The book of Acts talks of an almost shipwreck incident that involved Apostle Paul. He gave a vivid account of what happened, but our main interest is in how a captain can change the direction of a ship tossed by strong winds by simply knowing where he must go and turning the rudder in a direction that takes the boat there.

[Acts 27:40 KJV] “And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.”

Your life is as a ship at sail on the mighty oceans tossed to and fro by the winds. The captain and sailors have no control over the winds and storms and event but they have control over the helm, rudder, mast, and poles of the ship. There are times when you don’t have control over the storms and winds, but you always have control over the helm, rudder and mast of your life.

I came to encourage you tonight that you can change the direction your life is going by simply changing what you say. Your tongue is the helm that determines the direction of your life. When a man or woman masters his or her tongue, that person has taken charge of their life and destiny. The ship of your life ends up where your tongue takes it. You are the captain of your boat. You are in charge, and no man can help you until you decide to help yourself.

Even salvation by faith is in our mouths. Your senses determine what enters your heart. What you see, listen, smell, taste, and feel determines what your heart receives. Whatever fills your heart will determine what your mouth will say. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

It is, however, important to understand that your tongue and words determine the direction of your life. Your tongue is the helm that steers the ship.

[James 3:2‭-‬8 KJV] “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

The Bible says that just as the bit in a horse’s mouth is used to control its whole body, and as the helm of a ship is used to control and steer the whole ship, so the tongue of a man controls the whole man. The Bible says that if a man can tame his tongue, his whole body will be under control.

The Bible teaches that the tongue is a fire and a world of iniquity. An untamed tongue can;

Defile the while body
Set the course of nature on fire
Set on the fire of Hell

Let us be very careful with the use of our tongue. Many have gone to an early grave, many are living difficult lives, and many more will go to hell because of the unruly use of the tongue.

Remember that;

The tongue cannot easily be tamed
The tongue is disorderly
The tongue is full of deadly poison.

Let us be very very careful about how we use our tongue. You may run your mouth and nobody will say anything, but spiritually you will ruin your life and destiny. Sometimes, in your anger, you could speak anyhow to people; people far older than you, people who have sacrificed so much to make you into what you are now because you are now powerful. They may not say anything but you have defiled yourself in so doing. I pray that from today you will bridle your tongue and use words wisely.

I have seen ministries that were doing well run down by the mouths of supposed sons and daughters. Sometimes, you lift your mouth and speak of the ills of your father or mother not knowing that you are shutting the bowels of mercy to your life. The same standards by which you judged another man’s servant shall be used in judging you. May the Lord graciously forgive us.

Some of us have caused our fathers great pain. Our words have greatly hurt people who stood for us and by us and with us. It is one thing to have deserted me, but it is another thing to poison others against me before leaving.

Listen, I pray that you will bridle your tongue. The truth is simple; you can change the direction of your life by changing what you say. You are the captain of this ship called your life, use your tongue wisely. The simple steps to use your tongue wisely are;

1. Know where your life must go:

Life without a clear sense of vision is a catastrophe in waiting. Get a clear vision of where your life must go and speak in that direction.

2. Guard your heart with all diligence, be selective in what you feed on:

Remember this: garbage in, garbage out! When you feed your spirit on junk, you will live a junky life. When you see, listen, smell, feel and taste the right things you will be filled with the right things. When you entertain the poisonous tongue of a talebearer, you will live a poisoned life full of hate and bitterness.

3. Speak what you want to see and not what you see:

The captain does not turn the helm where the ship is going, he turns it where he wants it to go. Speak of the future you want to see and not the past you hate or the present you are struggling with.