Review According to Your Faith... before reading
Thoughts are powerful...so powerful that they affect the direction of our lives!
A persistent fearful thought causes stress, which medical science has proven causes pre-mature aging and a variety of physical ailments. Job explains the calamities that befell him..."For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread befalls me." [Job 3:25]
We also know that Jesus told many who came to Him for miracles "According to your faith be it done unto you..." and fear is nothing more than faith in or dread of what horrible things may happen.
We see how powerful fear thoughts are...what about the power in positive, life-affirming thoughts of blessing? The Bible calls positive expectation Hope, and tells us that Faith is the substance of things hoped for! [Hebrews 11:1]
So it seems that the choice is once again ours. God told us to choose, either life and prosperity, or death and adversity [Deuteronomy 30:15].
An aside...it is interesting to see that He connects prosperity with life, and adversity with death, and not the other way around! He must not be very religious!
Anyway...if He has set the choice before us, it must be in our power to choose. And it appears that the power to choose is faith--faith in His blessings, or faith in adversity and the curse...or fear, as it is more commonly referred to.
Thoughts Become Words, Words Become Things
Jesus knew the connection between powerful thoughts, powerful words and physical manifestation. He taught that out of the good treasure of a man's heart a good man brings forth what is good, and out of the evil treasure of a man's heart, an evil man brings forth what is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. [Luke 6:45] In other words, the words do the bringing forth from whatever fills the heart!
Jesus knew the connection between powerful thoughts, powerful words and physical manifestation. He taught that out of the good treasure of a man's heart a good man brings forth what is good, and out of the evil treasure of a man's heart, an evil man brings forth what is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. [Luke 6:45] In other words, the words do the bringing forth from whatever fills the heart!
So choose life. Do as instructed in Philippians 4:8--think only on the good things. '...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.' Or as instructed in Romans 12:2--renew your mind to prove what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is!
Refuse to entertain fear thoughts...replace the negative with the wonderful promises of God! Remember, all the promises of God are 'yes' in Him! [2 Corinthinans 1:20]
Let the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Romans 15:13] That same power by which He can do abundantly more than we ask or think [Ephesians 3:20] dwells in you to give you hope--the positive expectation of blessing and favor!
