This is my response to the previous blog:
My Thoughts:
My Thoughts:
This brings a few things to mind. One, is a quote from Tye Tribbet, an amazing speaker and man of God who spoke at one of our Campus Crusade for Christ meetings at UW-Milwaukee: “Revival comes from constantly speaking truth.” The woman at the well had one encounter with Jesus, but she never stopped talking about it. She told everyone she knew about her encounter with Jesus, and the whole city came to Christ! How many encounters with Jesus have we had? What would happen if we as christians constantly talked about the good things Jesus has done in our life? What would happen if we were constantly speaking truth, sharing verses and talking about Jesus? Revival! Revival has to happen in your own heart before it moves on to others. If you want to see the people who are close to your heart start living for Christ, then you need to experience revival in your own life. Once your heart and mind are renewed, and you are experiencing God work through your life, you won’t be able to stop talking about the good things Jesus is doing for you! When people see you, they will say to themselves, “Whatever that person has, I want some of that!” Love and joy and peace will be written all over your face so that when people see you, they see Jesus.
Other thoughts:
There is power in speaking things out, in proclaiming things. If you were to go around everyday saying “Today is just another day and nothing good is going to come”, then guess what, it will be just another day and nothing good will come, or at least you will miss the good things because of your attitude and speech. If you wake up and say, “This is the day the Lord has made. This is a new day and a new blessing. I am going to rejoice and be glad in this day, giving thanks for all that God gives me!”, your day is going to be radically different. Start making proclamations. Declare things to God, and then walk it out. Declare that you are no longer going to be luke warm, but that you are going to commit fully to the God who is fully commited to you! Declare that you are going to be thankful for the blessings God gives you. Declare that you are going to have joy as a lifestyle and not just an emotion you experience here and there. Declare that you are going to be bold and courageous as you witness about what Jesus is doing in your life. Declare that you have victory over fear, worry and anxiety, knowing that God has you in the palm of His hands. Declare that you are going to put to death the sinful tendencies you brought into a relationship with Jesus. Declare that you are going to live a Spirit-filled life, and let the Word of God dwell richly in your heart. Make some declarations to God today, and then walk them out.
Final thoughts:
Be mindful of your speech. Are your words building people up and encouraging them or are they slandering them and putting them down. Also be mindful of what you speak about your circumstances. If you speak defeat, defeat will be yours. If you speak victory, victory will be yours. I am not saying that everything will work out just the way you want it to, but maybe God will change your heart and change what victory means to you. For me, victory is surrendering everyday to Christ and allowing Him to work through my life.
Taming the Tongue
“Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell… With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (James 3:4-10)
The things we speak out will radically affect the course of our entire life. I had plenty of opportunities to throw in the towel with the World Race, plenty of times where I ran into a brick wall and came face to face with the impossible. I am still facing all kinds of brick walls, but I know God has called me, and I continue to speak out the things God puts on my heart. I declare that God has called me, and no matter what I face, I will press on because I know my God is faithful and able to deliver me. This kind of faith does not come from me, it is a gift of God. But I practice faith, and allow God opportunities to show Himself faithful.
Start examining your speech. Are you speaking truth and life or are you speaking death? Practice speaking truth and life today, and watch as it radically transforms your life!
