Faith

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“As a man thinks in His heart (mind), so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).

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WHAT WE THINK:
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What we think about ourselves, about God, about our family and relationships with other people, etc. is very important to our discovering where our misbeliefs are concerning these areas of our lives. The Bible tells us over and again that our feelings, our passions and our behavior are conditioned and influenced by the way we think.

This says that we are in need of a “change of mind.” It says that our minds must be “renewed” to the truth of God’s Word for both our spiritual and practical lives (Roms.12:2). In order for the truth to come so that we may be set free, we must first locate our misbeliefs. Jesus said, “If you will continue in My Word, then are you My disciples indeed, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

We must be willing to embrace all truth that the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit brings to our minds and hearts by the Word of God. It is not truth about others that we are to embrace first but rather it is truth about ourselves. We must, with willing hearts, embark on this journey to wholeness with Jesus, not fearing the out come. But rather let us anticipate being changed from “glory to glory” in the presence of Pure Truth Himself (John 14:6).

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WHAT WE SAY:
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Equally as important are the words we speak. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Our tongues have the power to speak death to ourselves, to the situations we face, and to those who are closest to us. We are either speaking death (curses) over ourselves in “self-talk” or in what we say to someone in person, or what we say about a person behind their back.

Galatians 3:13, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.”
When you to use the power of your tongue to speak death (curses) over yourself, over others, over your health, etc., it is to operate illegally outside of the will of God, Who sent Jesus to the cross to redeem man from all curses.

All death is in satan and when you use the power of your tongue to speak death (curses), you have set yourself in agreement with his will to be carried out in your life and in the lives of others you’ve spoken over. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart (mind) man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

The word ‘salvation’ means, healing, deliverance, wholeness and prosperity. What you believe in your heart is what you will confess out of your mouth because Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak” (Matt.12:34). For instance, are you believing in the ‘voice’ of fear? If so, then you’re speaking fear-related things to yourself and situations. Or are you believing in the ‘voice’ of faith?

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). If you‘re speaking in faith, then you’re speaking life and blessings to yourself and your situation. Example: “Thank God, He’s not given me a spirit of fear but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (II Tim.1:7). Therefore, I don’t have to fear because if God be for me, who can be against me?”

Example of speaking out of God‘s will: “I guess it’s just not meant for me to be well.” Does such a statement agree with God’s Word and will? No, it’s contrary to His Word and His will. So, a person who believes they’re not meant to ever be well is in essence, saying that God is a liar and satan is the one telling the truth. 1 Peter 2:24 speaks the truth of God, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.”

If you believe the lie satan has told you as truth and you speak the lie and put your faith in it as truth, then next you will put it into action. You will have set yourself in agreement with the lie and Jesus said, “If two shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). And where is the devil? He’s called “the prince of this world.”

Life is also in the power of the tongue. That is, you can choose to speak life, which is speaking blessing over yourself, over your family, your friends, etc. and watch God work miracles in their lives and yours. Jesus said, “Bless your enemies, bless those who despitefully use you...bless all people.” Our tongues are to be an instrument of God’s love, grace and mercy by speaking life words to the hearer either in person, or behind the person‘s back.

The death words you speak by fear activates satan and his evils spirits to bring to pass that which you are declaring by the power of your tongue. Psalm 103:20 says, “Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His words.” Who put’s the voice to the Word’s God has already spoken? We do by using the power of our tongues by faith to speak life and blessing instead of death and cursing. Speaking God’s Word, which is “life as you discover the truth of it and it is health to all your flesh” (Proverbs 4:22). Speaking God’s Word in faith activates the holy angels of God to work on our behalf for good.

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WHAT WE DO IN ACTIONS:
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James 1:22 says, “Be ye a doer of the Word, and not a hearer only, deceiving your own selves.” The question must be asked then ‘who’s’ word are you listening to and believing? Are you listening to the devil’s word which is a lie (John 8:44-45, ‘the devil is a liar‘), or are you listening to God’s Word, which is total and absolute truth that is established in heaven forever?

It is truth that a person will only act on what they believe to be true, even if what they believe to be true is a lie straight out of the pit of hell. This is known as deception. This brings us to the point of finding out what we really do believe. Is it truth, or is it misbelief of the truth? Are we deceiving ourselves to believe a lie of satan as truth? So the journey begins to find out the truth because we believe the promise of Jesus that “when we know the truth, it will make us free.”

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WHAT IS MISBELIEF?
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What you think and believe will determine what you confess with your mouth and what you do in action concerning your behavior toward God, people and situations. Most of the time, it’s not the past events of our lives that cause us the greatest distress and hurt but rather our interpretation of them. What we tell ourselves about our circumstances whether in word, thought and attitude.

Example: If you tell yourself that you’re stupid and you just can’t ever learn anything and somebody else comes along and says how smart and intelligent they think you are, who are you going to believe?

You will believe you first and probably say something in response such as, “No; I’m not either. Man, I could mess up a hurricane! You just don’t know me.” They may not know you but God does and He didn’t create you or anyone to be stupid. He said, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil.2:5).

You have the mind of Christ, so let the mind of Christ operate in you to the glory of God. God stood back after He had created all things and He said, “It is very good” (Gen.1:31). So where did you get it that you’re stupid and you’re a constant mess up? From God? No!

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (not failure), which God has ordained that we should walk in them” (Eph.2:10). And what about this truth? “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising (discounting) the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). What Jesus began in you when you were born again, He will finisher it.

Can you see how the lies of the devil gets swallowed up in the real truth of God’s Word? So, the question put before you this day is what Isaiah 53:1 says, (paraphrase), “Who’s report (word) are you going to believe?” This says, you must make a choice between the truth of Jesus that will make you free, or the lies of the devil that will continue to hold you in a stronghold of deception.

God has told us plainly in Deuteromy 30:19, “...I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live.” Let us make the right and wise choice of life and blessing and set our face like flint against the continuing cycle of death and cursing of the enemy in our homes and families and in all aspects of our lives.

Let us say, “Yes,” to God, and NO to the devil. “Submit yourselves therefore unto God: resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
Ephesians 4:27, “Neither give place to the devil.”

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WHAT WE SAY TO OURSELVES IN SELF-TALK:
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What does self-talk mean? It means, the things we tell ourselves either in our thoughts or out loud where we hear it with our ears. It’s not wrong to talk to yourself if your words are speaking a blessing. David did in Psalm 103, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul...don‘t forget His benefits.” It is wrong to say words over yourself that are cursing. Words that are contrary to what God says about you.

Example: God says in Eph. 1:6, that “you are accepted in the beloved (Jesus).” But you’re saying in your self-talk that you’re unacceptable and nobody loves you. “Let God be the truth and every man a liar...” God does not lie. He says, He has accepted you in Jesus, and He loves you as much as He loves Jesus (John 17:23). Dare we stand in the face of our Creator and call Him a liar?

God forbid. Let us repent and change our misbeliefs by replacing them with God’s truth. Let us thank God that He has accepted us through His Son, Jesus. Let us praise Him and proclaim by the confession of our tongues that He loves us as much as He loves Jesus.

Assignment:
Put a check mark beside each following statement that you’ve said about yourself. Please be honest.

-------I’m dumb and stupid. Or: ------Thank You, Lord, for giving me intelligence.

-------I am unattractive. -------Thank You, Lord, for making me attractive.

-------People don’t like me. -------Thank You, Lord for making me likable.

-------I have no talent. -------Thank You, Lord, for all talents from You.

-------I am miserable. ------- I’m content

-------I am lonely. -------Thank You, Lord, for my friends.

-------I am poor. -------Thank You, Lord, for prospering me.

-------I am nervous. -------Thank You, Lord, for peace.

-------I am uninteresting. -------Thank You, Lord, for making me unique.

-------I’m no good. -------Thank You, Lord, for your righteousness
in me.

-------I am sick. -------Thank You, Lord, for healing and divine
health.

If you checked more sentences on the left than you did on the right, then you need to change negative self-talk and begin telling yourself the truth of what God says about you in His Word.

Also, be careful about comparing yourself to others you think may have achieved a higher place in God than you have. God is no respecter of persons (Roms 2:11). He is moved by our faith in Him and His Word, regardless of who you are or what your place in the body of Christ is (Heb.11:6).

The only One by whom all men are measured is the Lord Jesus Christ. Are we bearing His image wherever we go? Are we loving the brethren? Are we expressing peace, joy, temperance, longsuffering, meekness, gentleness, faith, goodness, against such there is no law? (Galatians 5:22-23).

The one thing we don’t want to do is to allow our emotions to set the standard for us in our lives. Proverbs 25:28 says, “He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.” A person who is not using self-discipline and self-control over their emotions is a person with no defense against the enemy‘s attack. You‘re like a sitting duck out in the open. This ruling of one’s spirit where your emotions is concerned is not meant to be in a legalistic way but in the liberty of God’s Word and by His Spirit, because where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Prayer This Prayer Out Loud:
Father, in Jesus name, I thank You for giving me the same emotions as You have. I’m thankful that I can feel pain as well as joy. I thank You for setting me free from being a victim of my own emotions.Thank You, Jesus, for caring for me so deeply, even though sometimes, I’m unaware of it. Thank You for being close to me and leading me into all truth, as You are THE Truth.
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I choose now as an act of my will and by my faith in the mighty name of Jesus, to speak the truth to myself instead of speaking misbeliefs. I put my faith in You, Father God. You, Who cannot lie and whose Word is true, trustworthy and everlasting. I am Yours, Lord Jesus, and so are my emotions and everything about me. Thank You for making me so wonderfully whole, spirit, soul and body. Amen.


Plain As Day Ministries

Shirley Williams
1-14-03

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