Accusations (3) Idle Words

Jesus warned his followers that they would have to give an account for all the “idle words they have spoken.

I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken (Matt 12:36).

On that day when we stand before the Lord, we will be embarrassed by our sins and the things that we have not done. We will be shocked most by the harm that we have done to other Christians by our idle words. These are words that we have not thought about much, but Satan had heard them and used them to accuse the person and punish them with sickness or trouble.

Idle words are spoken, or thought, in various situations. Often they are part of a conversation that turns into gossip. Sometimes they can be a response to a question about someone. Idle words can be come testimonies that support and accusation can in two different ways.

• The simpliest idle word is an direct accusation.
  

  He was stingy to the poor person who asked.
  She got angry when she was challenged.
  He exagerates all the time.
  I think that she was lying.
  He always take more than his share.

• Some idle words are actually prophecies about a person’s future.
  

  He will eventually lose his money
  That will turn out bad for her.
  He will lose his job
  She will not be healed
  That sickness will return.

Satan can use these words as a testimony about the person spoken about. Ideally, he needs to find three people saying the same thing. He really loves gossip, because that is a good way to get people to agree with an accusation.

Satan likes testimonies from Christians because they have more credibility. He can say, “This witness is a Christians, so their words are reliable.”

The biblical principle is that we should never say things about another person that we have not said to them. If we are concerned about something a brother or sister has done, we should speak to them first. Only if they refuse to listen should we speak about it to others.

We must learn to be more careful about how we speak about others. Idle words spoken against other believers become testimonies that Satan can use to accuse them. If he can get several witnesses to agree, he gains the right to harm the believer. Several idle words that agree can be used by the spiritual powers of evil and used to gain authority over the person accused.