Condemning Thoughts

...He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning,
and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources,

for he is a liar and the father of it.

John 8:44 (NKJV)

Do you ever question if you’re good enough? Are you more likely to dwell on what’s wrong with you than what’s right?

Me too. One day I was scrutinizing myself to find out what my problem was, but the more I picked myself apart, the more it dawned on me: Another voice was egging me on. It was 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 sounded like my own voice.

Now I see that from the start, Satan’s goal has always been to trick and deceive God’s people. The Bible opens with a serpent who slithered into the lives of Adam and Eve and filled their heads with lies they believed, lies that separated them from God. John 8:44 tells us Satan "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. Our Savior was always ready, though, to defeat the evil one. In Matthew 4:1-11, He did it with the Word of God, countering Satan with, “It is written …” (NIV).

We, too, have this weapon in our arsenal. As we fill our hearts and minds with Scripture, we can defeat the lies we tell ourselves and the lies Satan and his dark forces whisper in our thoughts.

When I compare my negative thoughts to God's Word, the differences amaze me:

I think, I’m lost.
God’s Word says He watches my paths and establishes my ways
(Proverbs 5:21; Proverbs 4:26).

I think, No one loves me.
God’s Word says He loves me more than life
(John 3:16).

I think, I’m ugly.
God’s Word says I’m wonderfully made
(Psalm 139:14).

I think, I’m alone, and no one understands me.
God’s Word says He will never leave me and He has plans for my life
(Deuteronomy 31:6; Jeremiah 29:11).

I think, I’m just not good enough.
God’s Word says I was created in His image
(Genesis 1:26-27).

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 in who you are in Christ aren’t from God.

Let’s commit to renew our minds with the Word of God each day and replace those worn-out, destructive lies with His Truth.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your life-giving Truth. Please fill me with Your Word so I can live in freedom and confidence! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

- Melissa Taylor
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"

God Is SO Good!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Psalm 103:2 (NKJV)

Jesus Wants You To Know...

"When you complain, you are saying that you think you could run the world better than I do. Things will happen that you don’t understand. You ask 'why?' and 'why not?' But you do not know all the things that I know. You can only see today. I can see yesterday, today, and forever - all at the same time. I know how everything fits together. Have faith in Me and trust that I will take care of you. Be thankful and praise Me - even when you don’t understand."

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

- "Jesus Calling for Kids" by Sarah Young

Scripture: Psalm 73:26

 

Application Of God's Word: Psalm 32:5

Verse: Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I have not hidden.

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Application:
God wants to forgive sinners. Forgiveness has always been part of his loving nature. He announced this to Moses (Exodus 34:6,7); he revealed it to David; and he dramatically showed it to the world through Jesus Christ. These verses convey several aspects of God's forgiveness: He forgives rebellion, puts sin out of sight, clears our record of sin. Paul quoted these verses in Romans 4:7,8 and showed that we can have this joyous experience of forgiveness through faith in Christ.

Many people don't know what repentance means. They offer a little prayer something like, “Lord, I'm sorry for the sins I did today. Forgive me in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
True repentance makes no excuses. It says, “This is my problem and my sin. I didn't have to yield, but I did. I can't blame it on anyone else.”
To confess our sin is to agree with God, acknowledging that he is right to declare what we have done as sinful and that we are wrong to desire or to do it. It is to affirm our intention of forsaking that sin in order to follow him more faithfully.

That is not repentance. It begins with confession, which means to agree with. True repentance means agreeing with God that what you did was wrong and needs to be cleansed. True repentance is coming to grips with your rebellion against God so that you see you have been sinful and need to be cleansed.

Resources:
“Life Application Bible Notes” by Tyndale House Publishers
Excerpt from “Time To Get Serious” by Tony Evans