Laura's Latest: What are you saying?

Four years ago, if you were to ask me who I was or what my future held for me I would have told you that I was mad, depressed, unstable, lacking, irresponsible, exhausted, ill, uncontrollable, disturbed, abused, a victim, a hindrance, worthless and that there was no future ahead for me.

Do you ever feel any of those things? Do you say those things about yourself?

If you were to ask me those questions now you would get a very different answer.

I am a new creation. I have a sound mind. I have integrity and boldness and confidence in Jesus. I am victorious and able to succeed in everything I do. I have peace and joy and love in my life. I am full and prosperous, accepted and precious, unconditionally loved by God. I have more than enough, I have opportunities and a unique destiny. I have skills and talents. I was handcrafted by God on purpose for a purpose.

I don't say this in big-headedness. I say this because God told me and He says the same thing about you too.

I remember when Paul and I first started dating and he would try to compliment me. I would respond to him with negative words like, “I'm not pretty." "I am fat." "My hair is too thin." "My body is a weird shape." "I look like a boy.”

It is so easy to be negative. It is so easy to complain without even knowing that you are doing it! Complaining about the weather, tiredness, disappointments, road rage, relationships. We hear it all day, everywhere we go, on the tube, on the bus, at work, on the news and even at home.

Habitually expressing negative words creates a yucky atmosphere. Ultimately, your negative words outwardly affect you and the people around you. It took me some time to grasp this revelation and I spent the first few months of being a christian finding myself in the same traps I had faced before, but something had changed and that was my heart. God transforms hearts, atmospheres and situations. He is the Creator of the universe, the Author of your life and He really does know exactly what you need, exactly when you need it. He knew my need, He changed my heart. I changed my mind and began to desire to watch my mouth.

I have learnt so much from my Pastor Ben about the power of our tongues, how to speak things into existence and how to move mountains that are in the way of our destinies. These are some of my fave scriptures:

Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Matthew 15:11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he

What are you saying? What are you declaring over yourself?

We need to realise that through Christ, we have the authority to speak life, healing, prosperity, opportunity, peace, joy, multiplication and manifestation over people and situations.

I remember listening to Joyce Meyer and she said "Its one thing to stop saying bad things, but its another to replace them with good things."

Not only should we stop declaring illness over ourselves but we should start saying how good we feel, how energised we are e.t.c.

Whatever we hear and say repetitively we eventually believe. If I went by how I felt, I might not do anything! I wouldn't be writing this, going into work, getting up early e.t.c. Our feelings change so often but God's Word does not change. I've learnt to start saying positive things despite my feelings. Your feelings WILL catch up with your words eventually.

So now its time to write some declarations! What do you want to see? What are you going to speak into existence? You have the power of life and death in your tongue so what do you want to change? God’s Word is sharper than a two edged sword and will cut through to deepest and darkest of habits and mentalities so do not fear, no matter how many years you have said what you said; it is not too late. There is no better weapon to use than scriptures from The Bible. My Pastor always recommends to find a relevant scripture then say it, visualise it and personalise it.

My goal was to stop being self-destructive and to gain confidence. So I found some scriptures to build myself up and get my brain and mouth to line up with what God says about me.

Deuteronomy 28:6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out

Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail

1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God

Romans 8:37 In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us

1 Samuel 18:14 David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the LORD was with him

1 Corinthians 6:19 Don't you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do

The first thing I tackled was what I was saying when I first got out of bed. I would usually say something like, “Ohhhhh I'm so tired! I can't be bothered to get up/go to work/move.”

So I banned those words and replaced them with, “Thank You Jesus for this day.” I began saying this every morning and sometimes It was all I would say, other days I elaborate and thank Him for the weather, the day ahead, my health, colleagues, husband, family, finances, church e.t.c.

I read and reread and reread these scriptures. I saved them on my phone, wrote them down, typed them up and began saying them out loud. It felt silly at first but after a while I began to memorise, and personalise them and it became a daily declaration that sounded like this:

“I am a child of God. I am the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. I am blessed going in and blessed going out. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am more than a conqueror. I am handcrafted by God, a temple of The Holy Spirit. God has a plan and purpose for my life and I will continue to succeed in everything I do because The Lord is with me."

Now I don't feel silly anymore when I am speaking these words out, though I do feel silly saying negative, unfruitful and whiny words!

Relationship trouble? Avoid telling your partner everything they are doing wrong and start complimenting them. Speak peace and joy and opportunity over their life. Thank God for them and ask for ways that you can bless them or show them the love of God through you.

Sickness in your body? Joel Osteen says, "Don't use your words to describe your situation. Use your words to change your situation." Start declaring that you are healed, that you feel better and energised and youthful. Start speaking strength into your limbs and concentration into your brain in Jesus' Name. Your words are powerful.

If you are hoping for something to happen, a promotion, opportunity, breakthrough, then start speaking it into existence. Thank God in advance. Thank Him for all the things you will do when that happens. Imagine doing it or achieving it or receiving it. Draw pictures, print off certificates, create voice notes, do whatever it takes to get it into your imagination. What you think in your heart, so are you. If you think and say you will fail, you will. If you think and say you will succeed, you will.

These truths are so life-changing and I pray that you begin to think on what you are saying. Through God, I know that you can make the alterations and amendment needed and that you will see a transformation in your life. You are here for a purpose! I thank God for the great plans He has for you. I pray that you gain understanding on God's undeniable, unconditional love for you and that you allow Him into your life to rescue you, to be your Friend, Counsellor, Protector and Father for eternity.

If you don't know Jesus, I encourage you to check out this link to: Salvation Prayer. I found it really helpful and Andrew Womack has a fantastic way of explaining things.

I am so excited for you!