Silencing the Voices
What if I can’t afford it?
What if I lose my job and my credit tanks?
What if God didn’t call me to do this work?
What if I’m not as purposed as I thought I was?
These are only a few of the thoughts that have been piercing my mind lately. I’ve been making tremendous strides toward growth, healing, and greatness – and my spiritual obedience has been top notch, too. But despite the feeling of achievement, these thoughts have been echoing loudly within.
What if people don’t receive me?
What if I take the job and I hate it?
What if I launch this service and get no clients?
It seems as though whenever I start doing good, my wellness is plagued by self-doubt. I become insecure, worried, and anxious. I begin questioning my worth and God’s word. It’s like clockwork.
But recognizing this reality has given me an advantage. Understanding where this negative ‘self’ talk originates is the first step for defeating it. These words were nothing my mind was conjuring up; why would I be so hateful toward myself when I’m doing so well?
I wouldn’t, but the enemy would.
Just like God whispers promises and commands unto us, the enemy speaks too. Sometimes his voice is louder than our own. He will use whatever he can to coerce you into believing his word, and not God’s. He’ll hit you where it hurts – sometimes in subtle places that often go dismissed, other times in major ways that leave us in darkness. He will use any and every strategy he can to deter us from pursuing greatness.
And you know what the biggest problem with that is? (Among the many that there are).
It’s that we’re so used to agreeing with him, that we don’t even contest what he says. We’ve conditioned ourselves, for so long, to believe that we don’t have as much power as we do; that God won’t come through like He said; that we are below what we try to prove ourselves to be. We’ve conditioned ourselves to take the enemy’s word and apply it to our lives. We think that what he speaks is a true testament to our worth, our identity, our existence. We hold onto this negativity and feed it long enough to grow. We allow his words to permeate in our lives until we start acting like what he’s spoken - instead of what He’s spoken.
I can’t afford it so I won’t pursue it.
I’ll probably suck at the job so there’s no need for me to apply.
Nobody likes me so I’ll just stay isolated.
We allow the enemy to set our reality without even putting up a fight. Some of us may not know how to fight. Others of us may not even think we can.
But we’ve been equipped with the power (and fire) to fight these battles of the mind. God has given us truths that we must use to combat the notions the enemy pours into us.
The only way to combat negative self-talk prompted by the enemy, is to defeat the enemy with God’s truth. Not a truth we come up with ourselves, but a truth we know is pure, and right, and holy, and perfect. So when these thoughts negative start to come upon you, you have the right armor and the right weapon to defeat it.
Instead of relishing in the defeat of what the enemy says about you, begin to delight in the truth that is God’s word.
He will supply all my needs.
My faith makes me well.
I soar high on wings like eagles, run and don’t grow weary, walk and don’t faint.
By God’s grace I am saved
God loves me.
My life is bringing honor to Christ.
These are some of the truths that make the enemy’s lies irrelevant. These are the words that provide the fuel to keep going — to keep fighting. So with every negative tongue rattling in my mind, there’s a positive truth from God waiting to defeat it. And those truths are what I will use to continue my journey.
If you need extra help ridding yourself of those negative voices, I’m here to help. In a few months, I’ll be releasing a service that helps women – and men, alike – tap into their best lives…on their own terms. If you’re interested in being the first to know about it, subscribe here to get the tea.