Peace - God's Treasure You Already Possess

Imagine walking into a frozen forest of dense trees. You are cold and lost. You do not know where to go and are dressed inadequately suddenly you realize there is a pile of gold that seems to be glowing beside you. Then you realize in your pocket there already was some of the gold. It produces a heat that warms you when you focus on it. God gives you the revelation that the gold is actually the peace of God. You realize you have a choice, you can focus on the forest where your circumstances are unknown and be truly afraid or you can focus on the fact that no matter your circumstance in life you carry the gold -- the peace of God. Which would you choose?

The above is a vision God just gave to me. Can you choose to focus on that peace with me? What would your life be like if you focused on that gold in your pocket -- allowing the warmth of God to fill you with a sense of peace, of purpose, of life? Life gets hard and we can get easily distracted into the present and try to solve all of the problems, yet, God wants to carry these problems and have us truly feel His peace in all circumstances.

Which do you choose today?

Agree with God - You are Amazing and of Great Worth!

Did you grow up in a home where perfectionism was valued? Do you sometimes boast to others that you are "driven." 
What happens when perfectionism is not met? What happens if you do not do everything right the way you "should." 
You fail.
This is a black and white philosophy or a  Pass/Fail Mindset. 
But, what does God think about all of this? Is he upset with you or angry if you make a mistake?
No! Actually God has never had a bad thought about you.
God want you to love yourself aggressively the way he does. Did you know that he really loves you with an everlasting love? (Jeremiah 31:3)
I was stuck for a long time in the Pass/Fail Mindset. I would get upset with myself every time I failed - which was all the time, because I was rarely able to do everything perfect. All of this negativity weighed me down and kept me from agreeing with who God says I am 
One of my favorite quotes of Ric Lumbard is "Minimum: Agree with what God says about you; Maximum: Feel what He feels about you."
I decided to believe that he had never had a bad thought about me and to agree and feel what he feels about me. 
This type of agreement leads to a powerful stance of understanding who I am in God. I am able to love others powerfully because of agreement with God's powerful love. I become a conduit for his love and I breathe out his love over all I encounter.
Could you step away from perfectionism? Can you relinquish control of your circumstances to God's powerful hands? Can you agree with the fact that you are truly amazing and absolutely precious to God? 
If this is a new concept to you, consider writing some of these ideas on post-its around your house. Or put a reminder on your phone to buzz and tell you something powerful like "God has never had a bad thought about me."
Old mindsets can be changed, but it takes determination, agreement with God, and renewing of the mind.
#changeyourmindsets #loveyourselfpowerfully #agreewithgod

Can You Control the Tightrope? Or Do You Fall into the Abyss?

In life, there is a tightrope we walk. A rope of faith and hope where below us there is an abyss of worry and fear. You might feel wobbly in your faith (unsure of what is coming next - which is doubt). You might feel unsteady and try to step backwards into the past looking only at "what worked before" rather than stepping forward into the unknown in faith. Or you can free fall into the abyss of worry and fear, always falling, but never, ever reaching the steady ground. The choice is yours.

The phrase "Fear not" is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. Think of the beauty of that in God's word. He has given you a "Fear not" for each day of your year. He wants you to remember daily to release fear and trust. "But," you might say to me, "You do not understand what I am going through."
I may not, but God does.

My main question to you is this, "Have you given control of this fear or worry to God?"  I find in my own life, I often hold on tight to the biggest concerns or fears. I kinda pray about them, but mostly I try to solve it on my own (searching the internet for answers and researching; asking multiple people for their opinions; etc). Do you see how in this situation it is I who is trying to control the situation? I'm sure you can all imagine how well this goes when I follow this philosophy. Needless to say, I am not walking in faith when I do this and I worry more and rest less. In addition, my way is NEVER better than when I release it to God.

Let's go back to the tightrope analogy. In life, daily, you have choices. You choose what to think, what to wear, what to eat, what to say. You have a choice about walking in faith or falling into the abyss of fear. You can try to control your stance and balance on that tightrope all on your own will or you release the worry and truly trust God to keep your footing steady and solid. Doesn't He already know everything? Can't you think of a time when He truly protected you? Doesn't He have absolutely your best interests at heart? Doesn't He love you more deeply than the ocean?

Why can we not, together, walk forward and trust? Take your right hand and put it in front of you. Now, put that worry or fear into your hand. Say with me, "God, I trust you. You have never left my side. I give this to you. If I start to think about it or worry, I will hand it back to you. I give up the control and I walk forward in faith powerfully, boldly and with Your great love. AMEN."

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:1b-2 

How to Live in a State of Joy, Peace, and Love

Life, people, circumstances, the words of others, work... so many things can pull us from the natural state God wants us to be in - a state of peace, joy, and love. 

Last night God wanted to remind me of 1 John 4:18, "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." (NLT)

I find that I tend to slide into worrying (which is a state of fear). This tendency displays a mindset of wanting to control or "handle" the issues that arise. Perhaps as a child you were taught to solve your own problems, for instance.

But, is that God's view of life and what does all of this have to do with his perfect love? 

Do you understand how deep and wide and full is the love that God has for you?

At one point in my thirties, I read that verse "I have loved you with an everlasting love;Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you."(Jeremiah 31:3, AMP). I suddenly understood God really does love me no matter what I have thought, said, or done. 

What does it look like to not only understand this with head knowledge, but to truly embrace it? 

The bottom line is, you matter to God. YOU do! You are not worthy WHEN. You are worthy NOW.

That, in itself, can be a hard concept to grasp and agree with - especially if you have always seen yourself as a driven person. 

Now, let's return to the initial topic. What is running your life right now? What is running your brain? Could it be fear or worry? Could it be to provide the perfect life for your kids or have your house looking the way it "should"?

What would happen if just chose to stop thinking that way. It isn't easy. Your mind is a battlefield, but what you choose to meditate on really does alter your state of peace, joy, and love. When a thought or something comes up, instead of trying to solve the problem yourself, could you take a deep breath and just ask God for the next step? Or if it is an unfounded worry (such as something the could happen in the future, but is not true or real) could you take any Bible verse you know and say it to yourself instead? Replace the yuck with truth. 

Take a step forward with me to choose joy, peace, and love over worry and control. #renewyourmind #changeyourmindsets #youareworthit

Appropriate Use for Anger

What makes you angry? Do you generally lose your temper when you are mad? Or cry? Or stuff your feelings away?
God can help you use the angry feelings for good.
What is an appropriate way to use anger?
1. Feel the anger. It is normal to feel a feeling. However, if you dwell  in the anger and allow resentment to build, that is when the feeling becomes harmful to yourself and others.
2. Do not feel guilty or bad about feeling angry. Instead, see it as a tool. Did you just have a very dramatic defensive reaction to a small issue? This is a clue to the root causes and by praying about it you can discover what is underneath it all.
3. Pray about what is making you angry. Ask God for the next step. There are many underlying emotions to anger: guilt, fear, pride, insecurity, rejection, loneliness, sadness, fear of failure, anxiety, depression, etc. Anger artificially helps us feel in control when we are actually out of control.

If you are angry because someone has attacked you emotionally, ask yourself, "Does this person's opinion matter more than what/who God says I am?" Does this person have the power to define who you are?

Consider changing the way you view strong emotions. Rather than a burden, see them as a clue to unraveling the path toward freedom in Christ. God wants you to lead a life not based on how you feel, but who you are and where He wants you to go!

What Reality Do You Live From?

What reality do you choose to live from? Are you listening to the world or God? Does the earthly realm and the world of celebrities dictate beauty? Do the talking heads of the internet tell you what to value? Does the reality of your friends' highlight reel on Facebook determine how you are doing in your appearance? Your job? Your parenting abilities or failures?

If we are truly of God, why do we live from the reality of the world? When we became believers the Holy Spirit came to dwell within us. This means you are holy. Your spirit is beautiful and free.

Yet, some of us choose to remain focused on the worldly perspective rather than looking from heaven down. Why? For me, it feels like a lot of is just a habit. But, I also feel the media I listen to or watch, the people I choose to spend time with, and other elements can really lead me back into the worldview.

God wants you to agree with what He says about you. To really be a mover and a changer of worlds you need to step away from the worldview so you can be an influencer of the world not a needy, clingy person who wants the world's approval.

Spend a moment with God. What does He want you to know about Him? What does He want you to know about you. Choose to agree with Him.

Consider doing what I am going to do. Have praise music running continuously in your home. Just on low volume is powerful will change the atmosphere of your home or office. Personally, I find the IHOP KC prayer room live set great http://www.ihopkc.org/prayerroom/, but anything you like will be great. Praise is a weapon. And this, my friends, is a war of the mind. Be on the offensive so that you can be a powerhouse for God rather than weak, seeking man's approval.

Test Everything

What if you get a word from God? Perhaps someone and shares something with you? You get a vision or a dream? How do you know it is from God?

You must test everything. Do not take it all at face value. 

If you have a dream: go back with prayer and ask God to show you the true nature of the dream in the name of Jesus. 

If you get a prophetic word spoken over you, note it and then look for patterns. Have others said the same/similar thing? Do the words ring true within your spirit?

Does the vision, dream, prophetic words line up with the word of God? You can be sure that if anything spoken to you or that you see that does not line up with character of God it is to be thrown away.

I was the focus of a prophetic pit. I sat in front of 50 people who did not know me and they prayed and asked God what He wanted them to know about me. After several minutes they shared what they had gotten. There were true themes where multiple people got the same thing about me. This is another way to verify what the Lord says. 

Just take a minute now and ask God, "What do you want me to know about you? What do you want me to know about me?" These types of moments can be powerful, but truly life-changing when you step into what God says and believe.

Don't Let Your Do Define Your Who

What is the lens you see life through? Have you ever had anxiety or felt depressed? Life through this type of lens affects everything. If someone at work says hello, the anxiety lens might overanalyze the body language/tone of voice reading into the action something that was never there. Whereas, when one is chronically depressed if someone makes a positive comment, through the lens of depression one might doubt the sincerity of the compliment or even negate the words by saying something like, "Well, you have never seen me when I wake up in the morning."

This filter also directly affects what you think God thinks about you. Is your relationship with the father are you bound by this lens or are you free to run and able to truly hear/believe what He says about you?

In addition, society tells us success is based in performance -- that your worth is seen by what you do. But, don't let your do define your who.

The truth is what we do doesn’t affect the fact that we are God’s children and that He absolutely loves us with an everlasting love. The father is your biggest fan no matter your works.

So, take a minute and ask God if you are looking at Him through some sort of lens. He sees you-- it's about time you really see Him and understand how deep his love is for you!

No Record of Wrongs

What does true love look like? True love is unconditionally loving others and not keeping a record of their wrongs. God does this. We pray and ask forgiveness and our sin is tossed to the bottom of the ocean. He lets it go.
How can we mimic this within our friendships and relationships with others?
First, let's identify what we are saying that hinders this type of freedom in love. Have you ever said something to the effect of, "That person is going to have to earn back their trust with me after what just happened?" You have just set a condition to being able to love that individual freely. You have tied your joy to whatever behaviors the person displays. You are now being managed by their behavior/emotions.
This has happened to me. I have a close friend that is not very consistent and has really hurt my feelings several times. I kind of opened myself up to that response because I kept wanting this friend to behave differently. Therefore, every time this person did not show up the way I wanted, I felt hurt. Do you see how my feelings were managed by my friend's behavior? I kept a record of the wrongs and they compounded upon each other all because of the way I chose to view it.
What we are talking about is a complete mindset shift here. A complete overhaul to the way society views other people's actions/words. I need to go from remembering hurt feelings/times I was disappointed by someone's behavior to absolutely and completely letting it go.
This is not just in friendships, this can be in work or personal, and even family relationships.
If you are managed by the behavior or emotions of others you will never truly be free and you will not truly love unconditionally.
Can you start to shift your thinking? Think of one person in your life who makes you frustrated, hurt, or some other strong feeling. Can you let go of what you are expecting them to do? Can you stand next to that person and love him/her well failures and all? #lovewell #otherpeoplesbehaviordoesnotmanagemyfeelings #totalmindsetshift #loveunconditionally #letitgo #changeyourthinking #changeyourreality

Condemnation vs. Conviction

I just read an excellent article by Dr. Henry Wright of the Be in Health Institute. It was so good explaining the difference between condemnation of the enemy and conviction of the Holy Spirit. I have decided to share the article with you in full here:

Many times we feel like there are areas in our lives we need to change. However, we need to be careful to distinguish between the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the enemy. Is it conviction or condemnation?

Condemnation screams in our ears and makes us feel terrible and afraid. Conviction is a soft, sweet voice that makes us feel good about the changes we want to make to line up with the Word of God.

 

Condemnation is similar to conviction in that it always contains an element of truth. We can discern which one is speaking by asking ourselves several questions:

1.) How does it make us feel? Condemnation will leave us feeling guilty and ashamed. Conviction will fill us with hope and a sense of renewal.

2.) What's the pathway? Condemnation will leave us feeling hopeless and confused about what to do. Conviction will point us in a clear direction of change.

3.) Where's the problem? Condemnation says the problem is actually us - and our identity - to bring us to a conclusion that we can never change. Conviction will declare that the issue is not us and will help us overcome.

4.) What's the resolution? Condemnation will place all the blame on us and drive us into trying to fix everything ourselves. Conviction puts the blame on the enemy and depends on God to help us make the changes we need in order to overcome.

Condemnation is straight from the enemy. It feeds into his plan to keep us from the truth, so we're scattered and confused. When God is leading us to change something, He does it gently and clearly. If we recognize we have been listening to condemnation, we must put the blame back on the enemy where it belongs and take our peace. When we're ready to be changed in an area of our life, God will lead us into overcoming!

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

  

Reference: I am Changed newsletter article; Feb. 2, 2015; Dr. Henry Wright 

7 Steps to Sin - You Have a Choice!

How many times have you promised God, yourself, an accountability partner, your family, etc that you are going to stop with a specific sin. Then, suddenly you find yourself AGAIN in the spot of sinning. It feels like a trap. Perhaps, this is just going to be your own personal sin struggle. Maybe this is just your personality - a part of you.

NO! LIES - THESE ARE ALL LIES!

I have just been watching a remarkable training from the Be in Health folks about the 7 Steps to Sin.

As noted in James 1:14-15, there are seven steps to sin:

James 1:14-15

King James Version (KJV)

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1. Temptation - An evil thought enters your head. This is always a thought from the enemy. Not from God.
2. Drawn Away - Preoccupied by thought. You begin to have strong feelings about specific temptation.
3. Own Lust - Satan knows what we are easily tempted by. At this stage, you sit back and turn on the TV in your mind thinking about temptation and liking it.
4. Enticement - Weakening of your will. Your will power weakens. You begin to get symptoms in your body enticing you to sin.
5. Lust Conceived - This is not only meaning the sexual sin of lust. You prepare for sin - the desire to sin enters your heart. You make the thought your own.
6. Sin - You commit the sin.  You open the door to curses and diseases
7. Death - Consequence of sin is death. Separation from God. Guilt and shame come in.

YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

I always knew the Bible said that it was a choice to sin or not, but in some areas of my life I just could not get a very strong handle on it. I would walk away from a temptation then fall repeatedly several times in a row. I was thankful that Jesus had died for me, so I could ask for forgiveness, but I felt guilty and shameful that I kept falling.

This message is a life changing idea. It is the disembodied spirit (demonic) that often brings a tempting thought into our heads. Even if it seems like it is our idea - for instance, if we hear the voice in first person. Just think you have not actually committed the sin until step number 6.

In my next blog entry, I am going to discuss how to renounce the sinful thought before it becomes a sin reality!

Awesome! Walk in freedom, my friends!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This blog entry is based on a training from Be in Health, created by Henry Wright

BE STILL...

I have learned that the best revelations from God come from simply learning to be still before Him.

How to be still before God:
1. Find a location where you can have at least 10 minutes alone. Being outside in nature is really great, but anywhere where you can get a moment alone is fine. I know one mother who actually goes into a closet and sits on the floor so she can have a few minutes alone with God without the kiddos around. If you can't think of a place or have such a tight schedule you are unsure of how to schedule it in, just ask God. He desperately wants to spend time with you. He will provide a way to be still.
2.  Keep paper beside you and a pen. Be ready to jot down any errands you suddenly remember as you begin to be still before God. Go ahead and write them all down. Otherwise, these items will be in your head and keep you from being completely still.
3. Pray, "In the name of Jesus, I command my body and mind to line up with the Holy Spirit." Now your mind and body will not distract you from hearing God.
4. Take a series of deep breaths. Try to breathe out slower each time.
5. Ask God a question or just be completely still before Him.
6. Write if you see any visions or hear any words from Him. Do not try to analyze what you are writing means. Just go with it.
7. Be sure to reread your revelations and/or journal about them. These are precious words from God about you and your destiny God has for you.

Pay Attention to What Makes You Feel Defensive...

Did you know that a key way of seeing into yourself and what is still binding you from living the way God wants you to live is to look at what makes you feel defensive?
It's true. Try for a day or two to really be aware if you feel offended or find yourself being defensive in any situation.
Note these things. Then take a few minutes with God and begin to analyze them with God helping you discern.
If I have time, I take a minute immediately after I notice that I have been defensive about something and go through the following steps with God.

1. I acknowledge that I felt defensive. Then I ask God to help me see what was I defensive about. What was the true message underneath my defensiveness?
2. Once I discover the incident, memory, or issue that is underneath the defensiveness I think about the topic (trying to put myself in the situation or memory associated with it). I ask myself, "What am I feeling in this setting?"
3. I acknowledge any emotions I feel (such as: fear, anxiety, sadness, humiliation, etc). Then I take these emotions stating them aloud and say, "In the name of Jesus, fear you leave now. I break all ties you have to this situation."
4. In addition, I pay attention to subconscious statements I might be saying to myself (those core beliefs that are definitely unbiblical such as "I am bad" "I am disgusting" or whatever).
5. I take theses statements and say, "In the name of Jesus you no longer have any power here. I will not think these things again in the name of Jesus. Any strongholds or thought patterns associated with this belief is broken in the name of Jesus."
6. To make sure I am done with this issue, I go back to the original situation in my head that just happened to make me defensive. How am I feeling now? What thoughts am I having? If any negatives still remain I repeat until head is empty and feeling no feelings.

This is truly an amazing and life changing exercise. It is like having years and years of counseling, but in the span of 5 minutes. I can now see why God is called the ultimate counselor. Only He can get rid of the junk that has been in our brains for our whole lives in just a few short minutes. Wow! Praise God!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

God Does NOT Want You to be Sick!

God does not want you to be sick. 
Throughout my adult life, I had migraines. I felt God had allowed me to have this health issue or even given it to me because I deserved it! 
It was a huge revelation to realize that sickness does not come from God. He actually wants us to be healed.

Mark 16:18 states, "They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed"(emphasis added).

What does this really mean? Our great commission as Christians is to go out and lay hands on others, in the name of Jesus, and God will heal them. 

Perhaps the best at explaining this concept clearly is Curry Blake. Please see my page with all of Curry Blake's DHT (Divine Healing Technique) trainings. Watch all of these trainings and then go out and start laying hands on people. It is really amazing to see. Or lay hands on yourself. That is where I began. I put my hands on myself and told my headaches to leave in the name of Jesus. 

So, the next time you hear someone say it is God's will for them to be sick, remind yourself it is NEVER God's will for us to be sick. He wants us to walk in His glory and power into freedom and becoming who He wants us to be in Christ. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at:

 Wind and Fire Mission Base Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

John G. Lake Ministries - Curry Blake DHT Training2

Immediate vs. Ultimate

Impulse control can be hard. Whether you struggle with food, shopping, gambling, drinking, etc.
One of the Fruits of the Spirit is self-discipline. Did you realize that simply by becoming a Christian you have access to any and all of the Fruits of the Spirit? They are not some unattainable thing that one needs to read the Bible so many times or do some sort religious gymnastics to accomplish.
Rather, they are there at your fingertips now. Simply start living in self-discipline. Walk with the confidence knowing that God has already bestowed this gift to you.
Also, when facing those impulse situations, why not say to yourself, "immediate or ultimate." In other words, think about if you are going to indulge the immediate or resist for ultimate. If you live life according to the immediate, you will miss out on the ultimate!
One thing I am doing right now is having a sign in my car with "immediate or ultimate" on my dashboard. Sometimes I am tempted to buy something or eat when I do not need to. By having a simple reminder in front of me, I am able to remember that I am self-disciplined. God has already given me this gift.
Just another way to walk in freedom and power!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

Grading Your Decisions

Boy, doesn't it just feel awful when you have made a poor decision? It is hard to stop condemnation or negative thinking from taking over.

What if you were able to avoid negative decisions by looking at all the choices you made in a new way? Stop viewing everything in a pass/fail mentality. 

Think of something you are trying to make a decision about right now. Now, think of a solution that you have considered doing to solve the problem. 

Grade this solution you are considering on a 1-10 scale (1-poor - 10- best). What is your number? Now take your problem before God. Be still before Him asking Him how to improve your solution. Is there someone he recommends you speak to for guidance? Is there are verse He gives you to add clarity?

Now think of the solution God has given you and grade this one in your head. Did your number go up?

Remember, stop thinking about everything as right or wrong -- pass or fail. If you make a decision that you don't like as well say, "Well, that outcome was about a 3. I wonder what I could try to make it go up a couple of numbers in the future?

We are talking about shifting your brain about the way you think about decisions. Start shifting and see a difference!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

What if it Doesn't Work? What if it Does?

Do you live in the land of "what ifs"? Do you find yourself constantly wondering what might happen or could come next? Is worry your go-to emotion?

I know it was (and sometimes still is) for me. I used to worry about absolutely everything. Even when I would tell myself not to worry, I would worry. I knew Matthew 6:34 by heart, where Jesus says, "Do not worry about tomorrow for today has enough troubles of its own." I would chant that to myself - yet I would worry.

God really does not want us to worry. When a worry pops into your head, tell it to leave in the name of Jesus. Also, try shifting your thoughts.

You might be worrying about something and think, "What if it doesn't work?"
INSTEAD, try thinking, "What if it does!"

Also remember God really is your best friend. He wants to help you in EVERY decision. So even if it something small like trying to figure out what you should wear to work or when to go do your exercising for the day - just ask Him. I have found great peace when I just ask God about whatever is going on in my brain.  Just try it. Allow Him to close the door on worrying and release you from that prison!

How to Be Grateful in 15 Minutes

Do you find yourself complaining? Thinking of what needs to be done and how you are possibly going to get it all done? Feeling overwhelmed by life?
I find it is difficult to remember gratitude at these times.
God wants us to enter each day with thanksgiving and praise in our hearts.
How does one get into this mindset? Why not begin with taking 15 minutes over your lunch break or before bed and writing down 25 things that are going well in your life. Then take that list and put it in your Bible to look at each day or perhaps post it on your frig.
Try thanking God for a couple of these things each day. Say, "I am content with where I am at and thankful for ______________." It's true, isn't it? I know it can be hard, but watch how your life changes with just this one simple change!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

Positive Thinking Only Diet

This is no ordinary diet. There are no food restrictions or specific rules to follow when it comes to eating. Rather this diet is a brain diet.
How positive is your thinking these days? How often do you have a negative thought about anything?
If you find you are having a constant steam of condemnation going around in your head, please read my post entitled "Getting Rid of Self-Condemnation Forever"
Now that condemnation is gone from your brain, how many other negative thoughts do you find yourself meditating on? For instance, what role does worry/fear play in your life? How often do you find yourself complaining? Doubting? Just feeling down-in-the-dumps?
God really wants to free you from this too! So why not go on a diet for your brain.

Steps to Positive Thinking Only Diet:

Your main goal is to make it one entire day without a negative thought. If you have a negative thought, you must begin again to make it 24 hours without one.

1. Pray and ask God to give you wisdom and discernment about when a thought is negative and not beneficial. Also ask for him to help you hold it captive and release it.

2. Begin your day. When a negative thought comes up in your head, notice it is there, then throw it out in the name of Jesus. Just having this thought come into your brain does not count. It is MEDITATING on the thought or PERSEVERATING on it that gives it power. This is where Satan can get a foothold into your life.

3. Replace the thought with a verse. It can be any verse. Or simply say the name of Jesus over and over until you are focused on something new.

4. Build stamina in holding every thought captive just as you do when you build endurance in exercise. It will be hard at first, but do not give up. God will give you freedom from negative thoughts.

5. Do not get discouraged. Whatever you do, do not allow condemnation or anything negative to come into your head when you are unable to hold a thought captive. This is hard. It takes practice. One woman took 6 months of doing this daily before she could make it through one whole day without negativity sneaking into her thoughts. Ask God to strengthen you! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230

Who Am I?

If you grew up attending public schools, you probably made one of those "Who Am I" or "I am Special" poster boards for a class project. Remember the parts of the poster that were supposed to demonstrate your worth? (Your likes, dislikes, talents, how many brothers or sisters you had, what you wanted to be when you grew up, etc).

With this philosophy, we are brought up to believe our worth is defined by what we do or what we like. It is no wonder that our self perception is so distorted by the time we get older.
I found that my primary identity came from what I did for a living. When people would ask me how I was doing, I would think about how my job or personal accomplishments in my life. It is interesting to look at that. Isn't the question, how are YOU? Not, what have you accomplished recently; how successful are you in your work or relationships; etc. If we are really engaging in meaningful relationships we should really want to know HOW the person is doing, not WHAT they are doing.

I learned recently that God is not focused on WHAT I DO, but WHO I AM.

God does not determine a person's value by looking at what they have done in life or by his/her good works.

Did you know that you are actually God's treasure? We are His treasured possession! (Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 7:6, Deuteronomy 14:2, Deuteronomy 26:18)

Walk in freedom - stop identifying yourself by what you do. Start embracing who God says you are. Start now. Watch this video from Casting Crowns.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this blog I have used material I learned at Wind and Fire Mission Base.

 Wind and Fire Mission Base, 3243 Wind and Fire Dr. Marion, IA 5230230