Some of the battles you’re fighting today are in your thought life; not with the people around you or your circumstances.
The enemy will use your thoughts to accuse you of many things so that you will feel defeated, and to keep you away from God’s love and grace.
I remember feeling so defeated after a ministry trip that I wanted to quit. It has to do with something small that someone just said but the enemy is good at using that to discourage me. The spirit of lack within me caused me to think that I was useless and could not help anyone l because of a small comment.
The way for us to win this battle is through capturing our thought life and learning to listen to God’s voice instead of the voice of the enemy. Yes, the voices around us can be so loud at times that they can drown out God’s voice.
We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
It’s not done through techniques such as positive thinking but through the spiritual weapons that God has given us. There’s nothing wrong with being a positive person and having a positive outlook. That’s a good trait to have but it’s limited when it comes to dealing with spiritual warfare.
God’s weapons – knowing what His Word says about you.
Whenever the enemy tries to remind you that you can never change, speak against that lie and remind yourself that God can change you. You are a new creation in Christ and God will give you a new heart and spirit.
Certain aspects of ourselves will stay the same, but this renewal has to do more with our inner spiritual self. So many of us struggle with anxiety and depression because we care more about our external selves than our inner life. We try to get approval from the world by spending most of our time playing our role while neglecting our spiritual life.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! - 2 Corinthians 5:17
You are a new person in Christ, and God will keep renewing you each day. All of your sins have been forgiven and you are now fully cleansed!
This verse keeps reminding me that because He’s transformed me before, He will keep renewing me each day. I still remember the day when I accepted Jesus into my life. It was as if I was in heaven and experienced immense joy as I’d never had before.
At that very moment, a deep transformation took place in my heart, and because of that, I know He will keep changing me even on days when I don’t feel anything. Our inner transformation can only be kept alive when we live with intentionality. Think of your inner life as if it’s a garden that needs care and attention. If it’s neglected, it will not grow and will only wither.
When the enemy points out your fears and insecurities and tries to keep you in bondage, go to God and allow His love to remove fear from your life. When you allow Him to love you just as you are, your fear will begin to be replaced with a spirit of boldness that comes from knowing God.
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. – 1 John 4:18
God has shown me His love in many different tangible ways. I was recovering from an injury once and needed crutches to move around. During that time, I was approached by strangers almost every day offering to help me. Each time, I was reminded of His love for me and how much He cared about what I was going through.
All of us struggle with issues of acceptance, significance, and approval at varying degrees. Whenever the voices around us tell us that we’re insignificant, we have to go back to listening to God’s voice which tells us that we are His masterpiece and that He has already accepted us just as we are.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. – Ephesians 2:10
The world wants us to play a role in order to be accepted. Children tend to do things to attract attention and receive approval. As adults, we do it subtly and sometimes in ways we’re not even aware of. We do this by avoiding situations or people that will make us feel rejected or ashamed.
The voices of the world will try to point out our flaws, mistakes, failures, and weaknesses; if we allow these thoughts to keep discouraging us, they will prevent us from growing and living out the purpose God has for us.
God is continually working in your life – cleansing, renewing, and growing you so you can live an abundant life.