HAPPY HOUR: Fridays AT 5:00 P.M.—Kick back after a hard week’s work and enjoy the intoxicating goodness of true love and wisdom without putting a dent in your wallet. It’s like free fast food for your soul. ~Enjoy!
You know those bad days, bad moments, or bad thoughts you sometimes have?
I have them too.
Do you find yourself saying “I should be…
I shouldn’t do that.
I shouldn’t feel this way.
I should know better.
I should…
Or, if Satan would just leave me alone!”
He’s worked overtime trying to destroy me for most of my life, but I don’t blame every hurt, inconvenience, attack, or bad decision on him. Sometimes I’m capable of cultivating my own problems or focusing on unhealthy emotions.
So when I notice a pattern of negative thinking entering my daily thought life…again…and feel defeated by it, I decide to name the problem and claim God’s promise. This requires simple repetition.
It goes like this: I noticed I was reacting in anger toward my kids instead of coming to them in an attitude of grace as a teachable moment. No doubt, it was anger…and it was feeling pretty good…in a bad way. Seriously, it feels good to be angry sometimes! Do you ever feel like that?
So I named it; anger. Then spoke out loud “God, I feel a spirit of anger in me and around me. This isn’t from You. You have not given me a spirit of anger, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1: 7.
Another day I had a situation causing fear so I named it. “Father, I’m sensing a spirit of fear. You haven’t
given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I believe you and I receive it.”
Then…I was confused over someone’s behavior and was taking it personally. “Lord, I’m confused and I know you didn’t give me a spirit of confusion, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I’m happy to have power, love, and a sound mind!”
The emotion that tries to take me over most often is anxiety. Anxiety is not my friend and may not participate in my life no matter how many times it tries. “God, anxiety wants to take over again! You did not give me a spirit of anxiety, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I’m kicking anxiety into the trash. Thank You for power, love, and a sound mind.”
Now that I think of it; I experienced this 16 years ago when I was besieged by a new situation in my life. I had an overwhelming sense of something; something debilitating…so I asked Jesus what it was because I knew it wasn’t from Him. The answer came to my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Shame. Shame? Yes, it was shame and it wasn’t my shame. That was a lie straight from the father of lies; Satan. It was an act someone committed against me. I named it. Shame. “Jesus, this is not from You. You did not give me a spirit of shame, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The feeling of shame instantly left, the tears stopped, and joy returned.
Every time I practice this simple application it works. Our job is to pray. God‘s job is to act on behalf of our prayers. He’s always listening and always working in the lives of believers.
Praying the word out loud is like receiving an instant power shot. It centers me on God and His strength and healing rather than on my inadequacies and emotions. It’s faith in action. I’m telling ya, something changes when I practice this and it works. God works!