Words

many years ago I ran across the book "The Path" by Laurie Beth Jones.  this book changed my life.

for the first time ever I wrote down what it is that I am supposed to be doing here on earth.

inspire, communicate and nurture 

divine excellence

this is what it all boils down to for me.

please don't misunderstand...getting to this one statement took a lot of soul searching

as a result of writing it down there is life to my hopes, my dreams, my deepest desires REGARDLESS of my actual specific real circumstances.  that is the beauty of this knowing.  NO MATTER WHAT may be going on around me I KNOW with every ounce of my being that I am supposed to:

inspire, communicate and nurture divine excellence.

this experience of writing it down has led me to believe in the power of our words.  we can breathe life or we can breath death.  we can build or we can destroy.  we can empower or we can annihilate.  

I was reminded of this truth today when I stumbled upon a blog post tonight, It Shall Be Established, about the power of our words.  after all "Our words are so powerful that God created the world and everything in it using words. He spoke things into existence and we are created in His image." Sibi says.

but what about our THOUGHTS?  aren't our thoughts just the words in our heads?  are we supposed to just think "happy" thoughts all of the time and pretend we don't feel anything negative?

how could God possibly expect us to think "happy" thoughts when a loved one tragically dies?  when we are betrayed?  when life throws us that curve ball?

to me it boils down to this: we cannot control our feelings, but we CAN control our thoughts.

negative feelings are ok.  they are neutral.  they need to be processed and put into perspective.  grief.  anger.  sadness.  rage.  just to name a few.  but when a negative feeling turns into a negative thought it becomes dangerous.  it can be confused with reality.  and turn into a lie that is mistaken for truth.  

it is healthy to experience the negative emotions. but they are just emotions. but, if that negative emotion turns into a negative THOUGHT, we have now given that negative emotion power.  most likely that negative thought is going to influence our ACTIONS.  that is the REAL danger.  

how can we possibly LOVE when our hearts and minds are filled with darkness?

Phillipians 4:8 says: Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

we cannot control our emotions and feelings. But we CAN control our thoughts.

If you are struggling with negative words and thoughts in your life, I encourage you to focus on these truths:

I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10).

I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

It is not I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:16).

I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5).

I have the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I am complete in Him Who is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:10).

I am alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5).

I am free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

I am far from oppression, and fear does not come near me (Isaiah 54:14).

I am born of God, and the evil one does not touch me (1 John 5:18).

I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17).

I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17-18).

I have received the power of the Holy Spirit to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, to cast out demons, to speak with new tongues. I have power over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm me (Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:17-19).

I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).

I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

I am God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23).

I am a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I am a spirit being alive to God (Romans 6:11;1 Thessalonians 5:23).

I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind (2 Corinthians 4:4).

I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22,25).

I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17).

I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37).

I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11).

I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4).

I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).

I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9).

I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19).

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13).

I am the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I am His elect, full of mercy, kindness, humility, and longsuffering (Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12).

I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7).

I am delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13).

I am redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty (Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Galatians 3:13).

I am firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:7).

I am called of God to be the voice of His praise (Psalm 66:8; 2 Timothy 1:9).

I am healed by the stripes of Jesus (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

I am raised up with Christ and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 2:12).

I am greatly loved by God (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 2:4; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:4).

I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power (Colossians 1:11).

I am submitted to God, and the devil flees from me because I resist him in the Name of Jesus (James 4:7).

I press on toward the goal to win the prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (Philippians 3:14).