I remember once I was upset with an area in my life, and I nonchalantly said, “I wish I was dead,” in a low tone, almost under my breath. Soon after, I felt a spirit of death trying to attack me. Of course, I repented and renounced my foolish words.

Although something like this probably won’t occur to most people (at that point in my life I was heavily targeted by the enemy), it goes to show the enemy can use the opportunity to invade your life by the words you utter, whether it was your intent or not.

The late preacher, Derek Prince, gave this insight:

The fact that many Christians are habitually guilty of speaking idle words does not make it less serious. In fact, anyone who considers this warning of Jesus to be unimportant needs to repent.

Idle words can open the door to demons. In a fit of exasperation a person may say, “I’m sick and tired” of whatever it may be. He does not mean it literally, but he may be opening the door to a demon of sickness or tiredness. Words concerning death are particularly dangerous. Many times people say, “I nearly died laughing,” or, “You’ll die when you hear this one!” Death is a dark, evil power, and we are foolish to treat it lightly.

In a temporary fit of grief or discouragement, a person will often say, “I wish I were dead,” or, “I’d be better off dead.” Words like that are a direct invitation to the spirit of death. I have ministered to hundreds of people who opened themselves up to the spirit of death by such words carelessly spoken…

(They Shall Expel Demons, 110)

The words we speak have so much significance that God said that we will be judged by every word we speak:

“^{34 …..} for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37).

On a side note, the scriptures read in Exodus 20:7, “⁷ Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.“ It’s a sad fact that many people use the name of Jesus as a curse word. You hear people say it everywhere, whether it is out in the streets or in the movies. Out of all the names in the world to use as a vain word, they use the name that is above all names (Phil. 2:9). Not the name of Allah, Muhammad, Krishna, Shiva, or Buddha, but the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can receive Him into your heart, and He can deliver you from darkness and sin and have your name written in His Book of Life.

If you are sincere, you can say this simple prayer to the Father (it doesn’t have to be word for word):

“God, I recognize that I have not lived my life for You up until now. I have been living for myself and that is wrong. Please forgive me of all of my sins, just as I forgive others. I need You in my life; I want You in my life. I acknowledge the completed work of Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ in giving His life for me on the cross, I believe in my heart Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead and I long to receive the forgiveness you have made freely available to me through this sacrifice. Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Savior. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in the Lord and GOD Jesus’ precious and holy name. Amen.”