“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
—1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)
I’ll be honest—I wasn’t paying close attention that Sunday.
The passage from 1 Corinthians was one I’d heard before, and it didn’t seem to apply to me. But something on the screen made me sit up straight. The word reviler had been replaced with verbal abuser.
Suddenly, it felt like the room dimmed and a heavenly spotlight beamed right down on me:
“Verbal abuser! She’s sitting right here!”
Ouch.
I had always skimmed past that word, thinking it didn’t apply. But in that moment, God opened my eyes. A reviler is someone who wounds with words—who controls, insults, belittles, or slanders. Angry outbursts. Harsh criticism. Cutting remarks. Gossip. Sarcasm.
I inherited a razor-sharp tongue, and when I’m not careful, it goes from slice and dice to full-on infomercial mode:
“Wait, there’s more!”—more jabs, more justifications, more damage.
I’ve hated this part of myself for years. A friend once told me, “Your points are valid—but your delivery needs help.” So I tried learning tact. I read books. I prayed. I white-knuckled my way through conversations.
Still struggling.
Then came verse 11:
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
—1 Corinthians 6:11 (ESV)
That’s the game changer. That verse changed everything for me.
I may have been that woman—sharp, reactive, hurtful with my words. But now?
💧 I am washed.
🔥 I am sanctified.
⚖️ I am justified.
Those are the affirmations I now declare over myself each morning. Not because I’ve mastered my mouth, but because Jesus did the work. And when I told God I couldn’t do it anymore—when I cried out and said, “Help me! I don’t want to be known for my sharp tongue! I want to be a woman who speaks life!”—He answered.
No amount of effort could transform me. But the Holy Spirit can. Every morning I ask him to bridle my tongue.
We don’t overcome sin through willpower. There’s no “self-discipline” strong enough to fix a heart problem. We must surrender it to Jesus. Let the Spirit lead. Let Him soften what’s hardened. Let Him rebuild what’s broken.
Because He can.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
—Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
✨ Heart Check
- Do you secretly think some sins are worse than others? Why?
- Are you trying to “fix” a sin in your own strength?
- What area of your life have you struggled to surrender to the Holy Spirit?
Let’s bring it to Him together.
🙏 Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You know the parts of me I wish weren’t there. You see the sharpness, the pride, the things I hide behind a smile. I confess my sin—not just the words I’ve said, but the heart they came from. I ask You to cleanse me, heal me, and transform me.
Holy Spirit, I need You. I’ve tried to fix myself, but I know now I can’t. Only You can soften my words and sweeten my spirit. Fill me with Your gentleness and self-control. Make me someone who speaks life, not pain. Grace, condemnation. Truth, not tearing down.
Thank You for washing me. Thank You for calling me clean, even while I’m still growing. I trust You with my words and my heart.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Angel Lynne Ministries 
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