By Tanya Lawrence, EA | The Christian Business
Last Updated: 10/19/2026
This is Part 3 of The Fig Tree Test. Part 1 covered leaves vs. fruit, and Part 2 covered seasons.
How Do My Words Affect My Business?
Every time you talk about your business, you're either building it up or tearing it down.
Your words shape how you think about your business, the decisions you make, how your team shows up, and how your clients see you. Proverbs 18:21 says the tongue has the power of life and death. So what you keep saying about your business matters, especially when it's the same business you're asking God to make fruitful.
Jesus Spoke to the Tree (Mark 11:14, 20-21)
In Part 1, Jesus found a fig tree with nothing but leaves. Then He spoke to it:
"Then he said to the tree, 'May no one ever eat fruit from you again.' And his disciples heard him say it." (Mark 11:14, NIV)
Mark makes a point of telling us the disciples heard Him say it.
Then the next morning:
"In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!'" (Mark 11:20-21, NIV)
Jesus spoke to the tree. By the next morning, it had withered from the roots.
That made me stop and ask myself a hard question: What am I saying over my business?
What Does the Bible Say About the Power of Words?
"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21, NIV)
Proverbs is a book of wisdom, and it talks about the mouth over and over. This verse says words are not neutral. They have real consequences, and people end up eating what their words produce.
Notice the word fruit again. It runs through this whole series.
The biblical principle: Your words produce something.
Applied to business: What you keep saying about your business doesn't just disappear. It shows up in your thinking, your decisions, your team, and your clients.
Don't Curse What You're Praying Will Prosper
Here's what I've noticed. We can ask God to bless our business in the morning, and then spend the rest of the day saying:
• "Business is terrible."
• "Nobody is buying."
• "We're never going to get ahead."
• "This month is always bad."
When that happens, our words and our prayers are pulling in opposite directions.
Don't pronounce the season over the future
"November is always slow" may describe history. But I don't have to keep declaring that it will be slow. (Part 2 of this series goes deeper on this.)
Don't speak permanent words over temporary circumstances
"We're struggling right now" describes a situation. "My business is failing" declares an identity and a future. Those are two very different sentences.
Don't curse the tree because you don't see today's fruit
There may be leaves today and fruit tomorrow. I don't want frustration with today's results to make me speak hopelessly about something I'm still building.
When Business Owners Get "Hangry"
I think every business owner knows what it's like to get hangry. Not just hungry. Tired. Stressed. Behind on something. Staring at a bank balance that doesn't look the way it should.
That's when we say things about our business we don't actually mean.
Jesus' words to that tree were deliberate. Mine usually aren't. When I'm worn out, I'll say things about my business that I don't really believe. And if I say them enough, I start to believe them.
How Do Negative Words Affect My Business?
Negative words affect more than your mood. Here's where they show up.
They affect your decisions. An owner who keeps saying nobody's buying starts making decisions like nobody's buying. They stop following up. They stop asking for referrals. They lower their prices out of fear.
They affect your employees. Your team hears how you talk about your business, even when you think they don't. If you keep saying business is terrible, they start wondering if their jobs are safe, and that shows up in their work.
They affect your clients. Clients can tell when an owner believes in the business and when they don't.
This is why I train my accountants to be our clients' biggest fans. When we prepare for client meetings, we step into their financial shoes and look at their numbers as if it was us running the business. The way we talk to a business owner about their business matters.
Speak Toward the Fruit, Then Make Your Actions Agree
Instead of speaking death over the tree, speak toward the fruit you're working and praying for:
We will serve our clients well. We will collect what is owed. We will become profitable. We will build reserves. We will reduce debt. We will be fruitful.
Then make your actions agree with your words.
• If your accounts receivable is high, collect it.
• If your expenses are too high, cut them.
• If an activity isn't producing, change it.
Biblical faith isn't pretending problems don't exist. Speak life over your business while you do the work that produces fruit.
What This Does Not Mean
• Positive talk doesn't replace the work. Saying we will collect what is owed doesn't collect it. You still have to send the invoice, follow up, and make the call.
• It doesn't mean ignoring problems. Being honest about a hard month is not cursing your business. "We're behind this month, and here's our plan" is honest, and it still builds up.
• It doesn't mean hiding the truth from your team. Employees deserve honesty. You can tell the truth and still speak with hope and a plan.
• It doesn't mean your words replace prayer or wisdom. Your words, your prayers, and your actions should all be pulling in the same direction.
How to Stop Talking Negatively About Your Business
1. Notice when you're hangry.
Tired, hungry, frustrated, or right after bad news is the worst time to make big statements about your business. Wait until you've cooled off.
2. Separate the situation from the identity.
Say "We're behind this month," not "We're failing."
3. Replace your most common negative sentences.
Write down the things you say most when you're frustrated. Then write a true, hopeful version of each one. For example, "Nobody is buying" becomes "We need more clients this month, and here's who I'm going to call."
4. Be careful how you talk in front of your team.
Give them the facts and the plan, not just the frustration.
5. Make your prayers and your words match.
If you prayed for your business this morning, don't spend the afternoon cursing it.
6. Do one thing today that agrees with your words.
Send the invoice. Make the follow-up call. Cut the expense. Let your actions back up what you're saying.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do negative words affect my business?
Negative words shape your decisions, your team's confidence, and how clients see you. An owner who keeps saying nobody's buying often stops doing the things that bring in work. Over time, the words and the results start to match.
What does the Bible say about the power of words?
Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (NIV). In other words, words have real consequences. What you say produces something, and you end up living with it.
Should I speak life over my business?
I believe yes. Speak toward the fruit you're praying and working for, like serving clients well, collecting what's owed, and becoming profitable. Then make sure your actions agree with your words.
Is it lying to talk positively when my business is struggling?
No, as long as you stay honest. "We're having a hard month, and here's our plan" is true and hopeful. Speaking life doesn't mean pretending problems aren't there. It means not declaring defeat over them.
How do my words affect my employees and customers?
Your team hears how you talk about the business and takes their cues from you. Clients can also tell whether you believe in what you're doing. Honest, hopeful words build confidence on both sides.
What happened to the fig tree after Jesus spoke to it?
In Mark 11:20-21, the disciples passed the tree the next morning and saw that it had withered from the roots. Peter pointed it out to Jesus, saying, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"
Don't Curse Your Tree
Jesus spoke to a fig tree, and by the next morning it had withered from the roots.
That reminds me that my words matter. Every time I talk about my business, I'm either building it up or tearing it down.
So here's what I'm keeping in front of me from this whole series:
I will inspect my fruit, respect the season, but I will not curse my tree.
I will not speak death over what I am asking God to make fruitful.
Until next time, go build the business God put in your heart. Build with faith, lead with purpose, and most importantly, expect good things.