in the power of the tongue so whether you're talking to your mother you're talking to your sister you're talking to your husband you're talking to your pastor make sure that you're speaking life and you will not speak in death because a woman who doesn't do this a woman who does gossip she uses I'm just being honest as a disguise for tearing people down her words leave people feeling exposed and not encouraged at all and we are not here to expose anybody we are here to encourage people you can see something wrong about someone but you are here to help that person you are here to pick up their cross with them you are here to pray for them you are here to intercede for them you are here to love them just as you love yourself because you wouldn't want someone to gossip about you to slander you so this is what you are here to do so this is what I want you guys to take away with this I want you guys to take away this question do my words release healing or suspicion think about

it when you're talking does your words release healing or suspicion when you're talking about someone when you're praying about someone when you are met whatever it is are is your words producing healing or suspicion for the person this is what I want you guys to think about because we do not want to be a diabolos we do not want to operate as a diabolos we want to operate as a holy reverend woman who does not slander anyone else let me pray for you holy spirit brittle every single person's tongue that is watching right now that is taking this course teach them to be disciplined Lord teach them what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman to open their mouth with wisdom to carry kindness in their tongue where they use words to wound people Lord bring healing instead where they have repeated what they should have prayed Lord forgive them and restore what was broken make their mouth a tool in your hands not a weapon in the enemies in Jesus name Amen God bless you and I will catch you in part 3 of the woman of the word you