Do you have a satisfied mouth? Or is your mouth filled with bitter complaints? God has promised in His Word to satisfy our mouths with good things. The good things are the promises found in the Word. Jesus reminded Satan of that truth during a time of hunger and testing. He also had to do the same with the disciples when they were more concerned about Him eating natural bread, than seeing the harvest of perishing souls. Appetite is one of the leading causes of discontent in the world today. Be it the lust of the flesh, the pride of life or the love of money. Satisfying our mouths or appetite through shallow gratification never produces what the Bible teaches.
“And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ Luke 4:3-4 NKJV
“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:2-3 NKJV
The satisfied mouth remembers the Lord our God. We understand that everything in life comes from Him. The Bread is the Word of God. Jesus told His followers that He was the Bread that came down from heaven.
“Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I Am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”John 6:26-35 NKJV
These people, Jesus said, were only seeking Him for natural bread which perishes or doesn’t satisfy the real hunger of man. But here He was offering them Bread that satisfies. They were looking for a quick fix in the same way that the woman at the well was. Give me this water so that I won’t need to come back to the well to draw water. Can you imagine a pill that would take care of all our dietary needs? That’s what they wanted. But Jesus was offering much more. He was offering Himself as the Bread that would meet every natural and spiritual hunger of our lives-Producing in us a satisfied mouth. Jesus told the woman at the well that the water He was offering had an endless supply.
“Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
John 4:13-14 NKJV
The reason our mouths aren’t satisfied is that we are always thinking in natural limited terms while Jesus is always speaking of eternal, abundant supply. We see what’s in front of us, Jesus is offering what’s ahead of us. We like instant gratification, Jesus offers that which increases in us. If your mouth is full of gravel, it’s because you are listening to Satan and turning stone into bread. But if your mouth is filled with gratitude and thanksgiving, you have a satisfied mouth. God, when outlining His benefits given to us, said that He satisfies our mouths with good things, so good in fact that it transforms us from old tired and worn out people into young vibrant people full of the God kind of life, soaring like eagles.
“Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”Psalms 103:5 NKJV
That’s what He did for Israel when He brought them out of Egypt. He fed them manna which was a type and shadow of the coming True Bread that sustains for all eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ. The reason they didn’t experience the full benefit of a satisfied mouth was because they complained about everything. Instead of keeping their renewed strength, they died before they reached their promised destination. To keep your youth, you must partake of the good things Jesus is offering. What good is bread or water that only satisfies in the moment When we’re being offered so much more?
We can be certain God wants to and is supplying all our need, wants and desires. But as wonderful and necessary as those things are, they cannot satisfy eternally. This is why Jesus came offering us a superior gift that’s sure to satisfy every hungry heart. Our satisfied mouth speaks out of the overflow of a satisfied life. The Word of God renews our youth. How does the eagle renew itself? It goes through a period called molting. I’ll share an article from google to help make my point.
Forced molting occurs in birds when they do not get all the nutrients they require from their food. The molting process of eagles is quite a fascinating and inspiring story, and those that survive the molting process are said to grow stronger than what they were in their youth. The reason why eagles molt late in their life is because, over time, their wings become heavy with dirt and oil, beaks and talons start to break, and their eyesight becomes weak. For these graceful predators, molting is a way of rejuvenating all their appendages so that they can lead a longer life.
When eagles become old, their feathers, beak, and claws start withering. They need to transform themselves so that they can live longer. Therefore, they undergo molting, and to be safe from predators, they choose a secure valley to start this process. They pluck out their wings, break off their beak by smashing it on a rock, and rub off their talons so that they are completely removed from their claws. Now, the main question is how does the eagle survive this process? Many eagles die during molting, due to the pain. As eagles cannot hunt during this time, they are dependent on their brothers and sisters, for food. Researchers believe that the eagles that survive this gruesome transformation, emerge stronger, fitter, and sharper than before
Now the words of the Psalmist have greater clarity . Notice the word “renewed.” Our youth is renewed as our mouths are satisfied with His good things. Not our things. Not what we consider good. Just as the molting eagle is dependent on others for nourishment, so must we be dependent on the Lord Jesus and His Word to sustain and satisfy us. That’s why Jesus told the crowd and the Samaritan woman that what they were seeking would not and could not bring the satisfaction they sought. Only the nourishment of the Word is able to produce in us a satisfied mouth and renewed youth. If natural food could do that, why are we sickly and unhealthy? Why are people suffering from so many diseases? The rich and poor alike are not immune. But the rich and poor alike can benefit from what the Lord is offering. As we remember His benefits (molting) spending time in the Word and fellowshiping with Him in our quiet moments, The Holy Spirit opens up the True Manna- Jesus- to us, and as we partake our mouths are satisfied, we’re rejuvenated and we soar. We emerge stronger through remembering and dependence on Him.
Every time I receive rhema when studying the Word, my youth is renewed. Every time I pray the Word my mouth is satisfied with His good things. Every time I speak, write or share His good things (the promises in His Word) my mouth is satisfied and the hearers are blessed and encouraged. Is that true for you? If you’re stressed out, Your mouth is not satisfied. Are you angry or depressed? Your mouth is not satisfied. Are you a complainer and a murmurer? Your mouth is not satisfied with His good things. Why don’t you try remembering the Lord? Stop focusing so much on what takes your heart away from Him and remember His goodness. Hide His Word in your heart, so that you can speak from the overflow. Jesus is offering you true Bread and living Water. If you eat and drink of Him you’ll enjoy a satisfied mouth.
Enter into my cloud filled chamber, for when your life is consumed with Me, you will discover that I Am enough. I hear His Whisper.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
November 4, 2021