You know those days when your brain acts like it forgot everything Jesus ever said, your body’s tense, your heart’s racing, and your inner dialogue sounds more like a movie trailer voiceover than a prayer room?

Yeah. I have those too.

And I’ve caught myself mid-spiral saying things like:

“In a world where… I should be over this by now… This summer… I shouldn’t feel this way.”

“It’s a classic case of…I should’ve seen that coming.”

“If only… Satan would just leave me alone.”

“Breaking news: Woman replays every awkward conversation from the last fifteen years instead of sleeping. Experts call it ‘classic brain betrayal.’”

“Holy Spirit: ‘Do not be afraid.’

Me: ‘Okay, but just to clarify, afraid of which part? All of it? Or just the part where I have to go to that meeting and make eye contact?’”

Now, I’ll be honest. The enemy has definitely worked overtime in my life. But not everything can be blamed on him. Sometimes, it’s just my own old survival brain hitting replay on pain I thought I already processed. Trauma has a way of looping like a bad song you never liked in the first place.

That’s where I’ve learned to interrupt the pattern.

When a wave of emotion tries to crash in, I’ve learned to name the feeling and claim the truth. That’s it. Just call it what it is, and then speak what God already said. It’s simple, but it’s powerful—like a holy mic drop on a lying spirit.

Let me walk you through a few real-life examples.

When Anger Walks in Wearing Flip Flops

One day, I caught myself snapping at my kids instead of offering grace. You know those moments where anger feels weirdly satisfying? Yeah. That one.

So I stopped, took a breath, and said out loud:

“God, this is a spirit of anger. It’s not from You. You’ve given me power, love, and a sound mind.”

(2 Timothy 1:7 is the VIP of my thought life.)

The atmosphere shifted.

When Fear Shows Up with a Microphone

Another day, it was fear—loud, bossy, and acting like it paid rent. I could feel the anxious swirl starting. To be honest, fear is often an underlying emotion in many circumstances.

So I named it:

“Father, fear is trying to take the lead again. But You didn’t give me fear. You gave me power. You gave me love. You gave me a sound mind. I believe You, and I receive it.”

When Confusion Thinks It’s Personal

Then there was the time someone acted shady and weird, and I started internalizing their chaos.

“Is it me?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

Nope. That’s confusion, and confusion is not from God.

So I said it out loud:

“Lord, I feel confused, but You are not the author of confusion. You gave me power, love, and a sound mind. I’m believing You and keeping what You gave me.”

When Anxiety Thinks It Still Has My Number

Let’s be real. Anxiety is not subtle. It comes in like a wrecking ball with a megaphone. I’ve had to kick it out more times than I can count in the last few years.

“God, anxiety is trying to boss me again. But You didn’t give me anxiety. You gave me power, love, and a sound mind—and I’m keeping it. Anxiety, pack your bags. You’re not welcome here.”

This is where breathing techniques, tapping pressure points on my body, or holding ice cubes in my hands help me refocus.

When Shame Pretends to Be Mine

Twenty-three years ago, I walked into a brand-new life situation and suddenly felt this heavy, sickening weight. I didn’t even have the language for it.

So I asked Jesus, “What is this? Please, shine Your light of truth on it.”

And just like that, I had a profound sense of knowing.

Shame.

But it wasn’t my shame. It was someone else’s sin, projected on me like it belonged.

I called it out.

“Jesus, this shame is not from You. You’ve given me power, love, and a sound mind.”

And in a moment, the shame lifted. The tears stopped. Joy returned like it never left, and shame never returned.

Tools That Help Your Brain Catch Up to the Truth

I’ve also learned that sometimes, naming and praying truth isn’t just spiritual, it’s neurological.

Two tools I highly recommend for those dealing with trauma, old emotional patterns, or triggers that won’t quit:

1. DNRS (Dynamic Neural Retraining System)
2. This system helps us rewire our brain by building new neural pathways and breaking free from chronic fight-or-flight responses. It uses visualization, repetition, and incremental retraining to teach our brains that we’re no longer in danger. If our nervous systems have been stuck in “threat mode,” DNRS can help us come back to safety—body, soul, and spirit.
3. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
4. EMDR is a therapeutic approach that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they don’t keep hijacking our present. It’s especially helpful for those of us with PTSD, complex trauma, or emotional flashbacks. I’ve found it incredibly healing in seasons when prayer alone wasn’t enough to untangle what my brain was holding onto.

Both of these tools work beautifully alongside prayer, not instead of it. God made our brains capable of healing. He’s the creator of science, so He’s not offended by science that helps us reclaim the peace He died to give us.

Speak the Word, Rewire the Brain, Watch What Happens

Praying Scripture out loud isn’t magic. It’s warfare. It’s grounding. It’s us saying, “Hey, mind, here’s your new assignment.” It brings our focus back to God’s strength instead of our spiraling emotions. It’s a Spirit-led rewire of our default settings.

It works.

Not because we’re strong. But because He is.

For me, when it doesn’t work, it’s because I forget to use it.

God moves when we pray His Word back to Him. He answers. He restores. He rewires. And when we partner with Him in that process, spiritually and neurologically, we get our peace back.

Every. Single. Time.

Scriptures to Speak Aloud

2 Timothy 1:7 (CSB)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”

Isaiah 26:3 (CSB)

“You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.”

Philippians 4:6–7 (CSB)

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 12:2 (CSB)

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Psalm 34:4–5 (CSB)

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed.”

Want to start practicing this for yourself? Start small. Pick one emotion, name it, and speak God’s truth out loud, no matter what it feels like. Let His Word retrain your mind and quiet your soul.

And if you need a little extra help, don’t be afraid to grab tools like DNRS or EMDR. Your brain deserves the same healing that your spirit has already received. A year of DNRS, an online self-guided system, costs $349…sometimes less when they run a promo.

You are not broken beyond repair.

You’re being rebuilt—stronger, wiser, kinder.

And more sound-minded than ever.