Stop Murmuring and Be Transformed by Renewing Your Mind
If Little Murmurings and Complaints Escape Your Mouth Regularly, Take Note!
I used to be a person who vented my anger, frustration, and murmuring at the slightest thing. I’ll admit, some days are still better than others, even now, but I will be honest. It used to come really easy for me. Does this describe you too? Do you know that how and what you speak has spiritual and physical implications? We should be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
God gave me a prophetic word about murmuring, complaining, and evil speaking for the current season that we are in. If this description fits you, pay careful attention to this word and be encouraged that a solution exists to help you stay clear of the sin and stay in alignment with what He has for His people right now. To fully explain the seriousness of this word from God, He required me to experience some things that I must explain. Things I would have rather not experienced, because they were scary, painful, and lasted for years. I give you a little of the back story first, so you can understand how this prophetic word was ingrained into me to transform my mind. Then I will relate how it became a word for even now.
Hearing the Voice of Jesus can transform your life
As I write this, I think back to a morning before any of my issues came about. It was 2010 and the Lord woke me up. As I rose, I heard John 12:32 (KJV) spoken to me by a male voice:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me.”
Looking back, i realize now that this was the voice of Jesus. My precious Savior. I had no concept to understand whose voice it was then, and why He was speaking this to me. As an avid person who journals, I keep good records of things like this, with expectancy that one day in the future I can understand more why it is given to me. I understand the verse talks about Jesus being lifted up upon the cross, redeeming us of all our sins, drawing all people to Himself.

A Dream from the Enemy or a Dream from God?
Then in 2015, I had a vivid dream. God used dreams to speak to me quite a bit before this, and He taught me how to interpret my dreams. I was still learning and growing, and definitely had a working knowledge of symbolism based on the Bible. However, I wasn’t prepared for what was about to transpire. I didn’t have anyone I could ask for help in discerning. This particular dream seemed to be serious and quite frankly alarmed me. I assumed its origin was sent from the enemy, documented it, and pretty much forgot about it.
Describing the Dream
The dream was this: I was with friends in the front yard of my family home growing up. There was a large tree in the yard with a hedge of bushes all around the base of it. All of the sudden, a large purple cobra jumped out of the hedge and went to bite one of my friends, but instead ricocheted off them and bit my right hand. I remember trying to go many different places to see a doctor. My hand swelled up and looked awful. Every doctor we went to was incredibly busy with major long lines. Long story short, I never could see the doctor for it. End of dream.
The Scary Morning When Terror Filled Me
Fast forward to 2016-2017. I woke up one morning, and began to have tingling and numbness in my right hand. Low back issues also plagued me, and I assumed it was related to my back. I assumed the numbness and tingling would subside after rest, along with over-the-counter pain relievers. It didn’t. In fact, it worsened and traveled from my right hand up my arm. I remember going to different doctors in this time. However, the tingling only worsened over 24 hours, and by the next morning, I was numb on my entire right side.
We went to the ER, and after a CT scan and a battery of blood tests, nothing immediate was found. There was a question on my CT scan, and they recommended a visit to a neurologist. The neurologist advised the issue was benign, and the symptoms I felt in my body would hopefully eventually heal. I was scheduled for physical therapy. It ended up being months and months of PT without much improvement. The symptoms did not entirely go away, and I was beginning to think I would have to live with the painful tingling and numbness for the rest of my life. I was 38.

Allowing the Holy Spirit to Uproot and Expose Sin in My Life and be transformed
Fast forward to 2020-2021. I actively worked on deliverance and warfare praying. The Holy Spirit was actively uprooting and exposing sin in my life, and I was allowing Him to have His way. Daily, I found deliverance in various areas of my life, from childhood to adulthood. I was seeking the Lord like no other time in my life, and He was responding. I was beginning to feel when God was far from me and when I was close to Him through repentance. Staying clean before Him became important for me, because I felt He was calling me to something that I would require His Presence and power for. He was calling me to be transformed.
Somewhere in there, I remember that my symptoms completely resolved. It was a very gradual progression, until one day it was completely gone. In this time, I had been praying Psalm 103:1-5 which talks about blessing the Lord with everything we have, and that He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases!
When Everything Started to Come together in Focus
June 2022, I remember the Lord impressing upon me that gossip, evil speaking, murmuring, and complaining would hinder my praise. He taught me to walk clean before Him continually, enjoying His continual closeness. He told me at a time that I wasn’t in the middle of nor really remember actively gossiping or speaking evil, so I listened, but I had not felt conviction from Him at that point. James 3:8-10 (TPT) sheds some light on this:
“…But the tongue is not able to be tamed. It’s a fickle, unrestrained evil that spews out words full of toxic poison! We use our tongue to praise God our Father and then turn around and curse a person who was made in his very image! Out of the same mouth we pour out words of praise one minute and curses the next. My brothers and sisters, this should never be!”
Break in the Hedge of Protection from Sin
The Lord finally explained to me that the accident I experienced was from a break in the hedge of protection around me through sin. The dream I’d had was a warning from the Holy Spirit to repent. I didn’t recognize that. If I had repented then, I could have avoided all this. However, my complaints, murmurings, or ungodly speaking about others over a period of time had opened a door to sin, allowing the enemy access to me through a curse causing the whole ordeal. The words I spoke affected my reality both spiritually and physically.
When we speak evil of someone, slander them, or call them something opposite of what God calls them in His word, it’s called a word curse. How many times have we heard someone call someone an idiot in traffic? This is a word curse in its finest form. Word curses are the exact opposite of speaking a blessing over someone. It’s not talking about cussing or using profanity in the scripture above; James was talking to Christians! Proverbs 18:21 (TPT) says:
“Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences.”
We are Products of our Past, but change is up to us
I am being transparent before you for a purpose. We are all products of our past. It can shape how we believe and think. The responsibility lies in our ability to recognize what we’ve done and decide to do the work of mind renewal and repentance. It is our job to allow the Word of God to transform our minds. We accomplish this by memorizing it, believing it as truth, and choosing to turn from our sin. For me, this meant paying attention to what I am speaking. When we realize we have spoken out a curse, we should also break them in prayer and repent. I like to replace what I said in error and bless the person instead.

The Bronze Serpent
God began to show me this is what happened to the Children of Israel when God sent fiery snakes to bite them in Numbers 21:4-9 (AMP):
“… and the people became impatient, because [of the challenges] of the journey. 5 So the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, nor is there any water, and we loathe this miserable food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery (burning) serpents among the people; and they bit the people, and many Israelites died. 7 So the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, so that He will remove the serpents from us.” So, Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten will live when he looks at it.” 9 … and it happened that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.”
Some Israelites Died but some were transformed and Redeemed
Please note in these verses that many Israelites died. It wasn’t until Moses put the snake on the pole, lifted it up for the children of Israel as God directed, that they looked at it and were healed. This snake on a pole was a prophetic symbol of Jesus Christ being lifted up for our redemption on the cross. Those who died reaped the reward of sin in their life. The penalty of sin is death. Those that repented lived.
Galatians 3:13(AMP) describes it:
“Christ purchased our freedom and redeemed us from the curse of the Law and its condemnation by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs [crucified] on a tree (cross)”—
Christ Died for Unity and Redemption–He is Fierce for His Bride Right Now
God very much wants us in unity with Himself and with the rest of the body of Christ right now. We’ve always known that, right? However, right now I keep hearing He is ‘fierce for His Bride’. He is tolerating less evil speaking of her in any way. What is possible with word cursing going around? Sin, sickness, disease, suffering, and even death. This is not the bride He hopes to find! He is coming soon, and He is looking for a bride that is unified, transformed, blameless, holy, and brightly shining. Just like He is. He is looking for His own traits and reflection in her. This, beloved, excites Him beyond comprehension! I hear it in His voice! We should speak blessing over His Bride daily. All devoted lovers of His will agree.
Unity was Jesus’ Plan
John 17: 22-24 (AMP) is the passage where Jesus is praying for those that would inherit salvation:
22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, (italics mine) so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given to Me [as Your gift to Me], may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

The Coming Glory will be Limited in Areas of the World Where Evil Speaking or Murmuring is Practiced
I keep hearing from the Lord about how He is eager for His bride, excited when He sees her shining before Him. She ravishes His heart when she shines brightly! We are called to love each other as the unified Bride. If evil speaking is being practiced separately or collectively in the coming days, He is judging it quickly. He is allowing the curses we bring upon ourselves to fall where they may unless we repent. We have the power to create and destroy with the words we speak.
He is also limiting the coming glory in areas where evil speaking is practiced. We may not feel it right away, but practicing this will hinder worship, closeness of Him, or cause us to experience infirmity. Just like focusing on Jesus in our difficulties helps us keep our faith in those moments; so, the opposite is also true. Focusing on the negative in others takes us out of faith and in a place of sin and judgment of others. It will ultimately separate us from God. We cannot stay in this state if we are to be carriers of His coming glory. We have a choice if what we speak separates us from God or makes us ready to carry His glory.
Learn From My Mistake – Be transformed
God doesn’t want us to focus on the negative in others in the Body of Christ, even if we have a good reason to do so. We are to love, forgive, and pray for others that hurt us. Learn from my example. It is humbling for me to admit this. I didn’t really consider myself an evil speaker at the time! God saw and He also heard. I went through great times of repentance. Just like that snake was lifted up in the desert for the Children of Israel, bringing healing, so Jesus was lifted up on the cross for me.
He is also lifted up for you, too, my friend. We aren’t prisoners of our past experiences or life. The Word of God to help wash our minds into full restoration. We can think differently and live a resurrected life. We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Live a Colossians 3:1-4 Life
If you have a tendency to be in the same boat as I was, take heed. Be transformed and renew your mind in the Word, and remember that unity is so important to our Bridegroom. He loves us and He is coming very soon for a spotless, gleaming bride without wrinkle. The more we reflect Him, the more of His glory we possess. We must be the image of Christ in this world. Not just for ourselves and the Church, but so we may reflect Christ to the world.
The Glory is on its way – do you want to be transformed?
The coming glory of the Lord is on its way even now! We must be ready and put sin away from us. The Church collectively is the sons and daughters of the Most High God, and all of creation waits for us to be revealed in the earth. The Lord wants us full of His glory to perform exploits for a lost world to come to faith in Him. Let’s put on our robes of righteousness and shine for our soon coming Bridegroom. He is so worthy of what He asks of us. Colossians 3:1-4 (TPT) sums up what our focus should be, instead of murmuring and complaining. It reminds us of what’s ahead for us as believers, and reminds us of the importance of ultimate unity in Christ. Let this closing scripture permeate your heart and wash your mind. Get excited, Bride! You are beautifying yourself for your Bridegroom!
Colossians 3:1-4
1” Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! 2 Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. 3 Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. 4 And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!”
To Your Beautiful Transformation,
Sharla:)
(Testimony and Prophetic Word — 9/23/22)