Aug 11 2016 I Believe, Therefore I Speak
“I Believe, Therefore I Speak” (2 Corinthians 4:13 ESV)
Here’s a thought:
If we are ever going to survive the trials of this life and escape with more than just our sanity, then we have got to start thinking differently… about a lot of things. Especially about ourselves. And about God. And about what God thinks about us.
Most of us who’ve been around the block a few times know that what we believe (think) determines what we do and how we live our lives. Our words mirror what we believe and they can significantly influence what we do and who we become. As we’ve so often discussed- our words are powerful and effective. King Solomon writes, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 AMP), and this would apply to the wo-man, too. Our words, both the ones in our head and the ones that come out of our mouth, can act like a drug-influencing the way we see ourselves, the way we see others, and the way we see God. Perhaps we see then how we can become so, um, jacked up in our thinking, which leads to being jacked up in our living and then we are just plain, old jacked up.
We’ve got to get un-jacked.
We’ve got to reprogram the hard-drive of our mind with God’s Word and make His Truth our one and only Default. But how?
Here’s another thought:
What you know by heart becomes the song of your life. Jesus said, Whatever is in
the heart overflows into speech.” (Luke 6:45 TLB)
Might I suggest that we reprogram our mind by becoming more vocal with God’s Word? Perhaps we start with singing. Most likely you learned a cute tune as a kid that you know by heart and can still sing to this very day; or even learned some not-so-cute “tunes” that replay negative thoughts over and over in your head. Well, sister, it’s high time some of us get a new song and start singing it. I mean a really good new song, with a different beat that is powerful and effective at helping us live lives that are powerful and effective, and victorious, and fruitful and…attractive! Yes, attractive and maybe even more than a little bit fun for crying out loud! If we believe God and if we believe what He says in His word… then let’s start SAYING SO. Let’s start preaching a good word to ourselves. Let’s start singing along with music and lyrics that reflect God’s heart about us. Let’s start declaring the truth according to God. Now. Right now. Out loud. I said… OUT LOUD. From your very own mouth. Right this very minute. Go ahead and just speak some word of truth from your Bible or that you know in your head and heart… RIGHT NOW.
Maybe it’s John 3:16, “For God so love the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” Now make it PERSONAL in your own way- something like this: “Lord, you love this whole world so much that you gifted us with Jesus so that whoever believes in Him would live forever and ever! And Lord, I believe! Help me to help others believe that you love them, too, and want them to spend eternity with you.”
Or maybe it’s Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” And so let’s get that truth out of your mouth by saying something like: “Lord, you have told me in your Word that I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength… and I need that strength today! Strength to get up and out of this bed and clean this house… strength to put down that donut… strength to go workout… strength to forgive that person that ticked me off… strength to love my spouse well today… strength to step out and do a new thing…” (you get the point).
It is a very good and necessary thing for your own ears to hear your own voice speaking the true TRUTH. The Gospel Truth. Those “living and active” words are not just ink on a page… they are powerful and effective, and they are powerful and effective in YOU, my friend! They are the only words that can affect true change in any of us. The words that I write or speak to you can encourage and challenge you at best; but only God’s Word has the power to change you… to help you think differently and act differently. Listen…if you get His Truth in your mind your mind will change. And if you change your mind, you’ll change your heart, and in turn, you’ll change your life.
So if you BELIEVE IT then SPEAK IT. Get the words off the page, out of your head, into your mouth, over your lips, into your ears… and into your heart so that you can (wait for it)…
C H A N G E. Start declaring. Start speaking. Start believing what God has already said. Go on now… don’t just think so…get your preach on and SAY SO.
You are greatly and dearly loved by The King!
xo,
_______________________________________________________________________
#ShowHerHow:
Let’s put this lesson to life. Based on Hebrews 13: 5b-6, God’s statement of fact solicits our statement of faith:
1) v.5b, For God has said…. (What has God already said in His Word?)
2) v.6, So I can confidently say… (Speak it aloud to yourself)
3) Repeat!
OK, now it’s your turn to give it a try. Take these verses, speak them out and make them personal:
- …for [God] Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5b-6 (ESV)
- “Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4-5 (NIV)
- “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV)
- “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind [or self-control, self-discipline]” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
- There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (ESV)
Great job! Keep going with some verses that speak to your present circumstances and make them personal. Write them down in your prayer journal, or better yet- get some spiral-bound index cards and keep adding Scriptures to it that you can refer to quickly! Make this a regular practice until it becomes a habit! You’ll be glad you did!
#ShowHerHow | #MakingTheMostOfNow | #speak | #believe | #words | #GodsWord