I have run across several situations recently in which I have heard people put themselves down.
I am not talking about acknowledging that we were wretched sinners and separated from God until we accepted His free gift of grace because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice.
I am referring to speaking negative things in such a way that we are declaring them to be truth. Declarations that do not express hope or victory, but instead speak condemnation, hopelessness, and defeat. Often these things are presented as absolutes, with words like always and never.
Among the such statements I have heard recently…
I’m not good at that.
I’ll never be able to do that.
I can’t do anything right.
I’m not smart enough.
Sound familiar? I know I have been guilty of thinking and saying a few of these.
But is this how God speaks to us? Does He tell us these things? The answer is NO!
So, if we are thinking or declaring statements like these as if they are truth (and they are not!), who are we coming into agreement with?
The enemy. The enemy speaks these lies to us. The enemy wants to discourage us and make us feel like we don’t have hope.
And when we meditate on the enemy’s lies or speak those lies over ourselves, we are giving him permission to continue to attack us. He wants to steal the joy we have in Christ Jesus!
JOHN 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
If we are believing these lies, we are essentially believing that the Lord is not capable of doing a good work in you. We are choosing to remain bound by the shackles the enemy wants to place on us instead of walking in faith and trusting in the Lord.
Reject those words! Repent if you are saying or thinking them!
We need to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ
2 CORINTHIANS 10:5
We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
We need to renew our minds. Let’s stop measuring our worth by worldly standards.
ROMANS 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We need to set our minds on things above!
COLOSSIANS 3:2
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
We need to meditate on God’s Word and His Goodness!
PHILIPPIANS 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
PSALM 119:15
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
We need to think about and declare God’s truth over ourselves (and other believers – don’t speak enemy lies over them, either!).
PSALM 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
And finally, we need to replace those lies with the truth!
1. We are a new creation in Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2. We are a royal priesthood. A chosen generation!
2 PETER 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
3. We are the children of God.
JOHN 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
4. We are victorious in Christ Jesus.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Be encouraged, my friends! Our Lord is faithful!
ROMANS 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.