You Are What You Eat; You Are What You Speak

How What You Consume and Confess Shapes Who You Become

There is a timeless truth echoed in both Scripture and psychology: what you allow into your life will eventually come out through your thoughts, character, and actions. Just as the body reflects what it is fed, the soul and mind reflect what they consume—and what they confess.

Jesus said it plainly:

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

(Luke 6:45)

In other words, who you become is not accidental. It is the product of what you repeatedly take in—and what you repeatedly speak out.

1. You Are What You Eat – The Psychology and the Spirit

When we hear “you are what you eat,” we often think of physical health. But the same principle applies to the mind and spirit.

What Are You Feeding Your Inner World?

Every day, you “eat” through:

Conversations

Social media

Music

News

Entertainment

Books

The voices you listen to

The thoughts you allow to linger

Psychology confirms that repeated exposure shapes belief systems. The brain forms neural pathways based on what it hears and rehearses. What you consume consistently becomes normalised, then internalised, and finally acted upon.

The Bible affirms this truth long before neuroscience discovered it:

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

(Proverbs 23:7)

Your thought life is not neutral. It is either feeding faith or feeding fear, building hope or reinforcing despair, aligning you with truth or distorting your identity.

Malnutrition of the Soul

Just as junk food damages the body, toxic input damages the soul:

Constant negativity breeds anxiety

Violent or immoral content dulls conscience

Repeated lies weaken discernment

Hopeless narratives drain resilience

Paul warns us clearly:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

(Romans 12:2)

Transformation does not happen through prayer alone—it happens through intentional renewal. What you repeatedly allow in will eventually shape your worldview, decisions, and behaviour.

2. You Are What You Speak – Words Carry Power

If what you eat shapes your inner world, what you speak shapes your outer world.

Words are not merely sounds; they are containers of belief, emotion, and intent. Psychology shows that self-talk directly affects emotional regulation, confidence, and behaviour. The Bible goes even further—calling words life-giving or life-destroying.

“The tongue has the power of life and death.”

(Proverbs 18:21)

Negative Speech: Self-Sabotage in Disguise

When you repeatedly say:

“I can’t”

“This will never change”

“I’m not enough”

“I always fail”

You are not being “realistic”—you are training your brain and spirit toward defeat.

Neuroscience confirms that negative speech strengthens fear pathways and weakens problem-solving ability.

Scripture warns:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.”

(Ephesians 4:29)

Notice—building up includes yourself. Persistent negative speech undermines faith, courage, and obedience.

Positive Speech: Alignment With Truth

Positive speech is not denial of reality—it is alignment with God’s truth over circumstances.

David spoke faith while still surrounded by enemies.

Abraham spoke life while still childless.

Jesus spoke victory before the cross.

“Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”

(Joel 3:10)

Words spoken in faith reframe the mind, stabilise emotions, and activate hope. Psychologically, affirming truth interrupts destructive thought cycles. Spiritually, it aligns the heart with God’s promises.

3. The Cycle: What You Eat Shapes What You Speak

There is a powerful cycle at work:

What you consume shapes what you believe

What you believe shapes what you speak

What you speak shapes what you become

Jesus explained it this way:

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

(Matthew 12:34)

If your words are filled with fear, bitterness, or hopelessness, it is a signal—not of failure—but of what your heart has been fed.

Change the input, and the output will follow.

4. Guarding Your Diet and Your Declarations

Guard What You Consume

Be intentional about what you watch and listen to

Limit voices that feed fear, division, or despair

Choose content that strengthens faith, wisdom, and peace

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

(Proverbs 4:23)

Discipline Your Speech

Speak truth even when emotions are loud

Replace complaints with gratitude

Declare God’s Word over your life and family

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.”

(Hebrews 10:23)

This is not about perfection—it is about direction.

Becoming Who God Designed You to Be

You do not drift into spiritual strength, emotional health, or godly character. You build them daily—through what you allow in and what you release through your mouth.

Feed your mind with truth.

Feed your heart with hope.

Speak life, even in hard seasons.

Because in the end:

You are what you eat.

You are what you speak.

And you will become what you consistently practice.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—think about such things.”

(Philippians 4:8)

Will & Efe Chaniwa

Co Founders - Come.Broken

Rooted in Christ Ministries