Bridget Casey Supporter Thankful Servant of GOD!!!

Before I got saved, I used to constantly curse & say horribly inappropriate things, & unfortunately, sometimes I would take it too far. In the Bible we are told to be VERY careful as to what comes out of our mouths. We will answer to God before the Judgement Seat, for every wrong thing that leaves our lips. We will have to atone for all that is not good in the eyes of our Lord. 

After I became born again, I tried SO hard to stop the foulness that kept entering my mind, & leaving my lips. At first, I didn't do that well. It seemed as if it were an impossible feat! I was trying to keep those thoughts & words out of my mouth, & my mind, but everywhere I went there were people cursing or just saying inappropriate things. Even when I watched TV there was the same thing! It seemed like there wasn't ANY place that I could go that didn't make it feel like it was even MORE impossible! 

It says in the Bible to guard the windows to your soul. I DEFINITELY saw the importance of that verse! I ended up taking my fiance's advice. He suggested that I just rebuke the devil EVERY time that I noticed an inappropriate thought, or anytime anything came out of my mouth! I said "I rebuke you satan in the name of Jesus Christ!". I must have said that hundreds of times a day at first. Even if it was back to back, I just didn't stop, because I knew that he wouldn't! I would say it out loud as often as I could, & if I was in a situation where I couldn't, that was the ONLY time that I said it in my head. 

Just as we are supposed to say it out loud when we pray, it's important to rebuke out loud as well, because words travel MUCH faster than anything else. We are SO blessed to be able to use the name of Jesus to rebuke the devil! When we do so, he has to obey. Even if we have to say it over & over, the more vigilant we are, the better off we'll be in the long run. 

I have stopped cursing & saying inappropriate things, although I'm not perfect, & sometimes something will slip out of my mouth, but I rebuke him, & return to what I was doing. Our Father has given us the power & authority over the devil & his cohorts. God has given us SO many tools, & remember, that we are to be strong in Him! 

We use God's strength not ours. What a relief! We HAVE the strength of GOD, we just need to use what He has given us! It doesn't happen overnight, but I PROMISE that if you rebuke him out loud in the name of Jesus, & stay vigilant, you WILL quit swearing! May God continue to bless you, & I will keep you in my prayers! Remember, we are at war with principalities & powers, not with men.

October 19 2014 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

les Silliman Supporter Retired carpenter, father of 4, Grandfather of 14.

It has been my experience that my mind will focus on the things that are fed to it. Therefore, I try to feed my mind with as much positive input as possible. There is an old saying, "Garbage in, garbage out." What this means is that we are a product of our surroundings, so we need to control those surroundings to the best of our ability. 

When we work in an environment where we can not control what we hear from co-workers we need to work extra hard to find ways to offset that influence with what we hear and read at other times. I do this by keeping Christian music as the only thing I listen to in my car/truck, and seeking Christian programing or at least wholesome and morally strong programing when I watch TV. It is also important to read my Bible every morning, even when I don't really absorb what I am reading it is still a foundation for my thoughts throughout the day. The more of the positive influence we feed our minds the less the negative will affect our thoughts.

October 19 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Lena Wms Supporter Student @Christ Gospel Church, S.S.Teacher, Observer

Dear Christian Friends, I can certainly empathize with this issue. First, let's look at the main issue. The enemy of our souls has tricked us into believing that the initial thought is our own. This is incorrect. Remember Scripture states we do not fight against flesh and blood but against principalities and rulers of darkness etc. (Eph 6:12) So the thought is not ours, but when we continue to think upon it, now it becomes our thought, we have chewed on it worked it over in our minds. Then it produces feelings, then the feelings produces deeds.

Thoughts produces feelings
Feelings produces deeds

This is true--either good or evil. So once we have established this principle, and we know where the thought originated, then we can use the tools we have been given to fight our enemy.

We are to put on the Helmet of Salvation, (Eph. 6:17) to guard our minds. One might ask what this is and how to do it? Again, we must look to the Scriptures. (Eph. 5:19) Speak to ourselves, sing of God's works to ourselves.

When people around us are cussing, we ask God to cover our minds in His Son's Blood and we should lift up His Holy Name, praising Him for all He has done in our life. 

If we can't think of anything right that second, "God I thank you I am not going to hell because of Your Son, Jesus!" This is how we put on the Helmet of Salvation, pleading the Blood of Jesus over our mind. 

The Word says to pray without ceasing. (1 Thes 5:17) The Blood of Jesus is powerful and it fights for us, but only if we are willing to use it. 

It takes prayer and diligence to break the enemy's attack. However, we are certainly not alone in this battle. King David poured out several Psalms dealing with his tongue. Apostle Paul, Apostle Peter, Apostle James all exhorted in their letters, "Watch your speech." (in so many words). 
(Ps 34:13, Ps 141:3, Eph 4:29, 1Pet 3:10, Jam 1:26)

As we approach the soon Coming of Jesus, the world is becoming a much nastier place. As the evil prepares to overtake the world, the fight for Christ becomes much more difficult. But, Scripture gives us so much hope! (Isa. 59:19) When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall raise up a standard against him! The word standard in the Hebrew means escape.

Bless His Holy NAME!

Be Blessed
Lena

October 19 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kathy Brundidge Supporter church of Christ

I have the same problem, and I have made a conscious effort not to let the foul language leave my brain. When I get angry, I have learned to substitute the bad words with good words. When watching a movie or TV show that might have foul language in it, that's when the problem comes in. I have a habit of hearing the dialogue before it's spoken, so I don't watch anything where every other word is foul.

My younger children don't cuss, because of the rule set in place by my husband and myself. The rule is, when you hear your parents cuss, then you have permission to cuss. This rule keeps us on the straight and narrow, because we keep a tight rein on ourselves when we get angry. The Bible says, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:26-27, 29.

I never heard my parents cussing, ever, and that helps too. You could also take your cussing co-workers aside, one by one, and tell them that their actions are causing you to stumble, and ask them to stop doing that around you. Maybe they'll stop, maybe they won't, that's on them. Members of the church of Christ stand out because they stand on the word of God, so when sin happens, they have to point it out. Using foul language is sinful behavior.

October 19 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Elmire Rowe Jr. Supporter

Philippians 4:8 Meditate on These Things
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things.

October 19 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Billy P Eldred Supporter

All the above answers are good ones. I would like to add some simple advice. 

To borrow a cliché, "practice makes perfect". If we have been in the world for very long we have developed bad habits. Habits are hard to break.

The first step is to want to stop. 

The next step is to practice. 

The third is to lean on the Holy Spirit. Through prayer and being open to His voice. 

Actually, the third step should be first, but we don't know it until we get through the first two. 

Finally, as much as possible we need to limit our exposure from others using the language.

October 19 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report