There’s a very interesting scripture in the Book of James 3:11 that says fresh water and salt water cannot come out of the same spring.
This scripture metaphorically refers to the good and evil words that come out of our mouths. There is a unique correlation between this scripture and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
When we typically think of the Holy Spirit, we often associate Him with assisting us in praying in tongues; but besides this, the Holy Spirit also performs other fascinating functions, including restrain, which I will be discussing in this article.
Speech restraint
One time after I had received the gift of praying in tongues, I engaged in a conversation with a friend. At a certain point, the conversation took a slippery turn when I began recounting events from someone else’s life.
These events were not positive or worthy of celebration, as they involved the struggles a brother was facing. While discussing my brother’s issues, I started to feel a sense of unease and constraint within my heart.
I couldn’t quite comprehend the cause of this feeling, but I knew I needed to stop discussing the matter altogether. I then provided a summary of the story, refraining from delving into the details I initially intended to share.
I felt a deep sorrow in my heart for having spoken about my brother’s challenges. During my next prayer session, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that He does not take pleasure in believers who use their words carelessly yet possess the power of God within them.
The Holy Spirit has a way of intervening when we are about to speak negatively or spread falsehoods. I was surprised to learn that the Holy Spirit actually restricts us in such situations.
The Holy Spirit revealed to me that this was only the initial level of restriction. He went on to explain to me how He carries out constraints among believers.
In my personal experience, the Holy Spirit restricts those who pray in tongues by redirecting their thoughts towards something more positive or beneficial.
Before we speak, we usually think about what we want to say. As soon as we start contemplating our words or the story we are about to share, the Holy Spirit speaks to our minds and hearts. We sense that he does not want us to continue discussing the topic because it would defile us.
It is important to remember that a tongue that has been involved in speaking defiling words is not the same tongue that can effectively communicate with God. According to the Bible, Jesus taught that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit recognizes when you are about to defile yourself with words and increases the resistance to express yourself.
Physical restraint
Restrictions by the Holy Spirit depend on the level of defilement you are about to bring upon yourself.
If the issue you are discussing is of less significance as was the case when I was discussing the struggles of a brother- the Holy Spirit will only impose a mild restriction.
However, there is a second form of restriction by the Holy Spirit that triggers a physical reaction signaling that it is not safe to speak about a matter.
Some individuals tend to get carried away by their emotions while speaking. In such cases, the Holy Spirit intervenes by making them aware of this, and stops them through physical manifestations.
For instance, it is quite common for people to stammer when they are telling lies. Have you ever considered that it could be the Holy Spirit causing the stammering and shaking?
The Holy Spirit restricts us from saying things that are not true. He does this to prevent us from making it difficult to pray to God using the same tongue.
In rare occurrences, the Holy Spirit can completely paralyze a person’s speech to prevent them from defiling themselves. When you are speaking to God and drawing close to Him, anything you ask for in His name, He will do.
Therefore, when you have prayed and entered into a deep connection with God, the Holy Spirit pays close attention to your words.
If you happen to utter a wrong word, the Holy Spirit will intervene and disrupt your speech. This is to prevent you from further saying anything that may lead you into trouble.
A good example of this concept is evident in the story of the Israelites during their journey from Egypt to Canaan. When they prayed to God, expressing their discontent and longing for the days in Egypt, they questioned if there were no graves in Egypt.
This displeased God, who was visibly present among them in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
Because the Israelites were in the presence of God, God was obligated to fulfill their desires. As a consequence, when they expressed their desire to die in the wilderness, God granted their wish.
Similarly, we often make prayer requests that are unwise, sometimes unknowingly. The Holy Spirit recognizes this and intervenes by influencing our speech.
As we draw closer to God, the Holy Spirit becomes more vigilant in guiding our words. If we are about to say something inappropriate, the Holy Spirit may prevent us from speaking altogether.
This amazing phenomenon serves as a reminder that the Holy Spirit is actively working to protect us from harm and guiding us towards making meaningful prayers. Blessings!