Learning to speak for myself...

I read something this morning that reminded me of the power of pray and the power of words…

that when I'm talking to God about HIS Child-myself or one of my loved ones- that I couldn't disrespect the Lord by complaining and speaking ill about HIS child. I can not speak curses and faults about the one whom God loves. God doesn’t make mistakes with who we are. We are his children, failings and all. We should not be speaking negatively of our Lords creations.

So this made me wonder to myself and aloud to share with you...where did we get the idea that it’s okay to put ourselves down? We were made in HIS image. Have you thanked Him for who you are? You may say, “Oh no I am a failure, I am a sinner, a loser. I don’t measure up. You don’t know the things I have done.” Well, God does. And He still loves and wants you with Him. So how dare we speak of God’s creation (us, our spouse, our children, family and friends) in that way? We have learned to speak in negative ways about ourselves as well as others. It is learned behavior. It is not only accepted but encouraged to put ourselves down. Because we never measure up to the image the world has said we should be. We were not made in the image of the world but in the IMAGE OF GOD! We need to get a hold of that and begin to see ourselves that way.

We need to learn about the power of words. The life and death of the tongue.  We need to relearn how to speak to ourselves. It is a process that does not come natural unless we had Godly parents who may have taught us. But we CAN learn it. We can ask God to guard our tongues. We can learn to take our scriptures and stand before the mirror and speak out what we mean to God. What He says about us. It may feel weird, or fake and unnatural at first, I know. But that’s because it’s Truth and we have accustomed ourselves to lies. Lies that the enemy tells us when we believe all the negative things about ourselves. It is what we say about ourselves, our children, our husbands and wives. I’m not talking about ungodly pride. I am talking about seeing God in ourselves and honoring that.

We need to begin each day with affirmation to ourselves and our loved ones of who we are in God. Have you thanked God for and prayed for your spouse today? For your husband or wife? Your children? Family and friends? Have you asked God to bless them in all they do? Have you prayed for God's love to shine on their face as it says in Numbers 6? Think about it. Think about the difference it would, could, will make in your marriage, with your children, your family and friends. In your life as a whole. Have you used your tongue today to speak life over yourself or your loved ones? Have you put those life affirming words into the atmosphere?

Numbers 6:22 says

...The LORD bless you
   and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you peace.”

This is a blessing given to Moses. Can you imagine if we took the few moments each morning to thank God, truly for our spouse, for the blessing of God for him or her? What if we
 prayed this blessing upon them every morning? Or better yet, if we actually laid our hands upon them and spoke this blessing over them? Or for our children? Or ourselves??!!? Words are powerful! They speak life and death.  Numbers 6 is a blessing the Lord gave to Moses for the Israelites. But we are under the promises, blessings and covenants of Moses too- a part of the Jewish heritage. We as Christians must not forget that. We are following a Jewish savior. He did not come to save the Gentiles but came for His people. We belong in the family of the Jewish God Yeshua (Jesus). If you don't believe that you are entitled to the blessing given Abraham...it is not my opinion but the Word of God.

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every One that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV)

So let that get down deep into your spirit!  As my Jewish friend used to say...You were grafted into the Olive Tree, stop acting like a Fig!

So lest I get started on our need to stand with Israel and God's covenant, let me return to my original thought of speaking life into our loved ones and ourselves!  J

I beg you, believe that there is power in the tongue; the words you speak against someone or for someone can bring life or death to them. Blessings or curses. Don’t take my word on it, do a study on it. You will be surprised. Here are a few examples;

Let him keep his tongue from evil,
    And his lips from speaking deceit  1Peter 3:10

The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver...  Proverbs 10:20-21

But the tongue of the wise heals....
Truth’s lips will be established forever  Proverbs 12:18     What???? the tongue of the wise does what???? HEALS!!!

A gentle tongue is a tree of life...Proverbs 15:1-2,4    I love this one! A tree of life??? That is amazing. You can speak life???? You’re tongue is the tree of LIFE?!

"For everything spoken by God is possible." Luke 1:37

and the most well known of all..

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
You think this is all that weird out their kind of Christian stuff, the ones who believe in calling in riches and wealth and fancy cars. I am saying I am none of those. Alright, well maybe a little weird...but it has nothing to do with denominations at all. It has nothing to do with the "name it and claim it" teachers. It has to do with the Word of God and the truth of what it says. And even if you are an unbeliever you can not dispute the power of words. With a society of bullies in schools, workplaces and online in blogs etc...WORDS HAVE POWER!!!
Imagine taking your child and every day telling them they were worthless. "You will never amount to anything. Everything you do fails. You always screw up. You continue to be a disappointment to us. I knew you wouldn't finish it, what an idiot,".... etc etc etc. Now imagine talking to that child and telling them every day..."I love so you so much. God loves you! God wants you in His life. You are wonderfully made in HIS image. You are a princess (or prince) in the Kingdom of God. You are beautiful, honorable and you are the "apple of His eye" With God ALL things are possible for you. You can do ANYTHING! Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world!" You think words don't matter? I dare to say I can imagine which child would thrive the most.
Words have power my friends. Do you spend the day cursing yourself? Telling yourself you're fat. That you can't run a mile. That you can’t loose the weight, cook that, say that, or the multitude of other “cant’s’ That you should have done this or that…that you messed up again. Those are negative words, curses you speak out over yourself which leads to defeatism. It also brings you into agreement with the enemy and his thoughts for you. Again, Death and life are in the power of the tongue...so use it to speak life! Speak life over your children. If they are not walking a path of righteousness, remember to speak life about them. Not death. Every day speak life over your husband, your children, your family and friends. Speak scripture over them. Speak life over yourself. Look in the mirror each and every day and speak the TRUTH. Not yours but GOD’S TRUTH. That you are a beautiful child of Gods. That you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you. That you are the apple of God's eye. That you are beautiful, valuable, honorable, healthy, healed, happy and full of joy. That the fruit of the Spirit abides in you. That God has healed you spiritually, physically emotionally. That the battle has been fought and the enemy has lost and has no power over you. That your wounds belong to Jesus and He alone will love you through them. Put on the armor of God and carry your head high. Not in self pride but in the knowledge that you belong to the Most High God and He loves you and thinks you are awesome! Try that for about a month, I dare ya to tell me it doesn’t make a difference. I will speak these things aloud over myself, my husband, my children, my mom, brothers and sisters and friends each and every day. If you love someone…speak LIFE from your tongue over them. If they have failings as we all do…ask God to change YOUR heart about them.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; Those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
Dear Lord I pray for and speak life and affirmation over all those who have just read this...

...The LORD bless you
   and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you
   and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
   and give you peace.”