You Have the Power to Speak Life Over Your Future and Circumstances

Key Verse to Read and Treasure

But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’… Then the LORD put his hand out and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, “Behold I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:7,9-10, ESV)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21, ESV)

For Insight

How gracious of God to let us in on a private conversation he was having with his prophet. Apparently, Jeremiah was experiencing a lack of confidence. He had been speaking negatively about himself to himself. Jeremiah was doubting himself, looking down on himself, speaking negatively about his future and not feeling as though he was going to be an effective prophet for God. He was entertaining fear and self-doubt. That’s when God began to speak to Jeremiah and strongly admonish him for negative self-talk. God said, “Jeremiah don’t say I can’t do that.” “Don’t say that “I can’t speak to nations.” Don’t say “I’m too young and won’t know how to talk to people…” You must turn your self-messages around to reflect my words to you.”

What God was telling Jeremiah was “learn to speak life over yourself, your future, your God-given capabilities because that’s what I fill you with. Learn to repeat my words back to yourself.”

When God spoke to Job God told him “You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. (Job 22:28, ESV). And in Proverbs we read, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Prov. 18:21)

These are powerful messages for then and now. We must learn to surround ourselves with voices that say we can do the things we speak over ourselves. We must learn to echo the same message God speaks to us through his word and as we dwell in the Vine. Can you imagine the outcome if Jesus had gone around saying things like, “I’m not sure I can do this…I’m not sure I can go to the cross, endure the beatings, stand up under all this persecution, take all this pressure from my enemies and the devil always yapping in my ear?”    

I love hanging out with my family. I love the positivity that flows and fills the atmosphere when we’re together. Like many families, we’ve been through a lot together and even though we’ve experienced much sorrow, and there is heartbreaking, even tragic events that are part of our story as a family, we still laugh a lot together and share endearing love for one another. We are not those who tend to tear one another down or become naysayers. We do not have a “crab in the barrel” mentality but we seek and find our joy in lifting one another up. Of reminding each other “you can do this or that” “you have the power to do this or that through the power of God’s Spirit living in you.” We realize there is enough negativity in the world, enough darkness that the enemy will plant in our mind and thinking without our going down that path.  Family gatherings are not dreaded but looked forward to.  

In the family of God this is what we should be accustomed to hearing. Dwelling in the Vine (God’s Word) this is what we are accustomed to hearing and we are to joyfully spread to others.

Speaking life over our circumstances is more than speaking empty phrases or platitudes without basis. Speaking life as we learn it from the Word of God is that powerful, unshakable foundation that will support us when the going gets tough, when the devil is in one ear and a negative person in the other, when storms come and won’t let up, when challenges are on every side, when darkness veils God’s lovely face. When all is going wrong and nothing is going right we can still speak life because the author and perfector of life is speaking to us.

When we begin investigating and researching the word of God, we might be surprised at how much of it speaks life to us and teaches us to speak life over ourselves. God wants to fill us up with life because we need a strong word and understanding for when the enemy attacks our values, our principles, our faith, and our knowledge of God’s Word. Like the car repair commercial says, “it’s not a matter of if your car will break down, it’s when your car breaks down.” The same is true of the enemy challenging what you know in your heart of faith, “It’s not a matter of if he will attack or challenge you in this area, it’s a matter of when he will. He will and when he does, you should be ready and amply supplied with proof of life, truth about life, from the Book and Word of life.

Jesus, teach me to speak life over myself and my circumstances based on what I have read and learned from the word of God. Amen

Ask Yourself

Am I in the habit of speaking life over my circumstances and life? Do I vacillate in my self-messages the moment the enemy starts to whisper in my ear and spirit? Am I building a spiritual arsenal in my mind and spirit, planting the word of God deeply in my heart of faith that support speaking life?             

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