The enemy will provide you with multiple opportunities to give in to his third most common fear, the fear of sickness and disease. Have no fear. You have on the Helmet of Salvation (Deliverance). Now, pick up the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), and listen to your Commander and Heavenly Father speak to you.
"My son [daughter], pay attention to what I say; listen closely to My words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's [woman's] whole body" (Proverbs 4:20-22). God's Word is life and health. If you don't know what God has to say in the Bible, how can you expect to be victorious over Satan in anything.
If you are a believer who does not read God's Word, except along with the preacher during your one visit to church per week, then you have not exercised your spiritual muscles. And if you don't regularly exercise your spiritual muscles, you will not have the strength it takes to lift up the Sword of the Spirit given to you by God Himself, much less use it against your enemy.
Do you want life and health? Then you must pay attention to what God has to say, listen closely to His Words, look at them constantly (or be thinking about them), and hide them in your heart. God's Word heals. God's Word, when used against Satan's lies and attempts to throw fear of sickness and disease on you (and any other fear) will defeat him every time.
Proverbs 4:23-24 [NLT]
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech."
What this has to do with weight loss: How often do you allow the negative or hurtful things that other people say determine the course of your day, even your life? Even a careless word from a coworker can set you up for emotional eating. Don't give in to it. Guard your heart, and avoid that person. Resist the urge to "give back in kind." Your ears are not garbage cans, but your mouth shouldn't be one, either.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I want life and health. I want to be so full of Your Word that there's no room for sickness and disease. I want to know Your Word so well that when Satan tries to throw sickness on me, I immediately raise my Sword of the Spirit and speak Your Words of promise of health and long life. I know that if I can do that, he will turn tail and run. May I flex my spiritual muscles and effectively guard my heart and body. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen."
Go forth today, strengthening your knowledge and use of God's Word, which is life and health to you and protection against fear of sickness and disease.
Showing posts with label negative talk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label negative talk. Show all posts
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #52 [Spring Cleaning, Negative Talk, Day 2]
Yesterday, we continued spring cleaning by ridding our heart and home of negative words/talk. Today, let's pay attention to another destructive habit, which involves our tongue--gossip.
The psalmist David asked, "Father, who can live in Your presence?" and part of the list includes "[the one] who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander [gossip, backbiting] on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man" (Psalm 15:1-3). How do you measure up with that list? Do you lie or gossip? Do you have a family member who does? It's time to get it out of your home!
In Leviticus 19:16 we are commanded, "Do not go about spreading slander among your people." Another translation says, "Do not go about being a tale bearer." Exodus 23:1 says, "Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness." Refuse to hear or speak gossip. It does not matter if it is true or false.
Matthew 7:1-2 [NIV]
"[Jesus said,] 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.'"
What this has to do with weight loss: I get nervous when someone asks me, "Can I tell you something?" Because I don't know what the person wants to tell me, I often respond with, "Sure. All I ask is that you tell it to Jesus before you tell it to me." That way, the Holy Spirit has an opportunity to intervene, if needed. I don't know why it is, but many of us on the weight-loss journey enjoy discussing a fellow journeyer's eating habits or weight-loss progress (or lack thereof). That's gossip, and the attitude that is often the foundation of gossip is a judgmental attitude. While it's so easy to judge people, it's detrimental--both to the one being judged and the one doing the judging. Let's just be concerned about and speak of our own journey.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, there are times when I enjoy talking about someone else. Even if it's true, it's not right. Forgive me for the times I did not speak truth from my heart, or spread a false report. Help me to take a stand against gossip, both in my heart and in my home. Help me to refuse to hear gossip, for my ears are not garbage cans. Help me to refuse to speak gossip, for my mouth should be consecrated to spreading the good news. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, free of gossip in your heart and home.
For comfort and direction, especially when facing any surgery, listen to Psalms for Surgery. Check out this CD at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html. Sound bite of each track available.
The psalmist David asked, "Father, who can live in Your presence?" and part of the list includes "[the one] who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander [gossip, backbiting] on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man" (Psalm 15:1-3). How do you measure up with that list? Do you lie or gossip? Do you have a family member who does? It's time to get it out of your home!
In Leviticus 19:16 we are commanded, "Do not go about spreading slander among your people." Another translation says, "Do not go about being a tale bearer." Exodus 23:1 says, "Do not spread false reports. Do not help a wicked man by being a malicious witness." Refuse to hear or speak gossip. It does not matter if it is true or false.
Matthew 7:1-2 [NIV]
"[Jesus said,] 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.'"
What this has to do with weight loss: I get nervous when someone asks me, "Can I tell you something?" Because I don't know what the person wants to tell me, I often respond with, "Sure. All I ask is that you tell it to Jesus before you tell it to me." That way, the Holy Spirit has an opportunity to intervene, if needed. I don't know why it is, but many of us on the weight-loss journey enjoy discussing a fellow journeyer's eating habits or weight-loss progress (or lack thereof). That's gossip, and the attitude that is often the foundation of gossip is a judgmental attitude. While it's so easy to judge people, it's detrimental--both to the one being judged and the one doing the judging. Let's just be concerned about and speak of our own journey.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, there are times when I enjoy talking about someone else. Even if it's true, it's not right. Forgive me for the times I did not speak truth from my heart, or spread a false report. Help me to take a stand against gossip, both in my heart and in my home. Help me to refuse to hear gossip, for my ears are not garbage cans. Help me to refuse to speak gossip, for my mouth should be consecrated to spreading the good news. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, free of gossip in your heart and home.
For comfort and direction, especially when facing any surgery, listen to Psalms for Surgery. Check out this CD at http://www.cdeanhall.com/products.html. Sound bite of each track available.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Life Plan Devotion #51 [Spring Cleaning, Negative Talk, Day 1]
We spent time spring cleaning, seeking to get strife out of our heart and home. Whether it's disobedience, intrigue (stirring things up for one's entertainment), or fussing about little things, all forms of strife lead to quarrels, factions (separations), and battles. As always, love is the answer, and if you ask the Lord for wisdom in how to deal with the strife in your heart/home/work place/church, He will be faithful to give you answers/ideas and provide healing.
Today, we begin looking at a second area where God desires that we clean out--negative talk, in all its forms. For today, pay special attention to how many negative words are spoken to and around you. You may even find that negative talk has become a habit, but habits can be replaced with new, better habits.
James 3:5 says that "the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." Our tongue can sure get us into trouble. Jesus said, "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth" (Matthew 15:11). It is so important that we watch what we say, because "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21). Based on the things you say today, what will be your fruit/reward tomorrow?
Proverbs 18:21 [NLT]
"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
What this has to do with weight loss: Are you speaking life into your weight-loss journey, or are you speaking death? Pay attention to things you say about your journey. If you're speaking positive words of hope about your journey (Example: "I know I will get to my goal weight and be able to maintain"), you're speaking life into it. If you're speaking negative words of frustration about your journey (Example: "I'm never going to get to my goal weight, at this rate"), you're speaking death into it. What you say today will come to pass tomorrow, so choose your words wisely.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I often forget how powerful words are, both those spoken by myself and those spoken by others. Help me to really listen to what is being said, and help me to clean out all negative talk from my heart and home. May all our words honor You and be helpful and healing words for this home. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to listen for and get rid of negative talk in your life.
Today, we begin looking at a second area where God desires that we clean out--negative talk, in all its forms. For today, pay special attention to how many negative words are spoken to and around you. You may even find that negative talk has become a habit, but habits can be replaced with new, better habits.
James 3:5 says that "the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." Our tongue can sure get us into trouble. Jesus said, "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth" (Matthew 15:11). It is so important that we watch what we say, because "the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21). Based on the things you say today, what will be your fruit/reward tomorrow?
Proverbs 18:21 [NLT]
"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
What this has to do with weight loss: Are you speaking life into your weight-loss journey, or are you speaking death? Pay attention to things you say about your journey. If you're speaking positive words of hope about your journey (Example: "I know I will get to my goal weight and be able to maintain"), you're speaking life into it. If you're speaking negative words of frustration about your journey (Example: "I'm never going to get to my goal weight, at this rate"), you're speaking death into it. What you say today will come to pass tomorrow, so choose your words wisely.
Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, I often forget how powerful words are, both those spoken by myself and those spoken by others. Help me to really listen to what is being said, and help me to clean out all negative talk from my heart and home. May all our words honor You and be helpful and healing words for this home. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."
Go forth today, determined to listen for and get rid of negative talk in your life.
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