فصل 9

CHAPTER 9

Making Your Words Work for You

One of the best ways that we can improve our self-image is with our words. Words are like seeds. They have creative power. It says in Isaiah that “We will eat the fruit of our words.” Our words tend to produce what we’re saying.

The Scripture says, “With our tongue, we can either bless our life or we can curse our life.”

We must be extremely careful what we allow out of our mouth. Our words set the direction for our lives.

Which direction are you going? Are you declaring good things? Are you blessing your life, speaking words of faith over your future and your children’s future? Or are you prone to saying negative things? “Nothing good ever happens to me. I’ll probably never get out of debt. I’ll never break this addiction.” When you talk like that, you are setting the limits for your life.

Positively or negatively, creative power resides in your words, because you believe your words more than you believe anybody else’s. That’s why it is so important that we get in a habit of declaring good things over our lives every day. When you get up in the morning, instead of looking at that mirror and saying, “Oh, I can’t believe I look like this. I’m getting so old, so wrinkled,” you need to smile and say, “Good morning, you good-looking thing!” No matter how you feel, look at yourself in that mirror, and say, “I am strong. I am healthy. God is renewing my strength like the eagles. And I am excited about this day.” In the natural, physical realm, those statements may not seem to be true. You may not feel up to par that day. Or you may have many obstacles to overcome. The Scripture tells us that we are to “call the things that are not as if they already were.”

In other words, don’t talk about the way you are; talk about the way you want to be. That’s what faith is all about. In the physical realm, you have to see it to believe it, but God says you have to believe it, and then you’ll see it.

Change the way you speak about yourself and you can change your life. Start each day with saying things such as, “I am disciplined. I have self-control. I make good decisions. I’m an overcomer. This problem didn’t come to stay; it came to pass.” All through the day—as you’re driving to work, taking a shower, or cooking dinner—under your breath, declare positive, biblically accurate statements about yourself: “I am more than a conqueror. I can do what I need to do. I’m a child of the Most High God.”

As you speak affirmatively about yourself, you’ll be amazed to discover that you are getting stronger emotionally and spiritually, and that image on the inside is changing for the better.

When God told Abraham and Sarah they were going to have a child, they were both well beyond the childbearing years. No wonder Sarah laughed. She must have said, “Abraham, what are you talking about? Me? Have a child. I’m an old woman. I don’t think so.” God had to change the image Abraham and Sarah had of themselves before they could ever have that child. How did God do that? He changed their names; He changed the words they were hearing. He changed Sarai to Sarah, which means “princess.” He changed Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many nations.” Think about it. Before Abraham had a single child, God called him by faith the father of many nations. Every time somebody said, “Hey, Abraham. How you doing?” they were saying, “Hello, father of many nations.” He heard that so often, it began to sink down inside him.

Sarah was an older woman who had never had any children. She probably didn’t feel much like a princess, but every time somebody said, “Hello, Sarah,” they were saying, “Hello, princess.” Over time, that changed her self-image. Now, she no longer saw herself as an older, barren woman; she began to see herself as a princess. Eventually, she gave birth to a child, whom the parents named Isaac.

Perhaps God has whispered something to your heart that seems totally impossible. It may seem impossible for you to ever be well again, or impossible for you to get out of debt, to get married, to lose weight, to start that new business. In the natural, physical realm, all the odds are against you; you don’t see how it could happen. But if you’re going to see those dreams come to pass, you have to get your mouth moving in the right direction and use your words to help you develop a new image on the inside. No matter how impossible something looks, no matter how you feel, start boldly declaring, “I am strong in the Lord. I can do all things through Christ. I am well able to fulfill my destiny.” Call in what God has promised you.

If you will set aside five minutes a day and simply declare good things over your life, you may be astounded at the results. Before you leave the house, take a few minutes to speak blessings over your life. You may prefer to write the statements, so you can have a record of them. Make a list of your dreams, goals, and aspirations as well as the areas you want to improve, the things you want to see changed. Always make sure you can back it up with God’s Word. Then get alone with God and take a few minutes every day to declare good things over your life. Remember, it’s not enough to read it or merely think about it. Something supernatural happens when we speak it out. That’s how we give life to our faith.

Decide right now that today will be a turning point in your life. Prior to now, you rarely have said anything good about yourself. But starting today, get on the offensive and start making positive declarations over your own life. Every day, say things like “I am blessed. I am healthy and prosperous. I am called. I’m anointed. I’m creative. I’m talented. I am well able to fulfill my destiny.”

If you want to know where you are going to be five years from now, listen to your words. You are prophesying your future. If you want to be stronger, healthier, happier, if you want to break addictions, then start declaring it right now. Remember, you will eat the fruit of your own words, so bless your future. Get in agreement with God, and learn to speak words of faith and victory over your own life. Not only will you develop a better self-image, you will become a better you!