During one of the most stressful times in my life, I began to have major symptoms of anxiety. I knew that I had to focus my thoughts on God’s powerful Word to bring me out into victory. One day I sat down and wrote on a piece of paper several Scriptures that I could meditate on day and night.
I have the joy of the Lord.
God has a great future for me.
I am strong in my body, mind, emotions, and spirit
I didn’t feel like saying those things. In the state I was in, I was struggling to believe them. But I believed words have power, my words—and that God was watching over his Word to perform his promises. I took God at his promise too (in Jeremiah 1:12) that what didn’t seem like it was making a difference before my eyes could change everything in the spiritual realm. I knew from enough examples in my life, and the lives of people in the Bible, that you can’t live by just what you feel. You have to live by what you know to be true. What is true is that you can have the mind of Christ, you can be an overcomer instead of simply overcome.
As I meditated upon those words I’d printed out and read and recited them to myself, over time I began to feel relief, comfort, renewal. The stress eased. My anxious thoughts melted, a little at a time. My worries of “what if” turned to “because God.” For example, instead of thinking, what if I never get better?, I began to think, I am already better because God is strong when I am weak.
The disciple Luke wrote, “The Word of God grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20). I saw that in my own life. I found to be true what 2 Corinthians 10:4 says: That we can fight negative thoughts and spirits and events with even a word.
You can do the same. Maybe you start with just these promises listed in the bullet points above. But don’t stop there. Search the Bible for the promises of God. Look for the ones that speak specifically to you:
- Maybe you are drawn to the words of Jesus. Look in Matthew 5 at his promises especially in one of his first talks, encouraging people.
- Perhaps the poetry of songs of David speak to you most. Read the Psalms every day.
- You might be a person of action. Look at the book of Acts of how the apostles changed the world with the good news of Christ.
Write down the promises that speak to you. Read and recite them to yourself. Keep them on index cards in your wallet or pocket. Meditate upon what they mean. Memorize your favorites. Speak these good words into your life and share them with others.
Now watch what God will do.
Excerpt from You Are Made For More!
