When I was a freshman in high school, I was the worst at negative self talk! It especially came out during sports. I was the point guard for our basketball team and when I had the open shot I wouldn’t take it out of fear of missing the shot. This happened over and over again in a lot of areas of my life. It was so noticeable that my basketball/volleyball coach gave me a book called The Power of Positive Thinking for Teens by Mary Lou Carney and Norman Vincent Peale.
Now when Amy Setzer Bales first handed me this book I thought, “I don’t know why she thinks I need this. I don’t have negative thinking.” Man, was I wrong.
The Lord used Amy Bales and the authors of this book to show me the way towards a healthier, happier outlook on who I am as a daughter of the King and how important positive thinking is for everyday life. This book helped me to begin to pray scripture over myself and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus.
The Lord has brought this simple truth back to the forefront of my mind and how important this way of thinking is for everyday life and even future situations.
Just the other morning the Lord reminded me of this truth in Proverbs 18:21.
It says, “The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
I felt the Lord offer me the choice that morning to speak life over my day or to “call it like it is”.
The day didn’t turn out like I had hoped and was filled with one frustration after another but after I calmed myself, I remembered what the Lord had said about the tongue.
I had the choice to speak life over the situations that arose and to speak life over my attitude towards them. Let me tell you, it was NOT easy. It was definitely a battle but it was well worth the fight. I learned that day to take thoughts captive much sooner rather than later.
To count it all JOY when facing trials of various kinds.
To LEAN on the everlasting arms of my Savior and my friend.
He showed me grace that day. Not just for myself but for others as well. He also taught me not to look at each day as being good or bad but that each day is another day of grace.
Let’s take it one step further.
It’s easy to state the obvious about situations or things in general. The challenge this verse offers is to look past what is in front of you and speak the truth of God’s word over situations.
For example, all around you there is turmoil and chaos. What do you do? Do you add to the situation by saying, “Man, there’s a lot of turmoil and chaos happening right now.” Or do you say, “I see what’s going on here, but I declare peace over this place. Because the prince of peace lives inside of me, I am a carrier of His peace. Holy Spirit, come and saturate this place with peace.”
This exercise of transforming your mind to see things from a kingdom perspective and call into existence what is not yet seen, will change your thought life forever.
The same goes for how you view yourself. If you’re always going around thinking the worst about yourself then that’s what you are going to become. The things that you dwell on, you become. Instead, put aside that negative thinking and tap into the reality of who you truly are: a much beloved son/daughter & a co-heir with Christ.
In Romans 8:16-17 (NIV) it says,
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his suffering in order that we may also share in his glory.”
“We are created in His image and in His likeness. Every time we demean ourselves we are talking badly about the Artist (God) and the Model (Jesus). The truth is that the beauty of creation actually gives glory to the Creator.”
– Kris Vallotton
Get into the word and find the verses that say the truth about who you are.
Let’s put aside the negative self talk and make the conscious effort to speak life over situations, whether big or small.
If you struggle with negative self talk please check out Dr. Norman’s book, for adults, called The Power of Positive Thinking. You’ll be glad you did!
