Negative Thinking Part V.
Breaking Free
Here we are; Part 5 of our Study on breaking the yokes of negative thinking. Thoughts that the Enemy has had us bound up in for years. Are you feeling liberated yet?
1. I feel so angry.
Today we are fasting from ANGER - thoughts like "I feel so angry" or "they make me so mad."
Anger is a powerful emotion that obviously can hurt ourselves and others. It leads to bad decisions, damaged relationships, stress and physical sickness. Let's conquer thoughts of anger today!
1. Discover the power within you. Remember, anger comes from a sense of powerlessness. When we feel powerless to change something or change someone, we get afraid, leading to anger. 2 Timothy 1:7 says God has not given us a spirit of fear, but POWER, love and a sound mind— meditate on this verse.
2. Listen quickly, speak slowly. James 1:19 says be quick to hear, slow to speak THEN, the result: you will be slow to anger!
3. Realize that anger does not achieve, produce or work! James 1:20 says, "For the anger of man does not ACHIEVE (WORK, PRODUCE) the righteousness of God." If you had an employee that didn't work, produce or achieve—you would fire them, right? FIRE your anger from your life— it doesn't achieve anything.
4. Deal with unresolved conflict TODAY! Ephesians 4:27-28 says, "Be angry, but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath." Make peace with whoever you have something against today—(especially in marriage—don't let it fester).
5. It's OK to feel it; but direct it the right way—toward the devil. Notice, the verse goes on to say, "don't give the devil an opportunity to work." The devil wants you to blame others for why you're angry. But REALIZE, there's no one to blame, but the slithering devil! And like a machine gun operator who just discovered the enemy, turn it completely on him, use your anger to resist the devil, speaking the Word with an aggressive force, and cut that old dragon to pieces!
THINK IT & SAY IT:
I am free from the power of anger. I have power over it. I have power, love and a sound mind. I will not act rashly, but choose to listen quickly and speak slowly.
I "fire" anger from my employment, since it doesn't work, achieve or produce for me. I resolve conflict today and do not let the sun go down on my wrath.
I admit no one is to blame for my angry feelings, except the devil. I will use what remains of my aggressive feelings against the devil speaking the Word of God and resisting him FIRMLY in my faith. The violent take the kingdom by force, and that's what I'll do today, in Jesus' Name.
2. I feel so depressed.
Building onward , today we're fasting from the thought that says, "I'm so depressed." So often, depression is anger turned inward at ourselves for our shortcomings and mistakes.
Perhaps you've thought: "Life's a drag; what's the point of anything; I'll never be happy." These thoughts are designed to rob you of the joy and confidence that produce supernatural strength in our lives.
Let's put an end to this way of thinking:
1. Stop condemning yourself. Condemnation is a mindset that robs you of joy and peace. Romans 14:22 says,"Happy is the man who does not condemn himself..."
2. God's still working on you! Philippians 1:6 says lighten up on yourself. He began a good work in you; He'll finish it! Trust God that you're making progress. You're not standing still.
3. Tap into the power of believing. 1 Peter 1:8 says: "...though you do not see Him now, you BELIEVE in Him, and are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy." Believe the promise of God regardless of what you see; and depression will begin to leave.
4. Recognize and eliminate negative thoughts, one at a time. For example, if you think "this will never work," replace it immediately with: "It will work, because God is perfecting (completing) whatever concerns me." (Psalm 138:8)
5. Surround yourself with positive people. Positive thinking and speaking is contagious; just as negative thinking is. Only be around those who create an atmosphere of victory with their words.
6. Remember, you are not helpless. Thoughts of helplessness bring depression. The Holy Spirit is our Helper. (John 14:16-18; John 15:26; John 16:7)
THINK IT & SAY IT:
I will never be depressed another day in my life I decide to stop condemning myself and beating myself up for my shortcomings. I believe God is working on me every day.
I am not a negative thinker. I am positive. God is for me, with me and in me, therefore depression cannot stay. I command every ounce of depression to loose me and let me go; be removed and cast into the sea, in Jesus' Name!
The joy of the Lord is your strength!
3. What am I going to do?
Today we're fasting from the thought that says, "What am I going to do?" or "I don't know how I'm going to make it."
Listen to the profound words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25 when He said, "Take NO THOUGHT saying, `What shall you eat or what shall you drink; or what shall you wear...'" Notice, Jesus says we are not to accept these thoughts. Let's overcome them:
1. Jesus knew that the thought life is where the battle is decided.
2. Our thoughts produce POWER when we speak them out loud. That's why Jesus said, "Take no thought, SAYING..." We take negative thoughts into our lives when we speak them out loud.
3. Cast all your cares on God. (1 Peter 5:7) He knows you need all these things; and He will take care of it, when you turn it over to Him.
4. Expect God to speak to you. When you don't know what to do, listen to your heart. Be still. You will hear God's voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)
5. See Him as YOUR God. Paul said, "My God shall supply..." When you know He is YOUR God, you will trust Him to supply. Psalm 91:2 says, "You shall SAY of the Lord: You are my refuge, my fortress, MY GOD, in YOU do I trust!"
6. Seek His kingdom—His way of doing things. (Mark 4:26 says the Kingdom of God is like a man planting seed.) You're going to make it because you plant the seed of God's Word in your heart.
THINK IT & SAY IT:
When I don't know what to do, I will trust God to lead me. I expect God to speak to me. His still, small voice will be clear to me, today. He is MY God. He shall supply my every need. I seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the things missing in my life will be added to me, in Jesus' Name!
4. What might have been.
I hope you're encouraged as we are getting to the root of thinking that has kept us from all that God has for us. Remember, success or failure in life is created by how we think.
Today we're fasting from thinking: "What might have been." So often we allow thoughts of regret to paralyze us from a happy and victorious present and future. Today we get rid of the "woulda, shoulda, coulda" mentality. (I shoulda gone to college; I coulda made it, if I had the right breaks; I woulda succeeded if someone would have given me a break..." No more!
1. Forget what might have been, and look forward to what CAN BE. Faith in the possibilities of God extinguishes regret. Ephesians 6:16—the shield of faith quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
2. Meditate on Philippians 3:13-14 which says, "...this one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind, reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal..." Notice 3 words: forgetting, reaching, pressing. Forgetting means: forego what you can't get back. Don't hold on to your regrets. Give them to God.
3. Recognize God has something better for you. Hebrews 11:40 says, "God has something better for us." Expect it. Look forward to it.
4. Take charge of what CAN BE with your words. Job 22:28 says, "You shall decree a thing, and it shall be established to you..."
5. Just Do It. Start doing, today, what you should have done yesterday (provided it's godly!) It's never too late! Psalm 118:24 says THIS IS THE DAY the Lord has made—let us rejoice—take ACTION. Daniel 11:32 says, "Those who know their God will be strong and TAKE ACTION, DO EXPLOITS..."
THINK IT & SAY IT:
Today I give up the `woulda, shoulda, coulda' mentality. I will not ask `what might have been.' I'll declare what is and what will be with my words. I forget what lies behind and refuse to look back anymore at what I missed out on or could have had. God has something better for me today, and I accept it, take action toward it, and expect the greatest days of my life, ahead— in Jesus' Name.
5. God is not answering my prayers.
Today we're fasting from the thought that says: "God is not answering my prayers." This mentality prevents us from receiving all that God has for us.
Let's overcome this today by renewing our minds to what God REALLY says about this:
1. Pray the Word of God. God's Word was God's idea! So He intends for it to come to pass. 1 John 5:14-15 says, "If we ask anything according to His will (His Word) we know He hears us...and we know we have whatever we've asked." John 15:7 says, "If you abide in Me and Words abide in you...ask whatever you wish and it SHALL be done for you."
2. God always says "Yes" to His Word—His promises. 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "All the promises of God are yes, in Him, and with us is the `Amen'." There is no assurance that prayer will be answered, if it's not something God has already promised in His Word.
3. Walk by faith. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Regardless of how you feel, faith says: God has heard me, and He answers. Mark 11:24 says, "Believe you HAVE received...and it shall be granted to you."
4. Don't throw in the towel when you don't see it working. Hebrews 6:12 says, "...through faith AND patience, we inherit the promises of God."
5. Apply the secret of Persistence. (Luke 18:1-8) Matthew 7:7 (Amplified) says, "Keep on asking and it shall be given...keep on knocking and the door shall be opened."
6. Don't let condemnation rob you of your confidence. 1 John 3:20-22 says, "...If our heart does not condemn us (THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS), then we have confidence toward God; and whatever we ask we receive..."
THINK IT & SAY IT:
God DOES answer my prayers. No matter what I see or feel, I walk by faith, and not by sight.
Condemnation for my mistakes or shortcomings will not rob me of confidence. God is bigger than my mistakes. His Word abides in me, and therefore I can ask and receive. I won't be discouraged or give up; because I will reap if I do not faint. My answer is coming! In Jesus' Name!