A Guest Post by Melissa Taylor
“He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b (NIV)
Do you ever question if you are good enough? Are you more likely to dwell on what’s wrong with you than what’s right?
One day I realized I was scrutinizing myself to find out what my problem was. The more I picked myself apart, the more it dawned on me another voice was egging me on: the voice of the enemy, Satan. As I listened to his lies, they zapped my sense of worth and security.
For a long time, I didn’t recognize the enemy for who he was. The negative thoughts and deceitful suggestions simply sounded like my own voice.
The Bible opens with a serpent slithering into the lives of Adam and Eve. This snake is also known as Satan, and he filled their heads with lies they believed. Lies which separated them from God. From the start, Satan’s goal has been to trick and deceive. John 8:44b tells us “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” This liar also tempted Jesus. He was always ready though, with the Word of God, to defeat the evil one.
We too can have this weapon in our arsenal. As we fill our hearts and minds with Truth, we can defeat the lies we tell ourselves, and the lies Satan whispers in our thoughts.
When I compare my negative thoughts to God’s Word, the differences amaze me:
My thoughts: I want to give up.
God’s Word: Be committed (Philippians 4:13, Galatians 6:9).My thought: I’ll feel lost.
God’s Word: He watches my paths and establishes my ways (Proverbs 5:21, 4:26).My thought: No one loves me.
God’s Word: He loves me more than life (John 3:16).My thought: I’m ugly.
God’s Word: I’m wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).My thought: I’m all alone; no one understands me.
God’s Word: He will never leave me. He has plans for my life (Deuteronomy 31:6, Jeremiah 29:11).My thoughts: I’m just not good enough.
God’s Word: I was created in His image (Genesis 1:26).
When the enemy tries to slither in with false accusations, we must be ready to combat him with what God’s Word says about us. To get started, evaluate your thoughts and pray for wisdom to distinguish the voice of the enemy.
Condemning thoughts that steal your confidence of who you are in Christ aren’t from God. Let’s commit today to renew our minds with the Word of God each day, and replace those worn-out, deceitful lies with truth.
Dear Lord, thank You for Your life-giving truth. Please fill me with Your Word so that I can live in freedom and confidence! In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Related Resources:
Join thousands of women participating in Melissa’s Taylor’s P31 newest Online Bible Study of A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, starting October 13th! Click here to be part of this powerful study and community.Dive into God’s Word and be inspired and encouraged with our next A Confident Heart Real Life Connection Call Series, featuring special guests Natalie Grant, Renee Swope and more!
What others are saying about A Confident Heart:
• This book pierced my heart, as no other reading, hearing, or experience has.
• This is so what I need! I love how you remind us to pray God’s Word. His truth is only what makes a difference with toxic thoughts.
• I felt like you were writing about me. I find myself not doing things that would bring joy because of not being good enough. This book describes how I have felt all my life.
Reflect and Respond:
Are your thoughts reflective of who God’s Word says you are?
If not, what one or two things will you begin to change based on the verses above?
Power Verses:
Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)
Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
Copyright 2013, Melissa Taylor
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: Leave a comment under today’s post and let us know which one or two of the thoughts from God’s word you’ll cling to today – and we’ll be praying that promise over you for the rest of this week!
Thanks Renee – for more wonderful encouraging words! I will dwell on His Words ‘For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. To give you hope and a future’… Jeremiah 29:11
Also I love Phil. 4:8 ‘think on such things’…lovely…right…pure…noble…admirable…praiseworthy!
God bless!
You really spoke to my heart this morning in session 4. Thank you for sharing. I am learning so much more. I have been a Christian for over 40 years and yet the way you put different thoughts together have helped me understand why I have grown in my faith then become stagnant in my walk with Christ. You are truly a blessing, again thank you and keep sharing. Peace & Blessing to you
Don’t you just love the messages that God has given Renee to share with us. Love the videos and Renee’s heart for women.
Father God,
Thank you for using the message that you have given Renee to touch and change the heart of Yvonne. Please continue to take Yvonne and transform her more and more each day into Your likeness. Thank you for your GRACE toward Yvonne. Take Yvonne by the hand and the heart and lead her closer to you, closer to your heart. Continue revealing Yourself to Yvonne in new and exciting ways. Make Yvonne sensitive to your voice and to your call on her life. Amen.
Therefore there is no condemnation for anyone who is in Christ Jesus. I will never leave you or forsake you. Fear not for I am with thee. Be not dismayed for I am your God. Lord tell me your ways. Show me how to live. Guide me in your truth and teach me my God my Saviour. I trust You all day long. Wow. Thank you for your prayers I hope I am not too late in leaving my comment. Lots of love. God bless you. — Angie
Angie,
Love that promise and that verse! What an encouragement for all!
Father God,
Thank you for Angie and her encouraging comments. Thank you for the trust that she has in you. Continue to fill her with your confidence and your grace. May your light continue to shine upon her face so that others may see You in her. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Romans 8:12 Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds…
I need help keeping focus on what is important and just want to have an insatiable desire for Jesus and His Word again so that I can be transformed and stop thinking on the things of this world!
God,
Thank you for Romans 8:12. Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that indwells us. Thank you for renewing our minds. Give Charity a laser like focus on you and your heart. Cause her to seek you will her whole heart. Continue that desire in Charity for Your Word and Your promises. Fill her up. Transform her. Make her more into your image. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thank God! This is so timely I could scream. I love it. This week I was bombarded with some thoughts that can only come from the father of lies. I had to keep declaring and decreeing. It was very tough at times. It made me feel sick and lost but I held on. The Word from the Lord that bless me and I want you to pray with me is Prov. 5:21; 4:26; Gen. 1:26. Through JESUS I have the victory.
Father God,
We pray these scriptures over Lyn knowing that she has victory in YOU! I thank you for giving and filling Lyn with your promises. Thank you for sacrificing your Son so that we might have that victory. Thank you for loving and caring for every detail of Lyn’s life. Please continue encouraging Lyn as she filters the lies of the evil one through Your promises. Give her your understanding and discernment as she filters through those thoughts. In your Son’s name, the name of Jesus. Amen.
Today’s post could not have come on a better day. I too have struggled with self doubt. I am going through a rather difficult time at work. Learning a new computer program along with the constant deadlines I am continually feeling defeated. Satan loves to whisper negative thoughts to fill your head with doubt. I am so thanful for women like you that can write encouraging words to help keep your focus on Jesus Christ. Thank you!
Malinda,
Don’t you just love God’s timing and how He provides exactly what we need, when we need it!
Jesus,
Thank you for Malinda. Thank you for her realness in struggling doubt. I pray that you would go before her and replace those doubts that she has in herself with your promises. Give her the encourage and the strength to grasp ahold of your promises and to use your promises as her weapons against the lies that Satan is flooding Malida with. Take those lies and fill her with your strength to ignore the lies and to be completely filled with you. “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.” (Jeremiah 17:7). In Jesus’ name. Amen.
What if the condemning thoughts I am supposed to attribute to satan are backed up regularly by the people who are supposed to love me the most (husband, parents, siblings, children)? What if I am chronically ill and can’t get out of the house to try to find “friends” who might possibly replace these negative voices? How do I believe God loves me beyond salvation securing my place in heaven when I am in pain every day, keep getting sicker, keep accumulating [medical] bills that we can’t pay, cannot participate fully in my own life, keep putting whatever energy I do have into taking care of my family, etc., etc.
If there will be no more crying in heaven, why am I still working so hard to get through each day here on earth?
Liz,
I am so sorry that you are experiencing this. I too have gone through this but Renee & Micca Campbell shared with me the art of “frisking” those thoughts – frisking being taking them captive to God and replacing them with His thoughts and His promises. I often use Philippians 4:8 as my filter – “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (The Message). When I get those negative thoughts – no matter what the source is – I filter them through this verse. If the thoughts are not from God, I replace them with those that are. I also use Chapter 12 of A Confident Heart and read through God’s promises that Renee shares with us there. Hope this helps.
Father God, thank you so much filling Liz with your courage to share her struggles. I pray that she would take and claim the promises that you have for her. Fill her with your confidence, your love, your forgiveness and your grace. Guide her and strengthen her. Protect not only her thoughts but also her heart. Put your shield of protection around her and hold her tight. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Philippians 1:6–“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
I love this verse because I know Jesus will NEVER give up on me.
Jesus, I pray that Patsy, will be”confident of this, that HE who began a good work in HER will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Remind her each and every day that You will NEVER give up on her!! In Jesus’ name amen!
Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)
God loves me, no matter what I do…..He will never leave me or condemn me….He is my rock and protector…..He will NOT hurt me. His unconditional love helps me through each and every moment of each and every day…
Thank you, Father!!!!
Lord Jesus, I pray for Debbie Jo – that she would know deep in the crevices of her soul that “…there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
That YOU loves her, no matter what she does. And YOU will never leave Her or condemn her. That you are her Rock, her Protector, deliverer. Surround her with Your songs of deliverance and give her the courage to not only believe in you but to really believe You and all that You say about her!
In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Second guessing myself and condemning thoughts have been so extreme in my life, for all of my life that I have few relationships because I have found my mind going blank and its too hard and painful to communicate…creativity, thoughts and ideas seem to be absent from my reach…BUT I am not too far from HIS reach. I now know that I kmow that I know I MUST renew my mind on His word and refute these lies about myself that Ive just accepted as truth for so long…as Ive thought in my heart, so Ive become…but thet can be changed for good. 🙂 I laid in bed last night starting to fight these thoughts instead of accept and suffer with them and Philippians 4:8 was one God kept putting on my heart and was just repeating over and over. Also I came across John 8:44 yesterday in reading 🙂 Wow, thank you for your amazing post today that came at a perfect time, I am in tears while writing these…He hasn’t forgotten me in my pain but is ever so close in this journey of renewing my mind.
PS Renee I did your study back in April and can honestly say it was life changing and pointed me in the direction for seeking HIS truth on who I am in Christ…thank you so much!
Nicole, sounds like you know what you need more than anything and that is God’s truth to replace all those lies and doubts. I so understand. As you know from reading my book it’s been a struggle but God is making big progress in my life and I know He will in yours too!
So grateful He prompted me to share Melissa’s post just when you needed it – and used it to remind you that He knows. He sees and He’s reaching out to you!!
Would love for you to join Melissa’s online study of A Confident Heart. It would be so good to go through again! 🙂
Thank you Renee!! Just signed up for Melissa’s study- that’s a great idea! 🙂 So excited to go through it again.
I too have found God bringing me to Philippians 4:8 a number of times lately. Satan continues to rear his ugly head in my thoughts as I try to put a serious illness and a betrayal by my spouse behind me. Each time he finds his way into my thinking I will remember this verse.
God has made so many pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things in the world. They deserve our attention.
Blessings,
Nancy
Lord Jesus, I pray for Nancy these same things — that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— that she would think about such things.” Fill her heart with your noble, right, lovely about her truth, your admirable power and your excellent ways. Lord, your goodness is praiseworthy so fill her mouth and her heart with remembrance of your goodness that she can praise you for all day. In Jesus Name amen!
I also have a hard time recognizing the enemy for who he is. The negative thoughts and deceitful suggestions sound like me.. isn’t that so like satan! He sounds like each one of us..
I know it’s no mistake that God has put Philippians 4:8 in my path at least 4 times this week… “
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things
Thank you Renee
Lord Jesus, I pray for Teresa that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— that she would think about such things.” Fill her heart with your noble, right, lovely about her truth, your admirable power and your excellent ways. Lord, your goodness is praiseworthy so fill her mouth and her heart with remembrance of your goodness that she can praise you for all day. In Jesus Name amen!