Do the negative tapes play in your mind too?
“You’re not good enough.”
“You’re bad.”
“I’m nobody.”
If they do…
Oh…I feel a song coming on. Diana Ross is singing:
chorus:
Stop in the name of love before you break my heart
Stop in the name of love before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over
Could Jesus be singing this to us?
I know how painful it is as a parent to watch my kids struggle with anxiety, self-confidence, and negativity. I want to fix it. I know how great they are!
How much does it break the Father’s heart to watch us mope around believing the lies? He has given us His Son. Everything. So that we might LIVE.
Are you LIVING or barely getting by?
Love changes things. God’s love changes things. When He loved the world enough to send Jesus to us, His love ushered in a new covenant…a mystery called GRACE. We don’t have to be good enough anymore, and we aren’t bad. We’re made “good” in the eyes of God the moment we trust in Jesus.
“I don’t see you that way at all,” whispers God. “I see someone beautiful, lovely, loving, full of and covered in Christ…covered in love.”
Kind of like a strawberry dipped in chocolate.
.
Well…maybe that’s taking the Valentines day theme a little too far.
But really, some of us need to soak in His love. How do we do this?
By loving Him.
When the negative tapes play in your mind, counter them by telling Jesus how much you love Him. Thank Him for His love and salvation. Thank Him for His grace.
I’ve got a new Challenge for you. Try this for 30 days.
Every time the negative thoughts come, tell Jesus how much you love Him. I’ll be doing the challenge with you!
You my friend have a calling on your life–a calling to change the world.
Paul’s prayer is my prayer for you:
14-19 My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20-21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (Ephesians 3:14-21 MSG)
Amen.
Book GIVEAWAY!
This is what the author, Steven Furtick writes about his newest release:
“I used to think that someone who struggled with the kinds of weaknesses I deal with daily was useless to God. I felt so often like I was drowning in internal dialogue I couldn’t control. It had been the soundtrack of my life for as long as I could remember.
Yet everything changed when I began to realize God has given us the ability to choose the dialogue we believe and respond to. And once we learn how, we can switch from lies to truth as deliberately as we can choose the Beatles over Miley Cyrus on satellite radio.
This is the key to pressing ahead and doing God’s will anyway, even as you are bombarded with thoughts, feelings, and even facts about why you can’t do it.
I’m now awakening to the reality that we can access the power of God’s promises to constantly crash the system of our broken beliefs. I’m learning how to overpower the shouts of the Enemy by bending my ear to the whisper of God’s supernatural truths about my identity in Him and His strength in me.”
-STEVEN FURTICK, from Crash the Chatterbox
To win the Book leave a comment below and “Like” my Facebook page if you haven’t already. I’ll announce the winner Monday, February 17th, 2014.
Much love and Grace,
[…] places, those lonely, seasons, we often entertain thoughts of our unworthiness or we listen to those negative tapes in our heads believing that God will not use us, we heard Him wrong, or He is […]
[…] places, those lonely, seasons, we often entertain thoughts of our unworthiness or we listen to those negative tapes in our heads believing that God will not use us or we heard Him wrong or He is […]
I know, that would be too funny and the bad thing is, you can’t change it:) Even funnier, I didn’t even notice the first time I saw it. Peace and blessings to your day sweet woman of God.
Looks like my picture got on by signing in using Facebook:) I have learned something new, today:)
There you are! That’s interesting. I’ll have to tell others who have trouble with it.
Love this post Andy! And of course I would love to win the book too if I ever take up reading more than 1500 words at a time!
Thanks Emilee! If you win the book you can read 1500 words at each sitting. :)
Andy, Thank you so much for this! Going to take the 30 day challenge. Love, love, love, your posts!
Awesome! Can’t wait to hear how it helps! Thanks for commenting! You’re entered.
Always a good word. Right on time. Love and blessings always.
Thanks Venus! You’re entered. :)
Thank you so much..I love reading your post, they always seem to touch my heart an helps with something I’m dealing with …a word ..a prayer …just feels like its for me on that day.
God bless you Andy<3
Praise God! I think 98% of us fight the same daily battles. Together we will be victorious. Thank you so much for reading and commenting. You’re entered!
This was an inspiring read tonight for a teacher who had a rough day. Thanks AuntA!
Yay! Thank you sweet girl. Thank you too for sharing the link! Those students just don’t know how lucky they are! Miss you. Aunt A.
So glad! Thanks for sharing it. Sorry you had a rough day. Those students don’t know how lucky they are!
All your writings are right on, but this one is powerful !
Thank you, Kathy! Taking the challenge with me?
Today as always it seems that your posts are personal messages from God, through you, to me. I am grateful every day for how open you are to the Spirit and how faithful you are to His calling of you. Thank you again Andy
That is my prayer every time I write, and I’m truly amazed and grateful when someone tells me the Spirit led the words. Thank you for reading and always encouraging. Praying for you, Yvette.
I’ve had a lot of negative tapes running around in my head recently concerning looking back at my past through some counseling. Thank God, Jesus is sufficient for even this, and His healing words are what gets me through the day. The counselor introduced me to this song and it was powerful enough to get me back to the present day. Yes, I was a fallen woman but redeemed by the Lord and I can walk forward in new life, just as anyone can today by accepting Him.
[3x] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU3qgPn3bGA
Donna Collins Tinsley
I will be praying for you, Donna! Your face shines beauty and peace. I experienced a grace about you when we met at FCWC last year. The negativity is not obvious. Hope to see you again this year at the conference and looking forward to your victory over those negative tapes. The song is anointed. Thank you for sharing!
I’ll be commuting a bit there and I can’t wait to see you:) Your comment made my day as I often don’t know if anyone can see the deep joy of the Lord that I feel inside, although tears might be flowing.
Big Hug coming in a few days!….and maybe a free book by Steven Furtick!
PS- For some reason the picture with my post is not mine:)
I know…that happens all the time. At least you don’t have picture of a man!